Golden Knights clear more salary cap space with another trade today

The Vegas Golden Knights continue to reshape their roster heading into the 2026-27 season, and General Manager Kelly McCrimmon pulled the trigger on yet another move on June 30. This time, the franchise sent a familiar face out of town while bringing in a veteran blueliner from the Pittsburgh Penguins, with a key financial wrinkle that could give Vegas additional flexibility going forward.

The deal sees defenseman Kaedan Korczak heading to Pittsburgh in exchange for Parker Wotherspoon. Crucially, the Penguins agreed to retain 50 percent of Wotherspoon's remaining salary as part of the swap. That retention is significant for a Golden Knights team that has consistently operated near the salary cap ceiling. Korczak was set to begin the first season of a four-year, $13 million extension carrying a $3.25 million average annual value, while Wotherspoon has just one year left on a two-year, $2 million deal. The math works clearly in Vegas's favor from a cap standpoint, shedding long-term money while adding a player at a reduced hit.

The Golden Knights now have roughly $16 million in salary cap space.

What Vegas is getting in Wotherspoon

The 28-year-old from Surrey, British Columbia, is coming off a breakout campaign in Pittsburgh. Wotherspoon set career highs across the board last season, suiting up for 80 games and posting 30 points on three goals and 27 assists. He averaged over 20 minutes of ice time per night and was one of the Penguins' most reliable defensive presences, leading the club with 112 blocked shots and ranking second on the team with a plus-17 rating. His average shorthanded ice time of 2:22 per game also topped all Pittsburgh skaters.

Beyond his NHL contributions, Wotherspoon recently represented Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Championship, where he put up four points in 10 games and posted an impressive plus-13 rating, the second best among Canadian defensemen at the tournament. His path to the NHL was a long one, as the left-shot defenseman spent nine years in the AHL and accumulated 312 games and 113 points at that level before establishing himself as a full-time NHL player. Originally a fourth-round pick by the New York Islanders in 2015, he has also spent time with the Boston Bruins and appeared in 16 career playoff games between Pittsburgh and Boston.

What the Penguins gain with Korczak

Pittsburgh is betting on youth and term with this acquisition. Korczak, 25, is locked in through the 2029-30 season and brings size at 6-foot-3 and 206 pounds. The Yorkton, Saskatchewan native played in a career-high 78 regular season games for Vegas last year, collecting 16 points on three goals and 13 assists while averaging just under 16 minutes of ice time. He also contributed in the postseason, recording three assists in 13 games as the Golden Knights advanced to the Stanley Cup Final before falling to the Carolina Hurricanes in six games.

Over five seasons with the Vegas organization, Korczak appeared in 155 NHL contests and totaled 37 points with a strong plus-31 career rating. He also spent time developing with the Henderson Silver Knights in the AHL, where he posted 39 points in 134 games. On the international stage, he represented Canada at both the 2021 World Junior Championship, earning a silver medal, and the 2019 World Under-18 Championship. He was originally Vegas's second-round selection at 41st overall in 2019.

For the Golden Knights, this move fits a clear pattern of managing their cap situation as they prepare for their 10th season as a franchise. By swapping out a younger player on a longer, more expensive deal for a veteran on a short-term contract with half the salary retained, Vegas has created meaningful breathing room. Whether that space is earmarked for free agency targets, additional trades, or simply maintaining roster flexibility remains to be seen, but McCrimmon has once again demonstrated his willingness to make difficult decisions in pursuit of keeping the Golden Knights competitive.