The Vegas Golden Knights have signed free agent defencemen Nick Holden to a two-year deal worth just over $4 million or just over $2 million per year AAV. This deal carries him through the 2019-20 season.
Nick Holden to Vegas, once official, will be two years at low 2's per season
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 1, 2018
Vegas Golden Knights Sign Free Agent Nick Holden
Over his seven-year NHL career, Holden has played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Colorado Avalanche, New York Rangers and Boston Bruins. He has scored 36 career goals and recorded 76 career assists for 112 career points in 374 career games. Holden has added five goals and four assists for nine points in 20 career Stanley Cup Playoff games. His best year was during the 2016-17 season when he scored 11 goals and 23 assists for 34 points in 80 games.
Last season, Holden scored four goals and 13 assists for 17 points in 73 games. He also added 14 minutes in penalties. He had one assist in two Stanley Cup Playoff games this season. His possession numbers were 47.4 percent Corsi For with a relative Corsi of -1.1. Holden is coming off a three-year, $4.95 million dollar contract with an AAV of $1.65 million. He signed this deal with the Avalanche in July 2014. Holden was traded from the Rangers to the Bruins ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline.
What This Means for the Future
Holden will be bringing his size and physicality to Vegas. Holden has recorded at least 100 hits in his last five seasons. He also has the ability to get in the way of shooter blocking at least 80 shots in past two seasons and blocking 217 shots during the 2015-16 season. Holden will look to play on the second or third pairing with the Golden Knights next season. He also has 20 games of Stanley Cup Playoff experience under his belt. During the 2013-14 Stanley Cup Playoffs he scored three goals and one assist in seven games. Hopefully Holden will be able to produce at a high level for his new team.
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