Nicolas Hague Says Golden Knights Reneged On Extension Promise

Former Stanley Cup champion Nicolas Hague says the Vegas Golden Knights reneged on a promise of a contract extension after the season, when they traded him to the Nashville Predators.

Hague was sent in a sign-and-trade deal to the Preds at the end of June, and signed a four-year, $22 million contract with his new team.

But the rugged defenseman is speaking out, telling Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review Journal that he had a 'verbal' agreement with the Knights on a contract extension just after the end of the regular season.

I thought I had a deal done with Vegas done before the playoffs, and we had agreed on what it was going to be. On both sides, it was a word agreement. Obviously nothing was signed. Because I said to them, ‘We’re going into the playoffs. That’s the No. 1 priority right now and we’ll reconvene and get this done after the season.’ It was all good.

Until it wasn't.

Golden Knights needed cap space, verbal deal with Hague was off

When the Golden Knights knew they had an opportunity to acquire superstar Mitch Marner from the Toronto Maple Leafs, they needed to clear cap space to sign the ex-Leafs forward to a long-term $12 million AAV deal, and Hague was the victim. His eventual $5.5 million cap hit wouldn't have worked without other changes to the roster being necessary.

In the end, Hague is happy with his new deal and new life in Nashville, and harbors no ill-will against Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon.

“I got obviously nothing against Vegas for the way everything played out,” Hague said. “It was all good. I had a good conversation with Kelly. That’s just the nature of what we do. It is what it is.”

The 6'6" d-man recorded 12 points in 68 games last season for the Golden Knights. He was an important part of the blueline in their 2023 Cup title.