3 potential trade destinations for Brayden McNabb
Shea Theodore has been subjected to numerous trade rumors. But what about the other "Original Misfit?" Where could Brayden McNabb go?
No team has had a more interesting offseason than the Vegas Golden Knights. They've lost a wave of forwards, including a former Conn Smythe winner, to free agency. There are also rumors of Mitch Marner being traded from the Toronto Maple Leafs to Vegas, giving them a top-line option for Jack Eichel. Among the names involved is Shea Theodore, a defenseman who's owed $5.2 million this season.
He's also in the last year of his current contract, where the Golden Knights aren't likely to re-sign him. But there's his fellow defender who could become a trade target. His name? Brayden McNabb, who's also in the last year of his current deal. He's also a cap hit of $2.85 million this season, which would open up some room for Vegas.
Couple that with a surplus of defensemen and the Golden Knights might need to make a move. There are names like Ben Hutton waiting for an opportunity who are cheaper. For example, Hutton has a cap hit of $975,000, which would save Vegas between $1.875 million and $4.225 million if Theodore or McNabb were traded. If they were both gone? $6.1 million would be saved, which would open some room for the Golden Knights.
But let's pivot back to McNabb for a second. He's 33 years old and doesn't have the offensive acumen that Theodore has. Although he's built a reputation for scoring clutch goals, the former 66th-overall draft pick is primarily a defender who specializes in the forecheck. That could be good for Stanley Cup teams needing bite on the blue line, especially at a cheaper price than Theodore. Here are three teams that could potentially be destinations.
Could Brayden McNabb be part of the deal that sends Mitch Marner from the Maple Leafs to the Vega Golden Knights?
In a previous post, there was the possibility of trading Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb to the Maple Leafs for Mitch Marner. Considering Toronto could use a spare blue liner or two (especially if they can move the puck), it makes sense to try for one of those defenders or both. The Vegas Golden Knights get their top-line player in Marner, pairing him with Eichel.
But there's more to the situation than it appears. Like Vegas, Toronto is also in a salary cap crunch. Without LTIR, they have $1,275,333 in cap space, leaving little wiggle room for a Marner extension. There's also both Theodore and McNabb being one-year rentals unless they're re-signed. That would be a wasted trade on the surface for Toronto, especially if they're looking to end a decades-long drought.
Still, a trade would benefit the Golden Knights in that they wouldn't mind taking at least a year on the superstar. Kelly McCrimmon can make other teams retain salary, which would likely involve a third team in this scenario. It worked with Noah Hanifin and it would work here. The only caveat for Vegas would be that the "Core Four" member would need an extension. Would McCrimmon bite on this?
McNabb heads to the Motor City as part of the "Yzer-Plan"
The Detroit Red Wings are a terrific offensive team. They have a solid top unit in Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond, and Alex DeBrincat. But there are concerns about allowing goals. Having McNabb pair with Moritz Seider would make them significantly better defensively, easing the pressure off their anemic goaltending.
Plus, the Red Wings have the cap space to make this work with $17,648,194. There's also plenty of draft capital to send over, which the Vegas Golden Knights need. Granted, the defenseman won't fetch a first or second-round pick (or even a third-round pick). However, it would make room for either Hutton or a prospect like Kaeden Korczak for the main roster.
This move is unlikely to happen considering Theodore would be the more valuable piece. But like their fellow "Original Six" team, the Maple Leafs and Mitch Marner, Detroit could use some help on the blue line. Why not take a shot with a defender like McNabb, whose calling card is blocking shots?
The Vegas Golden Knights acquire Patrik Laine for... Brayden McNabb?
No, this isn't going to be the trade itself, although it would be hilarious. Imagine the Columbus Blue Jackets sending over Patrik Laine for a 33-year-old defenseman. It would showcase the brilliance of Kelly McCrimmon and show how dysfunctional the Blue Jackets are as an organization.
Instead, they want a bigger haul for their star winger, which would require Vegas to pay a pretty penny. That could deter McCrimmon from making a trade unless the price goes down. It would consist of prospects and draft picks, making this even tougher. However, he did add Daniil Miromanov in the Noah Hanifin deal. Therefore, there's a good reason to believe he can do that here.
Plus, Columbus is open to retaining some of Laine's salary. Although a third team or additional name would likely be needed to make this happen, it can still work. Fans can rely on the front office to make a trade happen under the right circumstances, specifically if it's to replace an "Original Misfit".
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