3 potential trade candidates for the Vegas Golden Knights

The Stanley Cup playoffs are roaring along, with teams being eliminated one by one. That comes with the territory of a winner-take-all tournament that spans months, with hopefuls losing out on glory. Sometimes, those eliminations leave numerous questions, with the Vegas Golden Knights being no exception. Who's coming back? Who's getting traded? Who won't be returning?

There are many questions plaguing the franchise, with some wondering how the team's dynamic will change in the coming years. However, they're not the only team dealing with this issue. For example, the freshly eliminated Carolina Hurricanes are dealing with an exodus of key players leaving via free agency. There are even some stars that could be traded next season.

For these franchises, they present a golden opportunity to retool and reload. That's what happened with Vegas at the trade deadline, where teams like the Washington Capitals and Calgary Flames offloaded players to brighten their futures. Although it didn't help the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup, it set a foundation for the team's future.

There's another opportunity for this to happen in Sin City in the offseason. After all, there's never been a trade that Kelly McCrimmon didn't like. Of course, that would come with other teams retaining their own player's salary (or even teams that didn't trade for the player retaining the salary). But that's how the general manager works his magic, getting the best players in return.

There might be even more room for more trades. For a team in win-now mode, there could be more draft picks gone, including this year's first-round pick. That hasn't been something that has stopped Vegas in the past, though. For them, the Stanley Cup window is open until further notice. Here are three players (excluding Mitch Marner) that the Vegas Golden Knights can acquire.

Martin Necas, C, Carolina Hurricanes

Perhaps the most noteworthy trade candidate has been none other than Martin Necas. The 25-year-old has suddenly fallen out of favor with the Carolina Hurricanes, with the team preferring Seth Jarvis's services. As a result, Carolina isn't expected to re-sign the Czech superstar.

That has led Necas to be linked to other teams, including the Washington Capitals and Buffalo Sabres. However, could there be room for the center to come to the Vegas Golden Knights? There are plenty of good reasons why he'd feel right at home in Sin City.

For one, he's an active forechecker off the puck and plays the entire length of the ice. He'd easily fit in with the team, bringing boundless energy at a young age. The 25-year-old also has some bite on his shot, making him a good offensive piece. He's good on the power play as a distributor, which would make him at home (eight goals, five assists).

Overall, this should be a no-brainer for the Vegas Golden Knights to bring him in. He's young, he's good offensively, and can add a new element to the forecheck. The question is if McCrimmon would be willing to give the Czech star the extension he deserves. If that's the case, he'll be willing to bring Martin Necas in easily.