2020 Free Agency: Three depth forwards that would be perfect for Vegas Golden Knights
These three Free Agents could fill key roles for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Free Agency frenzy is firmly upon us and the Vegas Golden Knights are at the heart of all the drama, with the hunt for a big-hitter in stud defenseman Alex Pietrangelo still very much on.
The Golden Knights have put all of their eggs in one basket for the elite blueliner, who is currently on a visit in Sin City as we speak.
It is looking likely right now that the Knights will come out on top when it comes to bagging one of the biggest prizes of Free Agency, and the addition of Pietrangelo would certainly put them over the top in their quest for a championship.
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However, there are other areas of the roster that could do with tweaking and it will be interesting to see what other moves the Golden Knights might make in Free Agency.
There’s still a lot of talent out there, including elite forward Taylor Hall and proven goalscorer Mike Hoffman, and that is down to the impact COVID-19 has had on the National Hockey League with teams having to deal with a flat cap for at least the next couple of seasons.
But, should the Golden Knights be successful in luring Pietrangelo to Sin City, any further moves they make will be depth ones to compliment what they already have.
They will need to pull the trigger on a significant trade or two in order to get cap compliant for the start of the 2020-21 season with teams able to go over the cap by 10 percent during the off-season, so the Knights won’t have a boatload of money to add depth pieces to this built-to-win now roster.
As we stand, the Golden Knights have $1,875,896 in cap space but that will obviously change if or when Pietrangelo signs, so the front office would have to make further moves before dipping into Free Agency to address other needs.
But, with the lack of secondary scoring needing addressing, we’ve pinpointed three forwards that could impact the Golden Knights at a fair price…
1. Anthony Duclair, LW
We live in strange times right now and that is reflected by the lacklustre start of NHL Free Agency, which has been a letdown compared to recent years.
With just 81 signings made with a grand total of $119,354,250 spent on Day One, a number of big-hitters are still left on the open market including defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and forwards Taylor Hall and Mike Hoffman.
Of course, Pietrangelo looks to be on the cusp of signing for the Golden Knights and, once one huge domino signs, it could be that the rest fall soon after.
But one other interesting name still out there is forward Anthony Duclair, who enjoyed somewhat of a resurgence with the Ottawa Senators during the 2019-20 season.
After struggling to make his mark with the New York Rangers, the Arizona Coyotes, the Chicago Blackhawks and the Columbus Blue Jackets, Duclair finally found a perfect fit with the Senators.
He recorded 14 points (8 G, 6 A) in 21 games in 2018-19 after being dealt by the Blue Jackets, but he really elevated his game in 2019-20.
Duclair put up 23 goals and 17 assists for 40 points in 66 games, while averaging 16:16 minutes of ice time.
The forward also recorded 39 blocked shots, 53 hits and 18 Takeaways, and he has the intangibles needed to be a solid two-way player in the NHL.
Also, Duclair’s biggest weapon is his speed and he could be a lethal weapon on both the power play and on the penalty kill for the Golden Knights, while he would be a perfect fit on a third-line with Alex Tuch and Chandler Stephenson.
Duclair’s breakout year with the Senators saw him rewarded with his first ever trip to the All-Star Game, with the 25-year-old coming sixth in the 2020 All-Star Fastest Skater competition.
After not being qualified by the Senators, Duclair is now a UFA and he would pack an offensive punch for most teams in the National Hockey League.
With the Golden Knights needing secondary scoring and with their game built on speed, Duclair would be a perfect fit and, with Taylor Hall and Mike Hoffman still out there, Duclair might consider taking a discount in oder to play sizeable minutes for a contender.
2. Alex Galchenyuk, C
Perhaps one of the most intriguing players left on the board on Day Three of Free Agency, Alex Galchenyuk is what you would call a low risk / high reward type of player.
Drafted in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft with the No. 3 overall pick, Galchenyuk was a highly-rated prospect that came into the league with a lot of fanfare.
However, and despite a strong start to his NHL career with 27 points (9 G, 18 A) in his rookie year in 2012-13, and at least 30 points in the next six seasons, the center hasn’t lived up to expectations.
He’s been traded three times in the last two seasons and hardly had a time for a cup of coffee in both Pittsburgh and Minnesota.
Galchenyuk recorded 17 points (5 G, 12 A) in 45 games for the Penguins, and seven points (3 G, 4 A) in 14 games for the Wild but he was held without a point in four postseason games.
So, at this point we know what Galchenyuk is or rather what he isn’t and it looks unlikely that he will ever be a legit goalscorer than can be a consistent top-six forward.
However, the Golden Knights need depth and Galchenyuk could be a useful third-line center, able to thrive against lesser matchups.
He would have Alex Tuch and probably Chandler Stephenson alongside him, while he also had a 51.1 winning percentage in the faceoff circle in 2019-20 so he could be a useful draw man for the Golden Knights.
And, given that there are still plenty of options on the board, Galchenyuk may be available at a bargain price on a one-year prove yourself deal, which would suit the Knights too given their cap constraints.
3. Michael Grabner
This could be a really interesting option for the Vegas Golden Knights.
According to reports, Michael Grabner is currently weighing up all of his options and will wait until deciding on his next destination.
However, the Golden Knights would be wise to keep tabs on Grabner given that he ticks a lot of boxes.
An absolute speedster, the 33-year-old would be a lethal weapon on the penalty kill for the Knights, giving them another option on the PK alongside William Karlsson and Reilly Smith.
Grabner has 22 shorthanded goals and seven shorthanded assists in his career, while his speed and size on the third-line would also be a huge asset.
Grabner plays fast, he plays hard and he’s the kind of player any contending team needs.
He averaged 12:22 minutes of ice time for the Coyotes during the 2019-20 regular season, while he had three points (3 G) in nine postseason games with 10:37 minutes of ice time too.
Although he has been plagued by injuries in each of the last two seasons, including a nasty eye injury, when healthy Grabner is an absolute matchup nightmare for every team in the NHL due to his blistering speed, and only Brad Marchand (27) has more shorthanded goals since Grabner entered the league during the 2009-10 season.
Carrying an AAV of $3,350,000 with the Arizona Coyotes, Grabner could be willing to take a discount at maybe a $2 million cap hit if it meant staying on the West Coast and playing for a team built to win now.
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There is no doubt that Michael Grabner would be a smart pickup for the Golden Knights at the right price, and he would certainly add an offensive punch in addition to being responsible in his own zone and being a deadly weapon on the PK.