Kelly McCrimmon is actively looking for another piece to add to the Vegas Golden Knights. He started off by signing Brandon Saad to a one-year, $1.5 million deal, bolstering the wing position. But signing a two-time Stanley Cup winner might not be enough considering they're losing other key pieces.
When you lose Shea Theodore to an upper-body injury and place William Karlsson on LTIR with a lower-body injury, the team will need answers to their sudden health issues. You can't rely on Henderson Silver Knights to get the job done, especially if you want another Stanley Cup. Otherwise, many fans will start losing their minds after a first-round exit.
McCrimmon certainly doesn't want that, so he's scouring the NHL for the best talent from non-contending teams. That includes Brayden Schenn, who's linked to the Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers. He'll add more to the team, giving them more physical strength and a scoring touch to the forward position. On top of that, he has a cap hit of $6.5 million and will be under contract until 2028. With the possibility of Theodore hitting LTIR, that'll open up the checkbook for adding another St. Louis Blues player.
Believe it or not, there's another Blues player on this list, too. One can say that the Vegas Blues will become a trend if McCrimmon acquires this player. But two other names should be considered for different reasons. That includes adding more scoring at a cheaper price and bolstering the goaltender position. So let's look at the three players who would be perfect targets for the general manager.
Jordan Kyrou, St. Louis Blues
Fans in the Las Vegas Valley have clamored for a player like Kyrou to join the Vegas Golden Knights. The Canadian winger has 23 goals and 21 assists this season, making him a valuable shooter with his quick release. He's also a bulldog defensively, battling for every puck and skating hard on every shift. All this can be Kelly McCrimmon's for a cap hit of $8.125 million (or less) if the price is right (cue up Drew Carey!).
But there's another reason why Kyrou would be a great fit: He's only 26 years old. He's also under contract until 2031 and his no-trade clause doesn't kick in until next season. If McCrimmon can work his magic to reduce the cost, this could be an affordable contract that will provide more scoring depth and a 200-ft. player.
Karel Vejmelka, Utah Hockey Club
I previously mentioned how McCrimmon should look into acquiring another solid netminder to pair with Adin Hill. One name that came to mind was John Gibson, whose role with the Anaheim Ducks was quickly diminishing. The team was moving forward with Lukas Dostal in net, where there wouldn't be a need for the Pittsburgh native anymore.
But there's another name to consider in the goaltender market. His name? Karel Vejmelka. The Utah goalie has been good in net this season with a GAA of 2.57 and a save percentage of .909. He also carries an affordable cap hit of $2.725 million and will be a free agent next season. Getting the 29-year-old would give Vegas one of the best goaltending tandems in the league, especially with a goalie-friendly system employed by Bruce Cassidy.
Gustav Nyquist, Nashville Predators
Believe me, it would be hilarious to see Jonathan Marchessault return to the Vegas Golden Knights after last summer's spectacle. But I feel the team has moved on to younger, better players (hello, Pavel Dorofeyev). But there is one forward that should be considered from the Predators: Gustav Nyquist.
The former Detroit Red Wing carries a cap hit of $3.185 million and would be a cheaper rental. Nyquist would be a depth piece considering he only has nine goals and 11 assists. However, you can't deny that he's a smart, talented winger who pays attention to every detail. The Swedish forward would do well with bigger players on his line like Nicolas Roy or Brett Howden.