The Detroit Red Wings could take advantage of the Vegas Golden Knights’ tight salary cap situation to land coveted RFA defenseman Nic Hague.
Hague is believed to be looking for a significant pay bump from his $2.29 million cap hit from this past season. That situation puts the Golden Knights in a tough spot. The club still needs to round out its roster, but is short on cap space.
So, moving Hague looks like a tough but necessary decision. Here’s a look at what the proposed trade could look like:
Red Wings get:
Nic Hague, D (RFA)
2025 sixth-round pick
2027 third-round pick
Golden Knights get:
Erik Gustafsson, D
2025 third-round pick
The Fourth Period shows Hague on its 2025 Summer Trade List. The rationale lies in Hague’s pay raise as the main driving factor behind the trade. According to the List, Hague knows the club will be looking to trade him.
Hague is an RFA, meaning that he’ll need to sign a new contract for next season. But with the Red Wings currently holding over $21 million in cap space, they have room to do it. Also, sending Gustafsson to the Golden Knights frees up another $2 million for the Red Wings to use in signing Hague.
Why the Deal Makes Sense for Detroit Red Wings
The deal makes sense for the Red Wings as the club needs an upgrade on the left side. The Wings’ current depth chart shows Ben Chiarot, Simon Edvinsson, and Gustafsson. Also, Albert Johansson is an RFA and needs a new contract.
So, if Johansson and Edvinsson gobble up two of the three blue line spots on the left side, the Wings will need to get someone else to round out the defense core. But instead of landing a third-pairing blue liner, this deal adds a top-pairing option to the Red Wings’ blue line group.
Moreover, Hague can slide in on the top pairing with Moritz Seider playing the right side, allowing Chiarot and potentially one of Justin Holl or a new face to round out the middle pairing.
As for the bottom pair, the Red Wings have numerous options. They can either scour the free-agent market for a cost-effective option or bring someone up from the AHL.
Why the Deal Makes Sense for Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights are looking to remain competitive in the Western Conference. However, their tight salary cap situation forces them to make tough choices. One of them is passing on re-signing Nic Hague.
The Golden Knights are also rumored to make a splash on the free-agent market. If that’s the case, the Golden Knights will need to shed even more money to clear room to add new contracts to the team.
While Hague’s loss will affect the club, the Knights are deep enough to handle it. Vegas has three solid defensemen in Shea Theodore, Noah Hanifin, and Brayden McNabb. Additionally, Alex Pietrangelo could be starting the season on LTIR. If that’s true, the Knights could also have another $8.8 million in LTIR to play with.
On the whole, the Golden Knights have the depth on the blue line to absorb Hague’s loss. With no major UFAs to re-sign, the Golden Knights can focus on rounding out their roster this summer.
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