"Mark Stone headed to LTIR to pay for this" - NHL fans react as Golden Knights sign Brett Howden to $12.5M contract

The Vegas Golden Knights announced on Friday that they have signed forward Brett Howden to a five-year contract extension. The deal is worth $12.5 million, with an average annual value of $2.5 million, and will keep Howden with the team through the 2029-30 NHL season.

The Golden Knights shared their excitement on social media, posting:

"BIG DEAL BRETT!!!" in celebration.

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman quickly confirmed the details of the deal, tweeting:

"5x$2.5M."

NHL fans had mixed reactions to the news.

"Mark Stone is headed to LTIR to pay for this," one fan said.

He referred to how teams can adjust the salary cap by placing players on long-term injured reserve.

"Cap supposed to take a massive jump, wouldn’t be surprised to see more deals like this coming in," another fan said.

"I can’t believe we got such a good deal for our American hero," one fan said.

Here are some more reactions from fans on X:

"Wow, Congratulations to Brett. KMGM throwing daggers to the rest of the league. Vegas is the destination in the," a fan said.

"He's a man rocket and he got it," another fan said.

"Approve ✅ Glad to see he’s sticking around," one fan said.

Brett Howden has been a key player for the Golden Knights since 2021.

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Brett Howden's impressive eight-goal performance this season

Forward Brett Howden is currently in his fourth season with the Vegas Golden Knights. He has scored nine points so far in the 2024-25 season, with eight of those being goals. All eight of his goals have been at even strength, leading the team. He is one goal away from matching his career-high of nine, which he had reached twice before.

Howden was part of the Golden Knights’ 2023 Stanley Cup win, recording 10 points in 22 playoff games. He helped the team win the Cup for the first time in franchise history.

Before joining Vegas, Howden played for the New York Rangers for three seasons. As a rookie in 2018-19, he set career highs in points (23) and assists (17). Howden was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft.

In his four seasons with Vegas, Brett Howden has played 193 games, scoring 31 goals and 30 assists. He is known for his strong two-way play and ability to score at even strength.