Knights bring back defenseman in free agency, but lose forward to Jets
Acquiring right wing Mitch Marner in a sign-and-trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs wasn’t the only development for the Golden Knights on the first day of NHL free agency Tuesday.
The Knights officially re-signed left wing Brandon Saad and right wing Reilly Smith to one-year, $2 million contracts. They also brought back defenseman Dylan Coghlan on a one-year deal and signed two other players.
The Knights are losing at least one player, as left wing Tanner Pearson signed a one-year, $1 million deal with the Winnipeg Jets.
Pearson, 32, came to Las Vegas on a professional tryout agreement last offseason and earned a one-year, $775,000 contract by the end of training camp. The two-time Stanley Cup champion scored 27 points in 78 games with the Knights.
Coghlan, 27, returns after playing 88 of his 112 NHL games with the organization. He joined the Knights as an undrafted free agent in September 2017 and made his debut on Feb. 5, 2021.
He was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes along with left wing Max Pacioretty for future considerations on July 13, 2022. Coghlan spent last season in the Jets organization and appeared in five NHL games. Financial terms of his deal with the Knights were not disclosed.
The team also signed forward Cole Reinhardt and defenseman Jaycob Megna to two-year contracts Tuesday. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Reinhardt, 25, played junior hockey with the Western Hockey League’s Brandon Wheat Kings, who were owned by Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon until 2020.
Reinhardt had 32 points in 45 games for the American Hockey League’s Belleville Senators last season.
Megna, 32, returns to the Knights organization after serving as an alternate captain for the team’s former AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, during the 2019-20 campaign.
Megna has since had stints with the San Jose Sharks, Seattle Kraken, Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers. He played eight games for the Panthers last season.
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.
