Sometimes, the best things come from within your own household. Maybe you're doing laundry and you find a $20 bill in your pants pocket. Perhaps you find $100 lying on the street and pick it up for yourself. Perfect, time to buy some eggs for that omelette!
But that's also true with divisional trades. One example is Tomas Hertl, who was traded from the San Jose Sharks to the Vegas Golden Knights. Out goes David Edstrom and a first-round pick while a bigger body for the power play comes in.
Those rewards have been reaped, too. The Golden Knights got themselves another big body to pair with Mark Stone. That big boy is already putting in work, scoring 10 goals and eight assists on the unit this season. The result? Being perched atop the Pacific Division with the Edmonton Oilers. Sometimes, the enemy can be your friend when fighting another enemy.
That could also come into play for the upcoming trade deadline. Last season, Hertl and Noah Hanifin came from divisional trades. They've become tenured players for their new team, expanding their roles and helping them thrive. This season, three targets could help Vegas get another Stanley Cup. Obviously, names like John Gibson come to mind. But here are three other names to consider for the long run.
Frank Vatrano, Anaheim Ducks
Last season, Frank Vatrano was a popular trade target for many teams. That included the Vegas Golden Knights and New York Rangers, who were looking for additional scoring from the wing position. He had two years on his current deal with a cap hit of $3.65 million.
This season is no different with his hard-nosed approach to attacking the net. He has 16 goals and 14 assists in 2024-25, still showing fans why he's made for offenses like the Vegas Golden Knights. He might not have the same special teams bite that he did a season prior (three goals and two assists on the power play). But he can give any team more scoring by coming in.
Jared McCann, Seattle Kraken
The "Greatest Expansion Story Ever Told" seems to be having a fire sale. That means all players must go, including Jared McCann. The forward has 14 goals and 28 assists in 2024-25. He might be having a down year regarding his shot attempts (51% Corsi and 51% Fenwick). However, that doesn't make him a liability offensively.
He's great at being a two-way forward, going into the transition game easily. Such a trait makes the 28-year-old perfect for Bruce Cassidy's offense, flowing up and down the ice with players like Mark Stone and Pavel Dorofeyev. The best part is he's young, with his aforementioned age providing the necessary speed for odd-man rushes.
Brandon Tanev, Seattle Kraken
Perhaps McCann leaves the "Greatest Expansion Story Ever Told" for another team. Maybe the Seattle Kraken don't want to trade the forward and build around him. There is another option that the Golden Knights should consider. His name? Brandon Tanev.
I would say Trevor Zegras in this post. However, a concerning injury history is too problematic to take on. Instead, Tanev can come in on 5-on-5 situations and score (seven goals and six assists in these scenarios) and skate quickly. His Kraken teammate also does well in this scenario (17 assists in 5-on-5 situations). But the winger comes cheaper ($3.5 million cap hit compared to $5 million for McCann).