Vegas Golden Knights: Delving into and dissecting Chandler Stephenson trade

While the Vegas Golden Knights were busy pummeling the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Monday, the front office were working on a trade with the Washington Capitals.

First reported by Darren Dreger of TSN, the Vegas Golden Knights were working on a trade for Capitals forward Chandler Stephenson all night and it was finally confirmed shortly after the Knights had wrapped up their third consecutive win.

The Golden Knights sent a fifth-round draft pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft to the Washington Capitals for Stephenson, who carries a cap hit of $1,050,000 and is due to become a restricted free agent in the off-season.

This was a trade that came out of the blue and surprised many, and it is also a deal that features many moving parts.

In a corresponding move, the Golden Knights have also sent forward Nicolas Roy down to the AHL with the Chicago Wolves in order to remain cap compliant.

And Stephenson, who will wear No.20 for the Knights, will meet up with his new team in New Jersey ahead of a possible debut against the Devils tonight.

We’re going to break down all of those moving parts here, starting by looking at what Chandler Stephenson will bring to the table in terms of his play on the ice.

The player

Chandler Stephenson was taken by the Washington Capitals with the 77th overall pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, with Vegas President of Hockey Operations George McPhee making that selection.

McPhee was then the General Manager of the Capitals, a role he held from 1997 to 2014 before he was replaced by current General Manager Brian MacLellan.

Stephenson isn’t a top six forward who will produce a bucketload of offense, and he’s not going to put up 30-40 goals a year either.

However, he’s a gritty bottom six forward that averages around 11:40 minutes of ice time per game, and he also boasts raw speed which makes him a perfect fit for the system the Golden Knights use.

Stephenson has played in 24 games for the Capitals this season, averaging 11:50 minutes of ice time per game, winning 51.1 percent of his faceoffs and contributing four points (three goals, one assist) with a +5 rating.

He has also blocked 12 shots, dished out 17 hits and had 12 takeaways with just four giveaways this season, while Stephenson has recorded a total of 33 career NHL points (14 goals, 19 assists) in 168 games, along with 87 points (30 goals, 57 assists) in 180 games for the Hershey Bears in the AHL.

Stephenson’s best season, though, undoubtedly came in 2017-18 when the center put up six goals and 12 assists for 18 points in 67 games, before contributing seven points (two goals, five assists) in 24 postseason contests as the Capitals won the Stanley Cup, averaging more than 15 minutes of ice time per game.

Chandler Stephenson is a bottom six forward with elite speed who excels in the faceoff circle and he’s also hugely effective on the penalty kill, ranking high in a number of shorthanded metrics.

Stephenson will provide depth for the Vegas Golden Knights and, with Cody Eakin currently week-to-week with an upper-body injury, the 25-year-old could slot in on the fourth line.

Why the trade

This trade was clearly done for two reasons and we’ll delve into those reasons here.

Firstly, the Washington Capitals were in a bit of a cap crunch and needed to clear room in order to activate Carl Hagelin off long-term injured reserve and accommodate the veteran’s $2.75 million cap hit.

The Capitals only had around $2.625 million in cap space so they needed to shed a contract off the books, and Stephenson proved to be the sacrificial lamb.

Stephenson, who carries a cap hit of $1.05 million in the final year of his current contract, was the last Capitals player to be signed to a new deal in the off-season and he had to fight for a roster spot out of training camp.

However, the center has been scratched on four occasions this year and the emergence of Travis Boyd, who has a cap hit of just $800,000, really put the final nail in Stephenson’s coffin with Boyd tallying seven points (one goal, six assists) in 13 games this season.

Secondly, and this is where the Golden Knights come into play, Stephenson will give Vegas some forward depth and he can play anywhere in the bottom six so will provide versatility too.

It gives the Golden Knights an insurance policy with Cody Eakin out week-to-week with an upper-body injury, and it will also allow them to keep William Carrier on the third line while not taking away any speed from the bottom line.

It is a rare win-win trade for both franchises at this point with the Washington Capitals getting cap relief, while the Vegas Golden Knights take on an expiring contract with a minimal cap hit, while giving away a fifth round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft that doesn’t really put a dent in their treasure chest of draft selections.

What does the trade mean?

In the short-term, this trade doesn’t mean a great deal for the Golden Knights apart from the fact that they gain a proven bottom six forward in the NHL who can win faceoffs, kill penalties and contribute some level of secondary scoring, albeit not too much.

And, with Chandler Stephenson’s current contract set to expire in the summer, the Knights aren’t locked into anything long term so it won’t affect their cap situation too much.

However, I believe this trade is a mere precursor to bigger things to come later down the line for the Vegas Golden Knights.

What do I mean by that?

Well, to put it simply, this isn’t a trade that moves the needle but I do think that the Golden Knights are starting to show their cards ahead of pulling the trigger on a much bigger trade later down the line.

It is no secret that the Knights need to upgrade their blueline, and they could also do with some secondary scoring, two areas they can address at the Trade Deadline.

But, as we all know, the Golden Knights are hardly plush in cap space themselves and will need to do some number crunching before they make any significant moves.

So, it is my opinion that by bringing in Chandler Stephenson on an expiring contract, that will allow the front office to look to shed Cody Eakin’s $3,850,000 contract.

Eakin is set to become a UFA in the summer and he hasn’t been productive this year with just seven points (three goals, four assists) in 24 games.

Stephenson, at 25-years-old, is a younger, quicker version of Eakin and can be used anywhere in the bottom six, thus giving the Golden Knights the freedom to move Eakin which would allow them to make a more significant move in order to help this team heading into the postseason.

Conclusion

This is a minor move that gives the Vegas Golden Knights more depth down the middle, gifting them some more flexibility in the lineup and another weapon on the PK.

Chandler Stephenson doesn’t have much upside when it comes to providing secondary scoring, but he will win faceoffs, he’s an elite penalty killer and he’s extremely reliable in the defensive zone.

He’s also considered a glue guy so should fit comfortably into the Knights’ locker room, and he knows what it takes to win having lifted the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2017-18.

Stephenson was selected in the 2012 NHL Draft by Vegas President of Operations George McPhee during his then role as GM of the Capitals, so McPhee will know exactly what Stephenson can bring to the table.

And, looking ahead, the Vegas Golden Knights now have another center in the building which means that they can shift Cody Eakin’s contract off the books and address more pressing areas of the roster at the Trade Deadline.

Overall, this is a no-brainer for the Vegas Golden Knights and it could be the first move of many in the lead up to the Trade Deadline on Feb, 24.