Vegas Golden Knights Part Ways with Prospect Daniil Chayka
The Vegas Golden Knights are looking to shake things up, parting ways with young defenseman Daniil Chayka.
In a move reported by NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the 22-year-old Chayka has been placed on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination.
Hearing Daniil Chayka (VGK) has been placed on unconditional waivers for contract termination.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) June 29, 2023
The move comes as a bit of a surprise. Chayka was a second-round pick by Vegas back in 2021, going 38th overall. He quickly signed his entry-level deal and impressed during his post-draft season in the Ontario Hockey League with the Guelph Storm, racking up an impressive 39 points in 53 games.
However, the transition to professional hockey hasn’t been as smooth. After putting up eight points in 57 games with the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights in the 2022-23 season, Chayka managed only seven points in 64 appearances this past year. This season, he struggled to find consistency, splitting time between the Silver Knights and the ECHL’s Tahoe team.
If unclaimed, Chayka will be walking away from a significant portion of his entry-level deal, which runs through next season. This opens up a potentially intriguing scenario for the young defenseman. As an unrestricted free agent, he could explore opportunities with other NHL franchises or even consider returning to his native Russia, where he played for CSKA Moscow’s system in 2020-21 when the OHL wasn’t in operation.
