3 Golden Knights that won't be returning next season
Parting is such sweet sorrow, especially when some team favorites are gone. Here are three Vegas Golden Knights that won't be back next season.
Parting is such sweet sorrow, especially when hockey season is over. For the Vegas Golden Knights, they must part with the Stanley Cup and hand it to a new recipient this season. After losing to the Dallas Stars on Sunday, 2-1, it's a sad reality that both the players and fans must deal with.
Of course, that also means some upcoming free agents won't be back with the Golden Knights next season. The circumstances will vary from player to player. With some players, they're getting older. Their skills have diminished and left them without any purpose. Therefore, they must make way for younger talent and give younger prospects a chance to shine.
For others, their skill sets are washed. Some even took home a hefty paycheck this season, hurting the Golden Knights salary cap-wise. For general manager Kelly McCrimmon, most of these choices should be easy to make. There will be some players that employ two or all three circumstances, making them easy choices for not re-signing.
Many Golden Knights fans hope that one Vegas Golden Knight isn't Jonathan Marchessault. The former Conn Smythe winner had 42 goals this season, good for being tied for 11th in the NHL. Marchessault has proven to be a clutch player for the Golden Knights, scoring 32 game-winning goals during his Vegas tenure.
The good news is that Jonathan Marchessault isn't on the list. He has valuable talent as an offensive sniper, helping at even strength and power play. Plus, there's mutual interest in a return for the winger, with the locker room and community loving Marchessault's presence. Therefore, it would be foolish to put the "Original Misfit" there... for now.
So who are these three Golden Knights that won't return to Las Vegas next season? It's likely that McCrimmon won't bring back the following players for next season's team. Therefore, Golden Knights fans should get their goodbyes in before these players sign elsewhere.
1. Alec Martinez
When the Vegas Golden Knights acquired Noah Hanifin at the trade deadline from the Calgary Flames, it was an indication that Alec Martinez wouldn't be with the team next season. With a younger, shinier defenseman to fill the void, there would be no need for the native of Rochester Hills, Michigan, anymore.
Martinez had a fulfilling career in the NHL as a member of the Los Angeles Kings and Golden Knights. The defenseman won three Stanley Cups, where he scored a cup-clinching goal in one of those tenures. He's also been a vital part of Vegas's six main defensemen, clogging shooting lanes. However, it seems Martinez's run as a Golden Knight is ending for a couple of reasons.
One, the 36-year-old spent some time sidelined with injuries this season. Of course, that's what blocking 677 shots during a five-year tenure with the Golden Knights gets you. He had a lower-body procedure done a couple of months ago, so seeing Martinez go wouldn't be surprising.
After all, younger defensemen are waiting in the wings for the Golden Knights. Lukas Cormier and Kaeden Korczak will compete for a top-six spot in the Golden Knights lineup. Of course, there's also Ben Hutton, who's ready for the next step with the Golden Knights. Vegas has numerous options for replacing the three-time Stanley Cup winner, especially those that aren't being paid $5.25 millon a year.
2. William Carrier
Another Vegas Golden Knight who won't be returning to the team next season is William Carrier. The winger only played 39 games this season, scoring six goals and two assists. For the Golden Knights, not having their fourth-line player for the majority of the season hurt them.
That was because Carrier has dealt with numerous upper-body injuries this season. First, he started missing time on January 6, getting his injuries taken care of. Then, he missed the last 11 regular season games of the regular season with more upper-body injuries.
While Carrier is a nice scoring-depth piece for the Golden Knights, he doesn't see the ice much. The most games he played in as a Golden Knight was 71 (2019-20). The Quebec native has also had a shooting percentage over 10% once during his Vegas tenure (13.6% in 2022-23).
Add in the $1.4 million he got paid this season and this should be a no-brainer for Kelly McCrimmon. Getting good checking and workman-like talent shouldn't be a problem for Vegas. They have Paul Cotter, who should step into the fourth-line role nicely.
3. Anthony Mantha
Anthony Mantha was actually one of the trade deadline acquisitions picked up by the Vegas Golden Knights this season. His purpose was to bolster the power play and add forward depth. That didn't happen with Mantha in Vegas, leaving him to be pushed down as the season progressed.
How did the former Detroit Red Wing do in Las Vegas? In 18 games, he scored three goals and seven assists, with only one power play assist to show. He's also drawn a blank during the postseason, only playing in three games. For Mantha, it isn't expected that he'll return with the team. Instead, Mantha will be remembered as a trade rental, walking to a different team in the offseason.
Another reason why he won't come back is because the Golden Knights have younger forwards that can do the job. Pavel Dorofeyev has been impressive this season, with both players hoping to compete for a role. There's also Brendan Brisson waiting in the wings, who looks to get more seasoning in the NHL.
While getting Anthony Mantha looked like a bold move at the trade deadline, it didn't pay off for McCrimmon and company. The Golden Knights will look to go cheaper, using younger talent to fill the void. That's what they've done since their tenure, with players like Reilly Smith and Marc-Andre Fleury being traded out of Vegas.
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