Kelly McCrimmon is known for being a master chef of a general manager. He can transform fallen hockey players into viable players for the Vegas Golden Knights. Just look at Victor Olofsson (15 goals and 14 assists this season) and Tanner Pearson (12 goals and 15 assists).
Both were given one-year "prove-it" deals to show they were still viable in the NHL. They did just that, proving they could provide lower-line depth for a playoff team. Sure, they were eliminated prematurely by their rivals. But you can't deny they showed their games were delicious.
While Olofsson and Pearson are two shining examples of the general manager's bargain bin finds, others haven't done as well. One can point to Ilya Samsonov (2.82 GAA, .891 save percentage) and see how disastrous he was as a backup goaltender.
The result? Adin Hill was worn down and the gang hit the links early.
That leads us to this offseason. Three names come to mind regarding the whole "avoid them like a bad fart as you exit an elevator" vibe. These players aren't good fits for various reasons, whether it's age, declining play, or not being a fit. You'd better run because these targets will leave you running!
1.) Jonathan Toews
The three-time Stanley Cup champion made his intentions clear on returning to the NHL last week. All it took was a healing trip to India to find his purpose again: playing hockey. Unfortunately, the Golden Knights should avoid him like every NFL team avoids Aaron Rodgers and his acid trips.
Where to start? First, he's 37 years old. When you're one of the oldest rosters in the NHL (29.9 average age), you don't need any more bodies in the senior home. Gone are the days when he'd routinely score between 20 and 30 goals in a season.
Adding Toews would be akin to adding Phil Kessel. Sure, you love the guy. However, he's not doing much for you. In 2022-23, he scored 15 goals and 16 assists.
There's also the fact he hasn't played since 2022-23. That's a long time to be away from the NHL (or in any sport, for that matter). This is a signing that Kelly McCrimmon should ignore altogether.
2.) Aaron Ekblad
Let's be honest here. There isn't too much of a need for defensemen in Las Vegas. Eight blue liners can serve as viable starters. That means McCrimmon must look at dealing one or two to even things out (looking at you, Nicolas Hague).
So what would be the point of adding to that depth with another bloated contract? You already have Alex Pietrangelo tied up with an AAV of $8.8 million. You also signed Shea Theodore to a $7.425 million AAV deal that goes until 2032. Add Noah Hanifin's $7.35 million AAV deal that goes until 2032 and there's no reason to add another heavy deal to the pile.
3.) Mikael Granlund
If Vegas Golden Knights fans learned anything from Jonathan Marchessault not signing with them in 2024, it's that you can't do better than your best campaign. Scoring 22 goals and 44 assists in a single season should warrant a team to give him a nice deal.
But let's look at Marchessault as a cautionary tale for a second. He's a prime example of why Vegas should stay away from Granlund at all costs (stats courtesy of MoneyPuck).
Season | Goals | Assists | Expected Goals | Goals Above Expected | Shooting Percentage On Unblocked Shots | Shooting Percentage | High Danger xGoals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024-25 | 21 | 35 | 23.3 | -2.2 | 7.6% | 10.2% | 9.54 |
2023-24 | 42 | 27 | 29.5 | 12.5 | 11.8% | 15.8% | 13.33 |
Like Marchessault, Granlund is undersized (5'10"). He's also 33 years old, which would make tying him up on a sizable deal an albatross. There are plenty of scoring forwards on the free agent market. However, this one can be passed on.