Brandon Saad’s stint as a free agent was brief, lasting under an hour, as he swiftly signed with the Vegas Golden Knights following the termination of his contract with the St. Louis Blues.

The forward finalized a deal on Friday that covers the remainder of the season, valued at a prorated amount of $1.5 million. This contract was arranged shortly after he successfully cleared unconditional waivers.

At 32 years old, Saad opted for mutual termination after the Blues placed him on waivers, intending to assign him to the Springfield Thunderbirds of the American Hockey League. By relinquishing approximately $5.4 million left on his contract for this season and the next, he has paved the way for himself to continue playing in the NHL.

This season, Saad has faced challenges in terms of production, having tallied only 16 points across 43 games, with a notable absence of goals in 40 of those matches.

Joining the Golden Knights, the two-time Stanley Cup champion strengthens a team that is well-positioned in the standings and poised for a playoff run, while the Blues will now have to strive for a postseason berth without his contributions.