Vegas Golden Knights fans aren't going to like what Kelly McCrimmon's planning for deals. They were hoping for a big trade that would make the 31 other fanbases cry in agonizing pain. However, it seems the general manager has another idea for his approach.
According to Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Kelly McCrimmon said the team is "expected to be quiet" at the trade deadline. That means no big names like Elias Pettersson and possibly Alex Tuch being moved around. Granted, they did sign Brandon Saad to a one-year, $1.5 million deal. That was newsworthy in its own right, considering the 32-year-old has a storied scoring career (261 career goals).
However, there's a good reason behind this. For one, there's an upcoming contract extension waiting for a player who just participated in the 4 Nations Face-Off. Considering he has 19 goals and 50 assists this season, Jack Eichel's emergence will drive up the price tag for his next deal. Taking on a contract like Pettersson's ($11.6 million cap hit) will make life difficult on this front.
There are other reasons why the general manager might stay the course and make minor moves. His remarks could also be a diversion tactic set to throw off the 31 other teams. After all, context matters. But let's look at this approach's other pros and cons.
Why this approach helps (and doesn't help) the Vegas Golden Knights
First is the bad stuff. There's a distinct possibility that Shea Theodore won't return until the Stanley Cup playoffs (or just before). Fans are anticipating a $5.2 million cap hit to be posted soon. So why not take a swing at a player like Mikko Rantanen (yes, you read that right) and cause a complete meltdown in the NHL?
Teams could view Mikko Rantanen as an NHL trade deadline rental target, according to @FriedgeHNIC 👀
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 21, 2025
Carolina could retain salary in a trade, making Rantanen’s remaining cap hit $2.3M. pic.twitter.com/YA2somT0da
Even from a pure rental standpoint, it doesn't hurt to make a major move to open that window. You can still sign Eichel to that big contract and go all-in on another Stanley Cup run this season. Why not have the best of both worlds?
But there might not be such a need considering the team's excellent offensively. They have the league's second-best power play unit (28%) and are tied for sixth in goals scored per game (3.29). Why fix what isn't broken? Sure, there might be the occasional penalty kill unit that must be rectified (21st in the NHL at 76.7%). However, the Golden Knights are the least-penalized team in the NHL (305 penalty minutes). All they have to do is... play clean hockey. What a novel concept!
The same thing applies with the defensive units and goaltending
That also goes for the defensive units, which carries a lot of depth. Even with Theodore gone, Bruce Cassidy can rely on Ben Hutton and even Kaeden Korczak to carry the load. In fact, he's experimented with lineups consisting of 11 forwards and seven defensemen. As for the goaltending? While it'd be nice to form a nice netminder duo in Adin Hill and, say, Karel Vejmelka, it's not needed. Cassidy has a goalie-friendly system that deters good looks and ensures his players make life easier for Hill.
One can understand some fan's frustrations after hearing the latest tidbit from McCrimmon this week. Who doesn't want to see Alex Tuch return home? Crazier things have happened. After all, nobody expected McCrimmon to pull off three big trades last season.
Still, fans want a superstar like Brad Marchand to pester Connor McDavid to death. They also want a big fish to break the minds of 31 other fanbases in the league. However, not many people doubt the general manager's job, especially since he has the team at the top of the NHL hierarchy. As Mel Brooks once said, "It's good to be the king."