Even though he went unqualified today, forward Brett Howden is still expected to stay a Vegas Golden Knight instead of hitting the open market. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that he expects the two sides to finalize an agreement to keep him in Nevada.
As with most similar situations, the rationale for not qualifying Howden likely has to do with the qualifying offer he was owed. Per CapFriendly’s Qualifying Offer Calculator, Howden was due a one-year deal with a $929,250 cap hit. It doesn’t seem like that much money, but for the cap-strapped Vegas, every cent counts to stay under the limit. The team and player should likely agree to a one-way deal closer to the league minimum ($750,000).
Howden was really productive in a depth role last season, notching 20 points in 47 games. While injuries limited his lineup appearances, the 2016 first-round pick took a demonstrable step forward for the first time in the NHL. After a decent 23-point rookie campaign with the New York Rangers, Howden’s point production and the all-around game dropped off dramatically over the next few seasons. He seems to have found a better home in Vegas.
The Knights hope he can stay healthy and keep up that rate of production. With the team losing depth in order to fit under the cap, they’ll need production out of affordable players like Howden.