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Golden Knights Lock Up Andersson and Lauzon, Push Payroll Over Cap

Locking in top defensemen after the Cup Final creates immediate cap pressure for Vegas.

Overview

  • The Golden Knights re-signed Rasmus Andersson to a seven-year deal with an $8.5 million average annual value and extended Jeremy Lauzon for six years at a reported $4 million cap hit, according to multiple reports on Wednesday, July 1, 2026.
  • Vegas also added depth pieces, acquiring Parker Wotherspoon in a trade for Kaedan Korczak and re-signing depth forward Jonas Rondbjerg to a one-year, two-way contract.
  • The new long-term deals leave Vegas reported about $5.125 million over the NHL's projected $104 million salary cap, creating an immediate need for roster and cap-management moves such as salary-dump trades or placing Alex Pietrangelo on season-ending LTIR.
  • Lauzon’s contract is reported to include a full no-trade clause in Year 1 followed by modified no-trade protections in later seasons, a structure that will limit the team’s short-term trade flexibility if accurate.
  • Keeping Andersson closes a priority Kelly McCrimmon set after trading significant assets to acquire him in January and secures Vegas’s top-four defensive group, but it also narrows the front office’s ability to add talent before the 2026–27 season.