The Vegas Golden Knights have bolstered their goaltending roster by signing Ilya Samsonov to a one-year contract worth $1.8 million. This move follows the recent trade of Logan Thompson to the Washington Capitals. Samsonov, 27, joins Vegas after spending the last two seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs on one-year deals. He compiled a 50-17-13 record with the Leafs and played a pivotal role in their playoff success, including their first series win in 19 years by defeating Tampa Bay last season.
But injuries and inconsistent plays plagued Samsonov’s tenure, which saw him placed on waivers midway through the 2023-24 season. Samsonov was outplayed by Joseph Woll, who will assume No. 1 duties in Toronto next year while Samsonov looks to revive his career in Sin City.
Meanwhile, the Vegas Golden Knights have secured winger Pavel Dorofeyev and defenseman Kaedan Korczak with two-year contracts after they became restricted free agents earlier this week.
Dorofeyev, 23, will earn $1.835 million annually over the next two seasons. He made a significant impact in his rookie season, playing 47 games without AHL stints and tallying 13 goals and 24 points, showcasing strong productivity. Since joining from the KHL, he has accumulated 20 goals and 33 points in 67 games over three years.
Korczak, also 23, split last season evenly between the NHL and AHL, registering one goal and nine points in 26 games across both leagues. Over his three-year span with the Golden Knights, he has recorded one goal and 11 points in 37 games. His brother, Ryder Korczak, currently has one year remaining on his contract with the New York Rangers.
Whew, what a whirlwind! Despite negotiations officially starting at noon ET, the 2024 NHL Free Agency Day 1 saw a flurry of activity. By 9:00 p.m. ET on July 1, a total of 178 deals had been signed, amounting to $1,197,915,000 in contracts.
As Day 1 wraps up, let’s take a look at the top remaining unrestricted free agents. Frank Seravalli’s Top 75 rankings and contract projections from AFP Analytics provide insights into who’s still available.
