The Vegas Golden Knights previously traded away their first-round pick in order to acquire Jack Eichel from the Buffalo Sabres. The Golden Knights have had a long history of doing such so they can acquire superstars. However, it may be time that the Golden Knights reverse that stereotype.
The Golden Knights are playing the loop hole in the cap, and that can’t go on forever. Eventually, the Knights will have to get rid of some money and I’d expect them to figure it out sooner rather than later. In doing so, they will look to receive a pick, which could benefit the Knights greatly.
The Golden Knights history of trading away prospects and picks has left their prospect pool rather depleted. Not having a lot of top tier talent, the Knights should try finding their way back into the First-Round this year.
This years NHL draft class has a lot of top tier talent that could be beneficial for a team like the Knights. The Knights have a couple holes that are going to need to be addressed this off-season, but that’s where having a first-round pick comes in handy.
So, how can the Golden Knights obtain a first-round pick while staying a competitive team? Well, it’s going to require some ambition from the Knights organization as well as confidence from Pete DeBoer that this team can win a cup.
When looking at the Knights current roster, there is one player in particular that could be on the trade block that isn’t necessarily going to hurt the Knights- Alec Martinez.
Trading Martinez away isn’t going to be easy, but when there are teams like the Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, and I’m sure a couple more contending teams looking to add a defensive piece, Martinez would be a very good option for them.
Not to mention, they’d be getting a top 10 defenseman in the league for the cost of a first-round pick. If the Knights are able to pull that off, the Knights could potentially find themselves in a position to get a goalie prospect, add another defenseman, or even look to get a forward prospect.