Official: Golden Knights Re-Sign Brandon Saad

As reported by Elliotte Friedman on Wednesday, the Vegas Golden Knights are bringing back winger Brandon Saad. 

After joining the Golden Knights midseason, Saad scored six goals and recorded 14 points in 29 games. He became a staple on the second line alongside Tomáš Hertl and Pavel Dorofeyev. Even when he didn’t score, Saad used his speed and forechecking to create scoring chances.

Had Saad hit Free Agency, the 32-year-old two-time Stanley Cup Champion would have had his fair share of suitors. 

“Saad had a market for him out there,” reported Elliotte Friedman on Friday. “There were some teams who were disappointed to hear he was going back there. And it sounds like he’s taking a below-market deal.”

And take a below-market deal he did. Saad signed a one-year deal with a $2 million cap hit. He, like Reilly Smith, took a significant pay cut to stay in Vegas. And, like Smith, Saad signed for a base salary of $1 million accompanied by a $1 million signing bonus.

This contract, coupled with how he agreed to terminate his contract with the St. Louis Blues, shows how badly Saad wants to win. In February, Saad walked away from $5.4 million and signed a $1.5 million contract with the Golden Knights.

“I think at this point in my career, I’ve had success and made a lot of money,” said Saad in February. “Chasing more money wasn’t leading to any happiness.”

If Saad signed elsewhere with another contending team, he almost certainly would’ve received a nice pay raise. Instead, he signed with the Golden Knights for below-market value. 

Players only do that when they think their team has a real shot to win the Stanley Cup.

After re-signing Reilly Smith and Brandon Saad, the Golden Knights have just $5.615 million remaining. 

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