Checklists are good for multiple things. Perhaps you're going to the grocery store and are making that dinner you've always wanted to try. Maybe you have a home construction project that you want to work on. Whatever the case, we can't solely rely on human memory to get us through the day.
You can rest assured that the "favorites" for Mitch Marner, the Vegas Golden Knights, have such a thing. They're looking for a significant upgrade on the top six and need a forward to make that happen. Lo and behold, the stars have aligned and it's time for this checklist to go to work.
However, there isn't just one item on the list. There are three things to do first. Yes, some of these things involve trades. That's up Kelly McCrimmon's alley since he knows a guy, who happens to know another guy, who knows a similar guy.
Ah, the beauty of being a general manager. You have numerous connections that get you what you want.
Anyways, here are three things that the Golden Knights can do to clear enough cap space for the big Marner move. The fans are clamoring for the two-way winger to party in Vegas. Therefore, it's time to follow this checklist and give the fans what they want.
1.) Alex Pietrangelo goes on LTIR
Now, this depends entirely on the defenseman's health. Rumor has it that he's not exactly 100% and he might miss the entire 2025-26 season. Insiders such as Elliotte Friedman have touched on this, stating that the Golden Knights are a mystery team in this situation.
If Pietrangelo plays at the start of next season? Forget about it. That would require many other pieces to be traded and a complete overhaul of your team. Having $9.615 million in salary cap space makes this tougher.
But freeing up $8.8 million in salary cap space makes this much easier to achieve. Now, Vegas can make the $12 million AAV offer (or something in that ballpark) that they want to deliver. Of course, that also means freeing up some cap space for depth pieces.
2.) Trade Ivan Barbashev or Nicolas Roy
Ivan Barbashev carries a $5 million cap hit and has an eight-team no-trade list. Nicolas Roy doesn't have a no-move clause, yet his cap hit is $3 million. While these cap hits won't move the needle too much, they're enough to make viable cap space should #1 happen.
Barbashev hasn't lived up to expectations on the top line, while lower-line players in Roy's position are always available. When you're paying a player $3 million per year to be a fourth-line center, that money could be used in other parts.
Take Florida's fourth line as a perfect example. Not a single player got over $1 million this past season. Getting Mitch Marner means cutting costs and finding reliable low-cost talent to replace the two players.
3.) Trade Nicolas Hague
Nicolas Hague is in a tricky situation. He's a restricted free agent who could make $4 million per year. The problem goes back to the salary cap, where Kelly McCrimmon has his hands tied.
You can't get Marner on a long-term deal and keep Hague at the same time. The only way that happens is if the defenseman either gets moved or the "Core Four" member doesn't get his wish.
Therefore, find the 26-year-old a suitor with cap space to boot. We're talking about teams like the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins. If you want Marner in Las Vegas in the long term, this is a move that must happen.