Okay, so let's look ahead to the 2027 trade deadline. I know it seems like it's way too early to be looking ahead. But the offseason is essentially dead after a bustling first day, leaving us to look forward to the upcoming season.
Just a few reminders before we get started, though. One, we're expanding to an 84-game season to drive the prof—I mean, to get more hockey in our system. That's never a bad thing, specifically since some of us are already experiencing serious withdrawals.
Also, the Golden Knights have made some serious changes to the lineup. No longer will you see players like Keegan Kolesar, Kaeden Korczak, or Akira Schmid around. Now, you're seeing a restructured lineup that features cheaper talent, including Marc Gatcomb and Parker Wotherspoon. That's the Kelly McCrimmon effect for you, moving off bloated contracts and potential wallet-busters.
While that sounds nice and all, there's still one pressing need for the Golden Knights. This one need stands out as something dire, even after getting Victor Olofsson on board. Yes, I know it sounds bizarre to say. But if the Golden Knights truly want to hoist the Stanley Cup, they need this on their team.
The Vegas Golden Knights could use another shooter on their team
Look, this is no disrespect to Olofsson as a player. He scored 15 goals and 14 assists in his first Vegas residency (2024-25) and had six power play goals. He's going to be perfectly fine as a goal-scoring depth piece for the Golden Knights.
But does anybody expect the Swedish winger to completely replace Pavel Dorofeyev's scoring? That's going to be a tough ask for any Golden Knight heading into the 2026-27 season. Yes, the Golden Knights tend to find scoring in unexpected places when their leading goal scorer from the previous season leaves. But that still raises a major concern, specifically about the power play.
Dorofeyev's franchise-record 20 power play goals will leave a massive void on the power play. That's why you need someone else to fill the void on the unit. Who could be a good option?
Who could be a good shooting option for the Golden Knights at the trade deadline?
I know that Alex DeBrincat isn't the biggest guy on the ice. But he does have three 40-goal seasons to his name, including 41 last season. That included 15 power play goals, which would make him a good pickup should the Red Wings go south. Plus, he's 28 years old, making him perfect for the Golden Knights' Stanley Cup window. Could his 16-team no-trade list be a problem, though?
You could also look at Drake Batherson, who has a reasonable cap hit (roughly $4.98 million) and an absence of a trade clause. He also scored a career-high 33 goals last season for the Ottawa Senators, with 13 coming on the power play.
Or you can look at internal options to carry the load. Generally, McCrimmon loves to look at cheaper options for his scoring and that doesn't just consist of Olofsson. You'd also look at potential names like Trevor Connelly and Braeden Bowman to pick up the slack. Regardless, the Golden Knights have plenty to look at to replace Dorofeyev's scoring.
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