Amidst his contract dispute with the Vegas Golden Knights, Nicolas Hague is set to begin skating with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in order to remain in game shape.
Hague, 23, remains a restricted free agent as he and the Golden Knights have yet to agree upon a contract extension. Where talks are at this point remains unknown, but there had been several reports in recent weeks that his party was quite frustrated with the lack of dialogue they were having with the organization. Due to his frustration, he has chosen to skip the Golden Knights training camp, which got underway last week.
This remains an interesting situation, and one that may end up resulting in a trade. It is clear that Hague believes he is worth more than the organization does as of now, and the relationship appears strained. That said, there is a possibility they are able to make amends and get a new deal signed before the 2022-23 season begins.
If the Golden Knights were to approach the trade route, there should be plenty of interest. Not only is Hague still young, but he is a huge presence on the back end with his six-foot-six, 230-pound frame. He showed plenty signs of improvement in 2021-22, and as a result averaged a career high 18:40 in ice time. Any interested team can feel comforted given this development with Hague and the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL that he will be in shape and ready to go from a physical standpoint despite sitting out training camp.
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