The Vegas Golden Knights trading Nicolas Hague to the Nashville Predators was a necessary move. You weren't getting Mitch Marner if you were extending the defenseman, especially after he got a $5.5 million AAV deal with the Predators. Sometimes, sacrifices must be made to get a bigger prize. That means getting your defenseman a pair of cowboy boots to dance to Luke Bryan.
It's not like he was useless with Vegas, either. He had 489 blocked shots and 572 hits in his six-year career in Las Vegas, making him a reliable lower-pair defenseman. You gotta appreciate the guys who take on the dirty roles for the team, you know?
But Hague revealed what went down during 2024-25, showing a surprising side that almost got him extended with the Golden Knights. He told Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal about the events that happened during the Stanley Cup playoff run, with the two sides agreeing on what it would entail.
"I thought I had a deal done with Vegas done before the playoffs, and we had agreed on what it was going to be. On both sides, it was a word agreement. Obviously nothing was signed. Because I said to them, ‘We’re going into the playoffs. That’s the No. 1 priority right now and we’ll reconvene and get this done after the season.’ It was all good."Nicolas Hague to LVRJ
Of course, the terms weren't specified regarding how much he'd get with the Golden Knights or how long. Still, Hague understood that hockey's a business first, where the ultimate goal is to win as many Stanley Cups as humanly possible.
Kelly McCrimmon and the Vegas Golden Knights can still operate as a business with amicability involved
One quote that sticks out from the interview was the lack of animosity from the defenseman. He expressed no ill will towards McCrimmon and the Golden Knights, telling fans that there was a business side of things to operating a hockey team.
"I got obviously nothing against Vegas for the way everything played out. It was all good. I had a good conversation with Kelly. That’s just the nature of what we do. It is what it is."Nicolas Hague to LVRJ
It's a common theme amongst players who've left, either by trade or free agency. They enjoyed their time in Las Vegas and appreciated the fans who encouraged them to be their best selves.
"The city was always great to my wife and I. We were fortunate enough to be a part of the team that won there. I’ll miss the guys on the team, the friendships we’ve developed over the last seven, eight years being there. Friendships that I’ll have forever. I’m just kind of thankful for everything that came out of that part of our life, being in Vegas. I loved it there."Nicolas Hague
The moral of the story? Good front office management and ownership will get positive reviews from any former player. That's true whether it's Hague or Reilly Smith. In fact, it led to the latter returning for a second stint with the Golden Knights and reuniting with the fans who appreciated him the most.
Who knows? That could be Hague if he decides he's done with doing the Honky Tonk.