Vegas Golden Knights center Michael Amadio (22) smiles with Brett Howden (21) after scoring during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings at T-Mobile Arena Saturday, March 19, 2022.
Monday, July 11, 2022 | 4:22 p.m.
The Golden Knights extended a qualifying offer to six of their restricted free agents, but forward Brett Howden was not one of them, and he will become an unrestricted free agent when the new league year starts Wednesday.
Vegas qualified forwards Nicolas Roy, Jake Leschyshyn, Keegan Kolesar and Jonas Røndbjerg, as well as defensemen Nic Hague and Brayden Pachal. The Golden Knights will hold on to their signing rights and can offer them new contracts, or let opposing teams present offer sheets to those players.
Howden, a former first-round pick acquired in a trade with the New York Rangers last offseason, will test the open market, but TSN reported Howden and the Golden Knights are expected to work toward a new deal.
Among those not given a qualifying offer included former Providence star Jack Dugan, 2017 seventh-round pick Ben Jones, and Silver Knights goalie Dylan Ferguson.
Howden played 47 games last season as the Golden Knights' fourth-line center, scoring 20 points and tying a career-high with nine goals. He was stretchered off the ice in March against the Nashville Predators when he went face first near the Vegas bench, prematurely ending what was on pace to be the best season of his NHL career.
Free agency begins Wednesday at 9 a.m.
Danny Webster can be reached at 702-259-8814 or [email protected]. Follow Danny on Twitter at twitter.com/DannyWebster21.
