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.