Hot: J.T. Miller
Perhaps the hottest trade target on the market is none other than J.T. Miller. The center has eight goals and 24 assists this season, which won't stand out to regular hockey fans. However, he did score 37 goals and 103 points last season, leading the Vancouver Canucks to a Pacific Division title.
The 31-year-old can win board battles and would fit in easily with the Vegas Golden Knights. The one problem will be his cap hit, which is $8 million. McCrimmon will need as much salary retention as possible to obtain his services. Even with that, would he want a player on the wrong side of 30 until 2030?
Ghost pepper: Elias Pettersson
The one major hang-up (and why this gets the "ghost pepper" designation) is because of Pettersson's cap hit. Even with double retention, McCrimmon would have the impossible task of trying to fit a $11.6 million cap hit onto the current roster. Currently, the Golden Knights have $2,413,862 in cap space, making the task tough. Couple that with Jack Eichel due for a new deal and this trade isn't happening.
However, numerous benefits lie with a potential deal. For one, he's 26 years old, making him a prime target for McCrimmon. Before this season, he had three straight campaigns of 30+ goals, making him a valuable goal-scorer. In 2022-23 alone, he had 39 goals and 102 points. The Swedish center will also stick around until 2032, making him a desirable target of McCrimmon's (and everyone else's). What a time to be Pettersson and J.T. Miller, huh?