Had it not been for Adin Hill stepping up to the plate, it’s very possible the Vegas Golden Knights would not have won the Stanley Cup in 2023. While their Cup run is a couple of years in the past, the Golden Knights are still one of the strongest teams in the Western Conference and Adin Hill is a big reason for their success.
With a 24-11-4 record with four shutouts this season, the Golden Knights are prepared to reward Hill for his efforts with the team. According to Elliotte Friedman in the 32 Thoughts Podcast, the Golden Knights are closing in on a contract extension with their star goalie.
“There are some rumblings, and we will see, I do not have confirmation as we record this podcast,” Friedman stated. “He may be closing in on an extension with Vegas. We’ll see.”
Even if Friedman heard wrong or the Golden Knights aren’t that close to an extension, it’s likely Hill remains in Vegas. The available goalie options are few and far between with Hill likely the biggest name of upcoming free agent netminders.
The Golden Knights will have first dibs in talking with Hill about an extension, making his re-signing in Vegas very likely.
Friedman referenced the NHL’s current goalie market that is earning netminder big deals worth around $5 million annually.
“A bunch of these guys have come in around the 5x$5 million range,” Friedman said. “I could see Hill being a little bit above that. We’ll see where this goes.”
Only recently did Hill prove himself to be a go-to starter at the NHL level, and it’s with the help of the Golden Knights’ lineup that he has played his best hockey. In 175 career games between the Golden Knights, San Jose Sharks, and Arizona Coyotes, he has an 88-62-12 record.
Before arriving in Vegas in 2022, Hill was a steady backup with a 29-32-5 record. Since donning the Golden Knights uniform, he’s improved to 59-30-7.
The Golden Knights have made a name for themselves as ruthless when it comes to their goalies, but Hill seems to be on a different level that should keep him around. Winning a Cup helps with that.
