Golden Knights acquire goaltender from Sharks
The Golden Knights beefed up their goaltending depth Monday by making a trade with their most-hated rival.
The Knights acquired Adin Hill from San Jose for a 2024 fourth-round pick, a move that gives them another option in net and alleviates a logjam for the Sharks.
The deal comes 18 days after the Knights announced that starter Robin Lehner is expected to miss the entire season because of double hip surgery and four days after general manager Kelly McCrimmon said they would rely on a Logan Thompson-Laurent Brossoit tandem.
McCrimmon said it didn’t look as if a trade would happen when he spoke Thursday, but a few phone calls with Sharks general manager Mike Grier changed things.
“This puts another really good goalie into our organization and into the mix,” McCrimmon said. “Gives us a lot more comfort in terms of the position heading into the year.”
Hill, 26, has appeared in 74 NHL games in his five-year career. He spent his first four seasons with the Arizona Coyotes before being traded to San Jose last summer along with a seventh-round pick for goaltender Josef Korenar and a second-round pick.
The 6-foot-6-inch Hill was 10-11-1 with a .906 save percentage and 2.66 goals-against average in a career-high 22 starts and 25 appearances with the Sharks. But he became expendable after San Jose acquired goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen from Minnesota at the trade deadline to pair with James Reimer.
Hill has one year remaining on his contract with a $2.175 million cap hit.
“We have significantly increased our organizational depth at the goaltending position over the last six months,” Grier said in a statement. “This trade provides an opportunity for Adin to compete for playing time while adding another asset that our organization can use in the future. We wish Adin the best in Vegas.”
Hill’s arrival could create similar questions to the ones the Sharks faced.
The Knights could face a roster crunch in net if Thompson, Brossoit and Hill are healthy and available at some point. They could keep all three in the NHL, but only two can dress for each game.
Thompson is waiver exempt, according to the website CapFriendly, meaning he can be sent to the American Hockey League without being exposed to other teams. But the 25-year-old showed promise as a rookie by going 10-5-3 with a .914 save percentage and 2.68 goals-against average.
Brossoit, 29, is an experienced backup. He’s recovering from offseason hip surgery, and it’s unclear whether he will be ready for the start of the season. That could delay a potential decision for the Knights.
“Things will all sort themselves out with training camp,” McCrimmon said before noting the amount of injuries they and other teams experienced last season. “It’s a position where adding another NHL goaltender was prudent and a good decision.”
Stone skating
McCrimmon said Knights captain Mark Stone has been on the ice and still trending to be ready for the start of the season after having back surgery May 19.
Stone, 30, missed 45 games last season with the back injury. He’s not close to being ready to play in an NHL game, McCrimmon said. The Knights open the season Oct. 11 at Los Angeles.
“He feels real good with how his back’s progressing,” McCrimmon said. “Everything’s gone according to plan so far.”
Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.