Adin Hill, who received Conn Smythe votes after the Golden Knights’ 2023 Stanley Cup win, enters the 2026 offseason as a leading trade candidate with a $6.25 million cap hit.
Vegas Cap Pressures Accelerate Hill’s Exit
Vegas signed Hill to a six-year, $37.5 million extension in March 2025 that carries a $6.25 million average annual value through 2030-31. Carter Hart’s emergence in the 2026 playoffs has displaced Hill and created an immediate need to shed salary. The Golden Knights must clear room for Rasmus Andersson’s extension and Pavel Dorofeyev’s restricted free-agent deal after the forward posted two strong regular seasons and a standout playoff run. Hill’s health history, marked by inconsistent availability, adds risk for any acquiring team yet preserves his value as a proven playoff performer who once tallied 24 wins in a season.
St. Louis faces its own timeline pressure with Alex Steen assuming the general manager role on July 1, 2026. Jordan Binnington carries a $6 million cap hit on the final year of his six-year, $36 million contract signed in 2021. Binnington remains one year from unrestricted free agency and holds a 2019 Stanley Cup pedigree plus Team Canada experience. Steen’s transition from Doug Armstrong signals a potential roster reset that could include moving the 32-year-old netminder to acquire younger assets or draft capital.
Depth in Detroit and Buffalo Creates Trade Chips
Detroit’s Sebastian Cossa heads into the 2026 offseason after limited NHL exposure and a demotion late in the American Hockey League season. Cossa will lose his waiver-exempt status next season, prompting the Red Wings to explore trade options rather than risk losing him for nothing. Teammate Trey Augustine provides additional organizational depth that could facilitate a deal for a team seeking a younger goalie.
Buffalo already operates a three-goalie rotation featuring Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis. Devon Levi recorded zero NHL starts in 2025-26 despite strong minor-league production with the Rochester Americans. Multiple clubs have expressed interest in Levi, whose $2.5 million or lower cap hit would represent an affordable bridge option compared with established veterans.
Free-Agent Tier Remains Thin
The unrestricted free-agent pool offers limited high-end options, led by Stuart Skinner and Sergei Bobrovsky. Teams seeking immediate stability will therefore prioritize trade talks over July 1 signings. The combination of Vegas’s $6.25 million obligation, St. Louis’s impending front-office shift and Buffalo’s logjam positions at least four netminders for movement before training camp opens in September 2026.
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Par Mike Jonderson
Mike Jonderson is a passionate hockey analyst and expert in advanced NHL statistics. A former college player and mathematics graduate, he combines his understanding of the game with technical expertise to develop innovative predictive models and contribute to the evolution of modern hockey analytics.