The Vegas Golden Knights are living the good life right now. Although they're not quite Zach and Cody where they're on a literal cruise ship, the Golden Knights are in first place in the Pacific Division. The stellar play of Adin Hill, an improved defense led by Brayden McNabb, and a Hart Trophy candidate in Jack Eichel has them thinking about another Stanley Cup.
That's what a record of 18-7-3 (39 points) will do for you, after all. You're sitting pretty and you're one of the NHL's top teams. You're also healing up and are expected to get Zach Whitecloud back soon. The league has been put on notice: The Golden Knights are inevitable.
That prompts an interesting question regarding adding additional pieces at the trade deadline. Hill is playing lights-out hockey, going as far as being named the NHL's "Third Star of the Week." The forward group has never looked better, sans a few pieces. Even the blue line, which has struggled for part of the season, is turning around.
Do the Golden Knights need any additional pieces by March? Are they set to make a Stanley Cup run with the team they currently have? The situation, well, is more complicated than one would think. Sure, there are some pieces the team can acquire. However, market conditions and team strengths say otherwise.
Exploring the Vegas Golden Knights's current situation
First, let's address the current salary cap situation. According to PuckPedia, the Vegas Golden Knights have $1,708,588 in current cap space. However, the deadline cap space reads at $5,247,806. Although money might be tight, there's always Kelly McCrimmon having other teams retain salary, as was done with the Noah Hanifin and Tomas Hertl deals.
There's also the LTIR situation, which McCrimmon has effectively used before. What would happen if the Golden Knights lost a player like Adin Hill or Brayden McNabb? You would put them on LTIR and set money aside. Other hockey fans might not like seeing Mark Stone back on LTIR. However, it speaks more to their general manager's incompetence.
But what about positional needs? Where are the Golden Knights lacking? Believe it or not, there's one positional need that might pop up. However, it's not the one you're thinking of. No, it isn't the forward position, specifically when the group's led by a Hart Trophy candidate.
What do the Golden Knights really need?
If you're thinking about adding a defensive-minded blue-liner, well, the positional situation is much more complicated than that. The Golden Knights house eight potential starting defensemen, ranging from McNabb to Kaeden Korczak. While the unit has struggled in various aspects such as backchecking, a simple reshuffle is needed.
However, one positional need does stand out. Imagine what would happen if Adin Hill suddenly got hurt. Now, it's up to Ilya Samsonov to save the day. That's a situation Golden Knights fans don't want to see, especially after a disastrous performance against the Utah Hockey Club a couple weeks prior.
The problem is who's out there to pair with Hill? Igor Shesterkin got off the market with a new eight-year deal, leaving names that are less than desirable. Some options are more expensive than others (i.e. Cal Petersen and his $5 million AAV deal). Others are simply unattractive (i.e. Anton Forsberg).
Besides, Samsonov hasn't been bad... as a No. 2 goalie. Sure, he won't be a viable No. 1 goaltender for the Golden Knights should Hill go down. He's also too inconsistent for the top spot. But when the Golden Knights win with the Russian goaltender in net, it's because of him. In six victories, he's been excellent. He posted a GAA of 1.97 and a save percentage of .933 in these circumstances.
Therefore, there isn't much need for Kelly McCrimmon to make a move at the moment. Of course, that could change with an unexpected injury or a snake farm sting popping up. However, life is good in Las Vegas, meaning there isn't much for the Golden Knights to do.