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Saad Chasing Third Stanley Cup; Chooses Golden Knights

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Brandon Saad practices with the Vegas Golden Knights (Photo/Screenshot- Vegas Golden Knights via Twitter)

It’s been an eventful week for two-time Stanley Cup Champion Brandon Saad.



On Wednesday, the St. Louis Blues announced that they were placing Saad on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract. Now, this isn’t something a team can just decide to do. Both parties have to agree to terminate a contract.

There was no guarantee that he would get another offer—I mean, there was a pretty good chance, but nothing in life is guaranteed, right?– so Saad was risking a lot. Almost $5.4 million, to be exact. That’s how much he would have made just by staying in St. Louis.

But that’s not who Brandon Saad is. He’s not content to collect a paycheck. He wants to play, and he wants to win.

So, Saad bet on himself. He agreed to terminate his contract and signed a one-year deal with the Vegas Golden Knights after passing through unconditional waivers.

“I think a lot of things [went wrong in St. Louis],” said Saad. “I’m glad that’s kind of in the past, and I’m looking for a fresh start with a great team.”

Switching teams mid-season is never easy, but Saad isn’t walking into a room full of strangers. He and Ivan Barbashev played together in St. Louis and even spent some time as linemates.

“I played with [Ivan Barbashev] in St. Louis; he’s an incredible player,” said Saad. “He got put into a situation with a great team, and obviously, he’s flourished and had success. It’s good to be reunited with a guy like that.”

In return, Barbashev had nothing but good things to say about Saad.

“I knew him for a couple of years back in St. Louis,” said Barbashev. “[Saad is] a really smart player who plays the right way and is a really nice guy. The guys are really excited to have him… I talked to him a couple of days ago. He sent me a text, and he asked some questions. I think he’s going to love it here. It’s an easy group to adapt to, lots of nice guys in the room, and I think everybody’s going to help him out.”

Saad practiced with the team yesterday after officially signing with the Golden Knights on Friday.

“It’s been pretty crazy,” Saad said. “I flew in [Friday night], so it’s nice to get with the team today, be around them, and get settled in that way… The excitement is through the roof. It was a tough few days, but to have that in the past and get here and be around the team and get a chance to compete and win, it’s extremely exciting.”

Of course, the Golden Knights weren’t the only team to call Saad and inquire about his services. It’s not often that a player like Saad becomes a free agent halfway through the regular season.

“There were a handful of teams [that I spoke with], I don’t know exactly how many. There were a lot of good options, and I had a lot of good conversations. But this fit for me and my family was the right call,” Saad said.

Hockey is a unique sport. These players don’t care about money; they want to win. Once they’ve tasted victory and know what it takes to win, they’ll do almost anything to get back to the top. Saad’s decision to terminate his contract is a prime example of this.

“I think at this point in my career, I’ve had success and made a lot of money,” said Saad. “Chasing more money wasn’t leading to any happiness. For me, it was good to get a fresh start, go to a competitive team, and get a chance to win again… I think anyone you ask who’s won always wants to get back there and get another taste of it. There’s nothing better, nothing like it. So it’s exciting to join a team like this.”

Saad knows what it takes to win. He was part of the Chicago Blackhawks dynasty that hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2013 and 2015. Like all athletes, Saad is driven by the desire to win it all, and he identified the Golden Knights as a team that could do just that.

“I think, for me, to be able to go to a contender and the chance to win another cup [made this the right decision]. I’ve played against Vegas for years, and they have tremendous talent, depth, good coaching, great city. They’ve kinda got it all, and I’m just excited to be a part of that culture… As an outsider looking in, it seems like they’re always making changes and trying to compete for the cup. It’s not something where they’re half in. They’re focused on one goal every year, and that excites me.”

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