Defenseman Nate Schmidt figures to be one of the Vegas Golden Knights’ top blueliners in the team’s inaugural season. There’s only one problem — he still isn’t under contract.
Schmidt and the Golden Knights are in the midst of contract standoff. The two sides have an arbitration hearing scheduled for Thursday. According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, though, the parties remain far off from an agreement.
Vegas reportedly offered Schmidt a two-year deal worth $950,000 in 2017-18 and $1 million in 2018-19. However, Schmidt asked for a one-year deal worth $2.75 million.
Schmidt has made it clear that he would prefer to avoid the arbitration altogether and, according to his agent Matt Keator, the two sides are “in the same range.”
Schmidt is coming off an impressive year with the Washington Capitals, having registered 17 points and a plus-22 rating in 60 games. The 26-year-old Schmidt signed with the Washington Capitals as an undrafted free agent in 2013, when George McPhee was serving as the team’s general manager.