The Golden Knights got most of their summer business done early this year.
General manager Kelly McCrimmon didn’t wait until the opening of free agency July 1 to sign four Knights players to contract extensions: Center Brett Howden, right wing Keegan Kolesar and defensemen Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore. All were set to be unrestricted free agents this summer.
That leaves one position still in flux: Goaltender.
Stanley Cup winner Adin Hill is set to hit free agency this offseason, as is backup Ilya Samsonov. That was reinforced again Monday when Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson, who the Knights traded June 29, signed a six-year, $35.1 million contract extension with his new team.
Hill, 28, would likely be the top goalie on the open market if he gets there. But he’s given the Knights plenty of reasons to keep him around. He’s coming off a 33-save win against the Florida Panthers on Sunday, a performance that stoked memories of his stellar showing against Florida in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final.
“It’s always fun playing a team like that, that’s physical and kind of gets you in the game a little more,” Hill said. “They throw a lot of pucks at the net. I thought it was a good game where guys did a good job around the net.”
Hill is in the final season of the two-year, $9.8 million extension he signed after helping the Knights beat the Panthers to win the Cup.
The deal showed the team’s belief in him. The Knights displayed their trust in Hill again when they moved him to the starter’s net for Game 5 of their first-round series against the Dallas Stars last season. Thompson had started the first four games and gone 2-2.
The Knights’ feelings haven’t changed. They want to keep Hill, while he wants to stay with the franchise that put him in position to be successful.
Those negotiations could be impacted by some recent extensions around the NHL, including Thompson’s. The 27-year-old earned a huge raise after going 22-2-3 with a .925 save percentage and 2.09 goals-against average his first 27 games with the Capitals. He’s a key reason why Washington has the best record in the NHL.
Other deals of note include the four-year, $33 million extension 2023 Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark signed with the Ottawa Senators in October. The New York Rangers made 2022 Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin the highest-paid goaltender in NHL history two months later by inking him to an eight-year, $92 million deal.
Seattle goaltender Joey Daccord (five years, $25 million) and Colorado goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (five years, $26.25 million) also earned new contracts this season.
Despite having all those extensions to work off of, Hill presents a unique case.
He has 154 career starts in eight NHL seasons and has had problems staying healthy in his career. But he’s also won a Stanley Cup. He’s been outstanding in 19 playoff appearances for the Knights, posting a .932 save percentage and 2.09 goals-against average.
Hill has shown growth in recent seasons as well. He’s four appearances shy of tying his career high of 35, which he set last year with the Knights. He’s shaken off a slow start this season and is 19-9-3 with a .903 save percentage and 2.60 goals-against average.
“Everyone’s going to have their ups and downs, but we all know how good of a goalie he is,” center Nicolas Roy said Monday. “We know what he can do. It’s why he’s one of the best goalies in the league.”
Hill has impressed those around the NHL enough to earn a spot on Team Canada for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off in February. He has a chance to represent his country in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy as well.
It’s up to the Knights to decide how much all that is worth. They still have five months to figure it out.
“(The) 4 Nations, it’ll be fun and it is exciting, but we have a job here,” Hill said. “Our loyalty is always to this team first. And that’s where we want to stay.”
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.