The Vegas Golden Knights were one of the final two teams remaining in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Here are three players who won’t be back next year.
The Vegas Golden Knights came into existence in 2017 and nearly won the Stanley Cup in its first season, but fell in five games to the Washington Capitals. Since then, they had tried, but failed, to make it back to the Stanley Cup Final. That all changed this season when they defeated the Dallas Stars to win the Western Conference championship for the second time.
Now, they can call themselves Stanley Cup champions after defeating the Florida Panthers in five games.
With every season, teams are set to lose their players whether by release, trade, or free agency. When a team makes it to the Finals, they are more likely than not going to lose some names.
Here are three Golden Knights players who won’t be back next season.
Vegas Golden Knights who won’t be back next season, No. 3: Phil Kessel, F
Phil Kessel had been in the league for quite some time and has received notoriety as the NHL’s iron man. He had been active for every game since 2009, but this past April in the playoffs, he was ruled a healthy scratch in the team’s first-round series against the Winnipeg Jets. He sat in 18 consecutive playoff games with the Knights.
This year with the Golden Knights, Kessel scored 14 goals and dished out 22 assists in all 82 regular-season games played.
Now, Kessel is set to become a free agent. Considering that he wasn’t placed in the lineup by head coach Bruce Cassidy, and the fact that the team has 14 players hitting free agency (restricted and unrestricted), one has to imagine that Kessel may end up on another team next season.
Vegas Golden Knights who won’t be back next season, No. 2: Teddy Blueger, F
Looking at the impending free agents list, one player who does stand out is forward Teddy Blueger.
Blueger entered the league as the 52nd overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He received his call-up to the team during the 2018-19 season and remained with them since. Blueger’s best season was in 2021-22 when he put up 28 points (nine goals, 19 assists) in 65 games played.
This season, the Golden Knights acquired him in exchange for defenseman Peter Diliberatore and a third-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. In 18 regular-season games played, Blueger put up two goals and four assists. Come playoff time, Blueger was used sparingly, appearing in just six games, with his last being May 25 against the Dallas Stars.
Considering the talent they have and players they’ll likely want to retain (i.e. Ivan Barbashev), Blueger could very well be on a new team next season.
Vegas Golden Knights who won’t be back next season, No. 1: Jonathan Quick, G
The Golden Knights seemingly had a rough go of things at the goaltender position. From the regular season to the playoffs, the Golden Knights started five different goalies, which normally would have ended any team’s chance of winning the Cup at the end of the year.
In the playoffs, starter Laurent Broissot went down with a lower-body injury in the second round against the Edmonton Oilers. Vegas called upon Adin Hill, and he became a star in net and one that Golden Knights remember for quite some time.
Ironically, Broissot and Hill are set to become free agents this season. While it’s unknown if they will keep both of them, one goalie that probably won’t return is Jonathan Quick.
This isn’t the Quick that dominated with the Los Angeles Kings over 10 years ago and won two Stanley Cup Finals. The Kings moved on from Quick this season, sending him to the Columbus Blue Jackets. But Quick never donned the pads for the Blue Jackets, as he was acquired by the Golden Knights to add depth to their goaltending room.
In 10 games played for Vegas, Quick recorded 3.13 goals allowed average, a .901 save percentage, and a 5-2-2 win-loss record.
Given the rise of Hill and Broissot hitting the market, it’s likely that Quick’s stay in Vegas is a short one.