3 potential trade targets for the Vegas Golden Knights during the 2024-25 season
Let's look into the crystal ball and see what the Vegas Golden Knights can do trade-wise. Who else would be viable targets for Kelly McCrimmon?
Remember when the Vegas Golden Knights and Montreal Canadiens worked a trade on September 10, 2018? Vegas sent Tomas Tatar, a 2019 second-round NHL Draft pick, and Nick Suzuki to Montreal, getting Max Pacioretty in return. At the time, it made sense given the reigning Western Conference champions wanted a Stanley Cup. Why not get a solid winger who scores goals from anywhere?
However, the trade favors the Canadiens now, with Suzuki becoming a key contributor alongside Cole Caufield. They're also accompanied by stars like Jake Evans, who give the team a scoring edge. As for Pacioretty? He burned his bridges with the Golden Knights and is signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs on a PTO.
However, that doesn't stop the organization from rearranging and going all-in on its current contention window. That's why the Mitch Marner rumors are rampant, even as the regular season gets closer. Pundits describe the potential trade as a perfect fit, where the Leafs winger would work well with Jack Eichel.
Still, Kelly McCrimmon isn't going to trade for anybody. First, older stars sound nice. However, they must be a special talent (i.e. Steven Stamkos) for the general manager to consider them. Also, they must fit a certain role on the team or be flexible. The Golden Knights have plenty of center and defensive talent, meaning they don't need anything regarding this position... for now.
That leaves us with three more trade targets for Vegas. McCrimmon will see what these players can do and how they'll fit within the lineup. For example, you can't expect Marner, Kirill Marchenko, or Frank Vatrano to be fourth-line players. Let's look into the crystal ball and see who could be in Las Vegas soon (assuming Vegas is contending come March).
Jake Evans
The Vegas Golden Knights could use a winger for more depth. When you lose a superstar in Jonathan Marchessault and lower-line talent such as Michael Amadio, you're hoping to replace that production with quality talent. That's where Jake Evans comes in, for he's a versatile forward who can play center and right wing.
Last season with the Montreal Canadiens, he scored 21 assists and had a faceoff winning percentage of 52.2%. Fans can also expect him to block shots, for he had 65 in 2024-25. The cherry on top is he's excellent at killing penalties, where he uses his speed to move quickly. Think of him as a Teddy Blueger-type player, where he plays on the lower lines and acts as a special teams player.
The forward would be good as a depth piece for the Golden Knights. The best part is Evans only carries a small cap hit of $1.7 million, which is a reasonable price for Kelly McCrimmon. Granted, he's not a solid option like Frank Vatrano. But given that he's only 28 years old and is a nice special teams player, it's within the general manager's wheelhouse for acquisitions.
Kirill Marchenko
Last season, Kirill Marchenko was the subject of countless trade rumors. The Russian forward was stuck in arbitration limbo and needed a new deal. He was linked to several teams before signing a three-year extension with the Blue Jackets. Eventually, Columbus traded Patrik Laine to the Montreal Canadiens, offloading the Finnish winger for a fresh start as he requested.
But there's still that realm of possibility for a deal. Let's say that Victor Olofsson doesn't pan out for the Vegas Golden Knights. The Swedish winger continues his regression from last season, scoring seven goals and eight assists. Let's also assume Columbus is out of the playoff picture before March. What will McCrimmon do in this scenario? He needs a right wing on the top six lines, with Marchenko's name written all over it.
Granted, there's a small caveat to this. The young winger is due $3.85 million until 2026-27, which could be a hit. However, McCrimmon's known for getting other teams to retain salary, which would help the Golden Knights here. Plus, if acquiring Alexander Holtz was any indication, he prefers younger talent with solid upside. Given that Marchenko has had back-to-back 20+ goal seasons and doesn't have a no-move clause, it could pay dividends if the Blue Jackets aren't contending by March.
Frank Vatrano
Similar to the Kirill Marchenko proposal, Frank Vatrano is a good top-line option for the Vegas Golden Knights should Victor Olofsson not work out. Last season, the Anaheim Duck winger scored 37 goals, with 13 coming on the power play. Fans can imagine the creative plays Jack Eichel and Vatrano will come up with, making the top unit much more destructive.
Like Marchenko, the Ducks star will constitute a sizable cap hit for the upcoming season ($3.65 million). However, he's in the last year of his current deal, which would be more plausible if they were serious about winning a Stanley Cup now. But if Vegas wanted to keep their contention window longer, the Columbus winger would be the better option compared to Vatrano.
There was plenty of speculation regarding Vatrano becoming a Golden Knight. He adds scoring on the man advantage and even strength and doesn't carry a no-move clause. If Anaheim isn't contending by March, expect them to move more pieces like the veteran winger. That's where Vegas will be waiting to scoop up a top line option.
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