Is Vegas loyal to its best players?
Jonathan Marchessault raised eyebrows when he said the Vegas Golden Knights aren't loyal to their franchise players. Is there truth to this claim?
Loyalty is a fickle being. One minute, your best friend is patting you on the back as you both are having the best time. The next, they've ditched you and moved on to bigger, better things. At least, that's how the story goes. There are two sides to every situation, where the truth lies in the middle.
Sadly, that involves one of the best players in Vegas Golden Knights history. This is a player who set countless franchise records, even winning a Conn Smythe Trophy on his end. The player in question? Jonathan Marchessault, who had some interesting words about his former organization after signing a five-year, $5.5 million AAV deal with the Nashville Predators. You can listen to the show here.
This is can't-miss stuff from Marchessault. So raw.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) September 10, 2024
Few quotes (there's so much more, seriously, listen to the whole thing)...
"Every year they have the mentality that you need to always get better but at the same time there are a few guys you have to treat well and that is… https://t.co/FqP4wuQttW
One can say the winger sounds like a jilted lover, angry at being rejected by his previous fling. On the other hand, the franchise has had a history of doing this to their best players. One can point at Marc-Andre Fleury as a perfect example, who found out he was traded... on Twitter.
It's not the best look for an organization looking to add another Stanley Cup to its collection. One should wonder what would happen if players like Jack Eichel didn't have any purpose. Would the Golden Knights dump him to the side of the road as Marchessault is implying with their franchise players? Is there animosity between Kelly McCrimmon and the best superstars for Vegas?
There's good reason to believe both sides have valid points. This isn't the first time the Golden Knights have moved on from one of their superstars. However, they had an incentive for doing this, specifically with the contract offered. Let's dive into both sides and give out a verdict.
Why Jonathan Marchessault is right about the lack of loyalty
As mentioned, Jonathan Marchessault isn't the first Vegas Golden Knights star to find a different team after a successful Las Vegas residency. There was also the aforementioned case involving Marc-Andre Fleury, who holds even more franchise records for Vegas. He was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks and found out on Twitter, drawing the collective ire of the hockey world.
"How could they do this to their star goaltender? Where's the loyalty in Vegas?"
This also happened with Reilly Smith after the 2023 Stanley Cup season, when he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Of course, this was to make way for re-signing Ivan Barbashev to a five-year, $5 million deal. However, there is some validity to what Marchessault is saying. Just look at the latest news between the Golden Knights and star defenseman, Shea Theodore.
Marchessault stated players are there to win, which holds true. Why else would Jack Eichel want to be traded to a contender? Same thing with players like Tomas Hertl. That's what makes this quote hit home harder. A franchise leader in numerous categories walking indicates a team doesn't have the best loyalty. That means sacrificing older pieces for younger stars to win.
Why the Vegas Golden Knights made the right decision
Here's one thing to consider if you're a Vegas Golden Knights fan. Marc-Andre Fleury, Reilly Smith, and Jonathan Marchessault all found different teams to play for, whether it was via trade or free agency. But there's one common denominator among the three franchise cornerstones: They were older than 30 years old when they went to said teams.
This offseason, the Golden Knights didn't make any splashy free agent signing, opting to trade for a winger with solid upside. They also have a great forward who made strides with 13 goals in 47 games last season. The in-house options for Vegas might not be perfect. However, they're cheaper and will set up bigger moves down the road. Plus, they'll perform well with plenty of promise.
Kelly McCrimmon talks about players performing at their contract levels and reaching a point of outperforming their deals. Offering a five-year deal to a player who's already seeing diminishing returns defensively doesn't bode well for a team, especially when the offensive side will follow. It's a tough place to be for a franchise, especially in the salary cap era. However, the NHL is a business, as Marchessault will attest.
There's definitely no loyalty but at the same time you are there to win. I don't mind that mindset.
What's the verdict on this situation?
Both sides had valid reasons for their situations, starting with Jonathan Marchessault talking about how the Vegas Golden Knights operate. The Golden Knights are a team built to win, meaning they can't hold onto older players for too long. Marchessault makes solid points about the organization and what happened with Marc-Andre Fleury and Reilly Smith.
Therefore, it's tough to say who's in the wrong here. Marchessault said he had nothing bad to say about Vegas for the last seven years, which shows he was grateful for his time. It's a business, after all. Still, it's not like Kelly McCrimmon handled the situation perfectly. Could he have given way on the deal's length? Sure. Sometimes, you make that sacrifice to build faith with the fans.
But at the end of the day, it's about the logo on the front of the jersey. Yes, Marchessault will be missed as a Golden Knights legend, as will Fleury. However, there are times when holding onto something for too long can hurt you. It's a fine line to walk when balancing loyalty with building a winning team.
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