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The Vegas Golden Knights knew they needed to make a big splash in 2025 NHL free agency after losing to the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Ultimately, there was a lack of scoring in that series. The Knights combined for 10 goals across five games against the Oilers. Somehow, they endured two shutouts at the hands of Stuart Skinner. That's why Vegas knew it needed to get a big scorer in the 2025 NHL offseason. Amazingly, the Golden Knights' offseason went off without a hitch as they secured the best available player on the market.
When 2025 NHL free agency began, everyone had their eyes on Sin City. That is why it was no surprise they actually acquired this player. Despite having virtually no salary cap space, Vegas somehow pulled it off. The Golden Knights' perfect move was the one every NHL team feared. Now, the expectations are sky high.
As the 2025 NHL season is around the corner, the Golden Knights will be even better. The Golden Knights won the 2025 NHL offseason when they completed a sign-and-trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs for Mitchell Marner. Overall, the atmosphere has shifted, and Lady Luck might be smiling again in Sin City.
Mitchell Marner makes the Golden Knights contenders
The Golden Knights were already contenders for the Stanley Cup. Yet, this move for Marner made them even more deadly. During the series with Edmonton, it was apparent they needed more scoring. While Jack Eichel did his part, others in the lineup could not do much of anything.
Signing Marner alone was going to be difficult. Thus, the team had to figure out the perfect way to acquire the superstar without affecting the cap. As noted before, the salary cap is not great. Because of that, it made things really difficult for the Knights to make such a move. But an unfortunate injury could help them alleviate that. Alex Pietrangelo might miss the entire 2025-26 season, and Vegas will very likely put him on injured reserve. Thus, that could give them more room to fit Marner.
Marner is set to take up $12 million of this season's salary cap. Therefore, the Knights still must shed some money in addition to the injured reserve move for Pietrangelo. But they have made a living out of somehow making it work, and the atmosphere in Vegas is filled with nothing but extreme confidence.
Why signing Marner was the perfect Golden Knights move
The Knights are negotiating with Eichel for a new contract. For the time being, they are preparing to field a forward group that includes Eichel, Marner, Mark Stone, and Pavel Dorofeyev. That is a terrifying prospect for opponents, and one that could give Vegas plenty of options. Marner will play on the first line with Eichel and Ivan Barbashev, which will allow Stone to move down to the first line.
Marner has been nothing but amazing over his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Amazingly, he tallied 27 goals and 75 assists for 102 total points in the 2024-25 season. It was his first time hitting 100 points and the fourth consecutive season of 85 or more points. Overall, Marner had flying colors while playing with Auston Matthews. He will now get to play with Eichel, who has also been good at putting pucks in the back of the net.
Marner is the perfect move for the Golden Knights' offseason because it gives the team another elite scoring option. Now, this means that teams will have to juggle worrying about Marner or Eichel. The Vegas power play will also be better, and teams will be hesitant to take penalties against this unit.
Marner is also in the prime of his career. Substantially, he will play for eight years until he turns 36 years old. The Knights are getting the absolute best of him, and there is a lot of potential for Marner to get even better. While he was elite in Toronto during the regular season, he also failed to do much in the playoffs. Remember, Eichel never formed into the player he is now until he joined the Knights. The same thing can happen to Marner, and his evolution might not be over.
Marner is one of the best forwards in the NHL, and his passing abilities are among the top in the game. Additionally, his career +128 rating is amazing, and he can also kill penalties. On paper, the Golden Knights' 2025 offseason went smashingly well because they secured the player they wanted. But they could cement that with a long playoff run that results in them claiming the Stanley Cup for the second time in four seasons.
