Everyone knows that Vegas Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon loves to make a trade. He'll acquire Mitch Marner from the Toronto Maple Leafs for Nicolas Roy and sign him to an eight-year deal. He'll also acquire players like Jack Eichel to bolster the overall structure, turning Vegas into a Stanley Cup contender.
It's gotten to the point where even hockey fans have cooked up some eye-popping trades. Heavy.com reported a proposed trade by a fan through PuckGM that sends Pavel Zacha of the Boston Bruins to the Golden Knights. The outgoing package? Nic Dowd, Trevor Connelly, and a 2028 first-round pick.
For further perspective, Zacha is currently in the last year of his four-year, $4.75 million AAV deal. He has an eight-team no-trade list, but that shouldn't be too much of a problem for the Golden Knights. Let's be honest for a second. Las Vegas has become an attractive destination for the NHL's best players for a multitude of reasons. You can pick from the beautiful climate, the winning atmosphere, and a supportive fan base.
But let's examine this potential deal. Let's say that the Bruins aren't in the running for the Stanley Cup by March. What makes it lucrative for the Golden Knights to bite on? What does the Czech forward bring to the table that would help Vegas win another Stanley Cup?
Why Pavel Zacha going from the Boston Bruins to the Vegas Golden Knights makes perfect sense
If you thought that the Golden Knights were deep down the middle, wait until you see what they'd get with Zacha on board. A unit consisting of the Czech center, Jack Eichel, Tomas Hertl, and William Karlsson would be one of the deepest positions in the league.
Not only that, but Zacha would add even more size to the Golden Knights. The Bruins star stands at 6'4" and weighs in at 211 lbs. Not only that, but he's also 29 years old, making him great for Vegas's current contention window. In a way, he extends it with his recent play, adding more scoring in a Karlsson-esque fashion.
Vegas would benefit greatly from someone who uses his size to protect the puck and win board battles. Add in puck-moving capabilities and the Czech star would be ideal for the Golden Knights' offensive structure. That would make the trade perfect for the Golden Knights to win another Stanley Cup.
But would it make sense from a salary cap standpoint? If we're talking about Nic Dowd being the only salary traded, that'd mean that retention would be involved. Otherwise, the deal is fairly reasonable for both sides. The Bruins get a solid fourth-line center and a great prospect, while the Golden Knights get even deeper down the middle.
Everyone knows that Kelly McCrimmon is never one to shy away from making a big trade. What's more, he'll add the element of surprise to numerous deals, whether it's acquiring Tomas Hertl or Noah Hanifin. Fans shouldn't be too surprised (at least in Vegas; can't speak on behalf of the other fans) if this deal went down for Vegas. They shouldn't be surprised if he got extended during next summer's session.
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