The notoriously ruthless Vegas Golden Knights may live up to their reputation this summer. Chatter has ramped up about the possibility of former Stanley Cup-winning netminder Adin Hill being on the trade block.
The emergence of Carter Hart during the postseason has seemingly made Hill expendable. But it’s not that Hill is a bad goalie. It’s that the salary cap dynamics will make it hard for the Golden Knights to keep Hill while re-signing Hart.
As such, Vegas could be exploring a move for Adin Hill this summer. If that’s indeed the case, three potential destinations emerge as solid landing spots for the 30-year-old.
Top 3 Landing Spots for Adin Hill
Edmonton Oilers Could Make Strong Push for Adin Hill
Just about any starting-caliber goalie who could become available will land on the Edmonton Oilers’ radar. Edmonton’s flop of a deal for Tristan Jarry has brought the club back to the drawing board. The fact that former coach Kris Knoblauch turned to Connor Ingram down the stretch and the playoffs made it clear that Jarry was not the guy.
That said, should Adin Hill become available, the Oilers will likely do their due diligence. It’s tough to envision the Golden Knights sending Hill to a division rival. Vegas clearly doesn’t want to help Edmonton, as evidenced by the refusal to allow the Oilers to speak to former coach Bruce Cassidy.
But beyond that, the Oilers just don’t have the cap space and the pieces to make a deal work. Even if they did, Edmonton would have to dump Jarry somewhere to fit Hill’s $6.25 million cap hit.
The Oilers will be the most-talked-about destination, and the best fit for the veteran goalie.
Buffalo Sabres Could Be in the Market for a Goalie
One of the teams that could do some scouring this summer is the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres had a fantastic season, mainly due to their stacked lineup. But if there was one weakness, it was in the crease. The Sabres turned to backup Alex Lyon to carry the load in the postseason. And for the most part, Lyon was up to the task. But if Buffalo had an opportunity to land a bona fide #1 goalie, it would do what it could to make it work.
Adin Hill would fit that bill. A tandem of Hill with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen would not be the craziest idea in the world. If there is such an opportunity, GM Jarmo Kekalainen would be remiss if he didn’t explore it.
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Florida Panthers May Need Help in the Crease
The Panthers face a dilemma with Sergei Bobrovsky. The two-time Cup winner will be a UFA this summer. While the talk is that the Cats and Bobrovsky will figure something out, the math may not math for the two sides.
If the Panthers find themselves forced to move on from Bobrovsky, Adin Hill could become an option. Like the Oilers, Florida may not have the assets to make the deal work. The Cats have one of the worst prospect pools in the NHL and are bereft of draft capital. Still, Florida may figure something out. The Golden Knights are just as cap-strapped and devoid of draft capital as the Panthers. That situation could motivate the Knights to send Hill to Florida for a lower-than-expected price.
Even if Florida were confident in bringing Bobrovsky back, it wouldn’t be surprising to hear about GM Bill Zito kicking the tires on Hill this summer.
Adin Hill Top 3 Destinations: Golden Knights Goalie on Block