Social media reacts to Brayden McNabb re-signing with the Vegas Golden Knights
Another "Original Misfit" was locked in by Kelly McCrimmon on Friday. Here's how social media reacted to the news.
In case you haven't heard, defenseman Brayden McNabb signed a three-year contract extension with the Vegas Golden Knights. This news was received better than F1 coming to the Las Vegas Strip. The deal was worth $10.95 million with an AAV of $3.65 million. He's one of three remaining "Original Misfits" remaining on the Golden Knights, alongside William Karlsson and Shea Theodore.
It's with good reason that the defenseman is sticking around. He currently leads the team in plus/minus rating with +13. But that's not the only determining factor for the 33-year-old. He's amassed 1,144 blocked shots and 1,259 hits in eight seasons with the team. It's made him one of the most underrated and underappreciated pieces of the Golden Knights.
Of course, he's not the first "Misfit" to get a contract extension. Earlier in the season, Theodore got a seven-year, $51.975 million deal on October 24. McNabb's fellow blue-liner has 12 assists this season, with six (already!) coming on the power play. Both players have been staples of the franchise, and fans will appreciate seeing the pair stop opposing attacks for at least three years.
So it's only fair to see how Golden Knights fans reacted on social media. After all, it's fun seeing what the populace thinks about an underappreciated blue-liner sticking around for three years.
It's safe to say a certain narrative was buried after McNabb got his extension. No longer are opposing fans talking about Kelly McCrimmon and not caring about specific players now watching college football every Saturday. Here's how Las Vegas reacted to the 33-year-old staying for three more years.
Social media reacts to Brayden McNabb's extension
Remember when hockey fans ripped the Vegas Golden Knights for letting Jonathan Marchessault walk to the Nashville Predators? The former Conn Smythe winner wanted to retire as a Golden Knight, given his penchant for holding countless franchise records.
When Kelly McCrimmon didn't budge on the term and wanted to defer payments, the winger got in a huff and picked up some cowboy boots. Suddenly, hockey fans went after his former team for not giving him a contract extension. Those voices were loud and vocal about McCrimmon's alleged betrayal.
They didn't forget what happened to Marc-Andre Fleury and they certainly weren't forgetting Marchessault. But now? Marchessault is with a last-place team while the Golden Knights reign supreme atop the Pacific Division.
Then, McCrimmon decided to re-sign the popular proposed trade chip Shea Theodore for seven years. Then came the McNabb extension, which ended any talk of "loyalty" issues in Las Vegas. Golden Knights fans let the world know, too.
Of course, this dialogue also festered on the homefront, with loyal fans turning off the television because Marchessault was gone. As expected, some were not hearing it from the others.
Of course, there were signs of approval from other fans recognizing McNabb for his hard work. After all, it's not easy being a pure defenseman in a world full of supporting pieces. The Las Vegas media were also on board with the extension.
Overall, the extension was well-received by Golden Knights fans. They locked up a pure defenseman who doesn't need speed to maneuver around the ice and silenced harsh critics of loyalty in Las Vegas. When you do both things at the same time, you've had yourself a day. As Ice Cube once said, "Today Was A Good Day."