The Vegas Golden Knights struggled through most of the regular season but grabbed a wild card spot in the postseason. They started with a 9-0-1 record through the season's first month but cooled down as the season wore on and injuries piled up. The Golden Knights drew a difficult matchup in the postseason, facing the top team in the Western Conference, the Dallas Stars. They lasted until Game 7 but fell short.
Now, the Golden Knights must find some trade targets to inject youth into their lineup and navigate their salary cap situation this offseason.
Vegas isn't far removed from their Stanley Cup victory, so general manager Kelly McCrimmon will deal with the aftermath of building a championship roster. He may not have much flexibility, but there are moves he can make to improve his team. He also has plenty of expiring contracts that he can trade to get younger and farther below the salary cap. If not, some lean years could be coming for the Golden Knights in a couple of seasons.
Mitch Marner drawing interest
Mitch Marner may be switching uniforms if a trade happens this offseason. The Toronto Maple Leafs are in a difficult spot with their roster construction, as four players are making $10-plus million per year. We saw that a lack of depth caught up to the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final, and they only have two players making that much money. The Maple Leafs always manage to excel in the regular season then can't keep it going during the postseason.
Marner was the scapegoat this past offseason, but it may not have been his fault. William Nylander missed the first couple of games of the first round with a migraine, and then Auston Matthews missed Games 5 and 6 with an undisclosed injury. Marner was the only player remaining other than an aging John Tavares, but once the series ended, Marner was the player that got the blame.
Marner has been dealt a terrible hand for his entire Maple Leafs career, and surprisingly, he is so reluctant to waive his no-trade clause. He must be close to wanting a fresh start, and accepting a deal with Las Vegas would put him in a much better position.
The Maple Leafs still need some help on defense, but their salary cap won't allow them to make many moves. Could the Golden Knights and Maple Leafs work out a deal where Toronto receives Shea Theodore? It's a long shot, but it'd be in the best interest of both parties.
Marco Rossi was made available by the Wild
The Minnesota Wild recently acknowledged they'd be willing to listen to trade offers for Filip Gustavsson and Marco Rossi. Rossi is the type of player the Golden Knights covet, as he has one year remaining on his entry-level deal.
The Golden Knights are up against the salary cap, and a young player who can contribute at a bargain would keep their competitive window open.
Rossi had a successful first season with the Wild. He appeared in all 82 games, recording 21 goals and 19 assists. There's not a lot of talent in Minnesota, but the Golden Knights and their balanced lineup structure would guarantee Rossi some good linemates. Bill Guerin's decision to shop Rossi doesn't make much sense, as the Wild are also up against the cap. Rossi feels like a player the Wild should hold on to, but his looming contract extension may be a concern.
The Golden Knights have 13 contracts coming off the books after next season, so if they only re-sign a couple of those players, there will be room to extend cheaper deals like Rossi's. The Golden Knights also need to start injecting some youth into their lineup, so starting to build a young core around Rossi would set them up longer term.
Golden Knights lacking first-round picks
The Golden Knights' next first-round draft pick will happen in 2027. They've traded most of their draft capital for in-season improvements at the trade deadline, which leaves their cupboards bare. It might be time for the Golden Knights to start thinking about the future. The Golden Knights have plenty of elite players who could fetch them a first-round draft pick. They are also up against the cap and could use some relief.
It'd be interesting to see if they'd consider trading a defenseman like Alex Pietrangelo or a forward like Mark Stone or William Karlsson. Their recent Tomas Hertl and Noah Hanifin acquisitions gave them younger options at those positions.
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