The Five Best Trades in Vegas Golden Knights History
The trade deadline is this Friday and teams are exploring quality moves. What were the five best moves in Vegas Golden Knights history?
1. Vegas Golden Knights Acquire Mark Stone
At the 2019 trade deadline on February 25, Mark Stone was acquired from the Ottawa Senators along with Tobias Lindberg. In exchange, the Vegas Golden Knights sent Erik Brannstrom, Oscar Lindberg, and a 2020 second-round pick. While there was some fun trivia involving the swapping of Lindbergs, the Golden Knights acquired their captain.
While the trade hasn't worked much for Ottawa, Stone has made an incredible impact. The Winnipeg native has scored 89 goals and 167 assists in 274 games with the Golden Knights, making him an incredible asset. He's a vocal leader who betters everyone on the team, too. Therefore, it's safe to say that the Golden Knights won this deal.
2. Vegas Golden Knights Acquire Shea Theodore
The Vegas Golden Knights made a small trade in 2017, acquiring defenseman Shea Theodore from the Anaheim Ducks. The Golden Knights traded away their agreement to draft Clayton Stoner in the 2017 Expansion Draft. What people wouldn't realize at the time was the impact Theodore made in coming to Vegas.
Aside from being a good defenseman for the Golden Knights, the British Columbia native has also been great offensively. During his Vegas tenure, Theodore has 209 assists in 423 games in Sin City. On top of that, 71 assists have come on the power play. Trading for the defenseman has provided incredible value for a Golden Knights team needing a power play boost.
3. Vegas Golden Knights Acquire Jack Eichel
It's no surprise that Jack Eichel has been a key component of the Vegas Golden Knights. He adds much more to the power play, is a creative playmaker, and has been an incredible leader. Without Eichel, Golden Knights fans wouldn't have the luxury of seeing a Stanley Cup victory in their lifetime.
That's what made acquiring the former first-round pick with a 2023 third-round pick worth it. Out went Alex Tuch, Peyton Krebs, a 2022 top-10 protected pick, and a 2023 second-round pick. In came a game-changing center on November 4, 2021, that moved the needle.
What's crazier is many people questioned the move. Eichel was getting artificial disk replacement surgery that kept him out for months. Would he be the same superstar he was hyped up to be in Buffalo? In short, yes. The 27-year-old has 60 goals and 75 assists in 143 games with the Golden Knights, making him one of the more valuable pieces. Of course, every Batman needs a Robin, so Vegas got...
4. Vegas Golden Knights Acquire Ivan Barbashev
...Ivan Barbashev, who's proven to be a physical force for the Vegas Golden Knights. Last season, the Russian forward was acquired from the St. Louis Blues for Zach Dean. He's proven to be an incredible complimentary piece to Jack Eichel, helping Vegas win the Stanley Cup.
In fact, his great play warranted him a new five-year, $25 million deal with the Golden Knights. Overall, he's scored 20 goals and 31 assists and delivered 175 hits in 84 games with Vegas. Barbashev will be remembered as a terrific asset for a physical Golden Knights team.
5. Vegas Golden Knights Acquire Adin Hill
In August 2022, there was a quiet move made by the Vegas Golden Knights. They acquired a goalie named Adin Hill from the San Jose Sharks for a 2024 fourth-round pick. The move was so quiet that you could hear the mice scamper across the floor.
However, that trade has spoken volumes about Hill's impact on the Golden Knights. From his jaw-dropping save in Game 1 of last year's Stanley Cup Finals to his current success, the Calgary native has made himself at home in Vegas. His .923 save percentage (3rd in the NHL) and goals allowed per game of 2.38 (5th in the NHL) have kept the Vegas Golden Knights afloat this season.
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