How Should the Golden Knights Approach the Deadline?
By Evan Mead
Filip Forsberg, LW/RW, Nashville Predators
The Golden Knights are without captain, Mark Stone for the foreseeable future. In his absence, the Knights were able to activate Jack Eichel. But, that hasn’t quite worked out as well as we once would’ve thought.
When looking at what Peyton Krebs and Alex Tuch are doing for the Buffalo Sabres organization, it shows that the Golden Knights might’ve already lost the trade. I mean, the Golden Knights are no longer winning, and the Buffalo Sabres are actually starting to find ways to win hockey games.
Tuch was a budding superstar even last season, and now he’s coming into his own. Krebs on the other hand will wear teams down with his speed and has started to really begun clicking. Still young and developing, but they are playing very well.
When looking at the Golden Knights, Jack Eichel has played well. However, he isn’t helping them win many hockey games. Since he’s made his Golden Knights debut, they have only won 4/12 games. That’s not good!
That’s where this trade scenario comes into play. It seems to me that the Golden Knights have done everything right, but without a healthy Max Pacioretty, Reilly Smith, Mark Stone, Alec Martinez, Robin Lehner, there is just to many people out to make a run for it. Because at the end of the day, the healthiest team generally wins it all.
So, the Golden Knights, being as though they are already all in, would more than likely try to acquire help. Now, I am just going to put this out here- in my opinion this wouldn’t solve the problem, but it’s going to help create a scoring juggernaut.
Filip Forsberg has been one of the better wingers in hockey this season despite missing multiple games. Now, why would I say that this trade would be good? Well, for a couple reasons.
First, the Golden Knights, if they want to be one of the teams that compete for the Stanley cup, are going to have to find a way to get healthy. Best way to do that? By not playing the people who have been in-and-out of the lineup.
Max Pacioretty has been in and out of the lineup throughout the most season. Given how important he is to this team, keeping him in the lineup if he’s not healthy, isn’t worth risk. If they were to put Max Pacioretty on the LTIR, it gives him a chance to get healthy and the Knights a chance to make an extra move at the deadline to create a juggernaut.
Filip Forsberg would work well in the Golden Knights lineup, but I’m not quite sure how much they’d have to give up in order to obtain him. If the Golden Knights could find a way to maintain two solid lines with their top tier players, the Knights would be in a great offensive position to win and compete in the playoffs.