Have you ever seen your ex-partner in public after breaking up? You see them with a new flame and encounter them at a coffee shop, but you try to avoid making contact with them. Oh, what the hey, you strike up a conversation with them since you made eye contact.
It's the most awkward, unsuspecting moment you've experienced since you parted ways. Both of you are in shock and talk like you're feeling rushed. You hastily say your goodbyes and gag in your mouth a bit. Hopefully, you never see this turd again in your lifetime.
That's the feeling Kelly McCrimmon will get when he sees Jonathan Marchessault on Tuesday in Nashville. The "Original Misfit" is no longer with the Vegas Golden Knights but rather the Nashville Predators. He's teaching his son how to do the "Boot Scootin' Boogie" these days, ensuring he uses those moves to impress a lady.
All jokes aside, Tuesday's matchup will be between two teams with vastly different trajectories. The Golden Knights were as much of an afterthought regarding the Stanley Cup conversation in preseason. Now, they're hanging out with the Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets atop the NHL hierarchy with 61 points.
Meanwhile, the Predators were the preseason darlings. Major signings like Marchessault, Steven Stamkos, and Brady Skjei had analysts drooling like they were in a Tex Avery cartoon, leaving many to pick them as this year's Stanley Cup champions. Now? They're fighting for scraps in the Central Division with the Chicago Blackhawks with 33 points.
What makes the reunion between Jonathan Marchessault and the Vegas Golden Knights awkward?
Well, the saga between Jonathan Marchessault and the Vegas Golden Knights players isn't awkward by any stretch of the imagination. The gang is on good terms with the former Conn Smythe winner, sharing goodwill and memories of their Stanley Cup win in 2023.
Rather, the beef is with Kelly McCrimmon, who had a contentious exchange with the "Misfit" during the summer. Golden Knights fans remember Marchessault asking for five years in his next deal, hoping to become a Golden Knight until he retired.
Well, that didn't sit right with McCrimmon, who wasn't keen on paying longer contracts to players going past their prime. Sure, Marchessault scored 42 goals in 2023-24, making him the de facto goal-scorer. However, he also had Jack Eichel on his line, who elevated everyone he played with. Therefore, the general manager devised a "Plan B" involving deferred money.
That didn't sit well with Marchessault, who stormed out of the room like Napoleon Bonaparte and went to Nashville. Now? He's scored 14 goals and 17 assists this season, a far cry from his 2023-24 campaign. One can say that the 34-year-old outperformed based on having Eichel on his line. But there's also truth in the "contract year" narrative, where he was looking for a payday. He got that with a five-year, $5.5 million AAV deal with the Predators, where he hangs out regularly with Carrie Underwood.
Will Marchessault's motivation be a factor as the Golden Knights play the Nashville Predators?
There's no doubt Marchessault will carry a chip on his shoulder against his former team. The need to prove your skeptics wrong is always a must, specifically when it's in front of your former boss. Who wouldn't want to take those doubts and shove it up their... rear?
However, that chip has also been on the Golden Knights's shoulder throughout the 2024-25 season. Part of that comes from the doubts lingering from not having a player like Marchessault. It brought numerous questions to the forefront, leaving people to shy away from picking them as the Stanley Cup champions.
"Who will replace Marchessault's scoring?"
"Can they recover from losing so many forwards in free agency?"
Well, dear skeptics, it seems they've proved you wrong so far. The Golden Knights (and McCrimmon) have ended all doubt with another spectacular first-half, leaving them on the fast track to making the Stanley Cup playoffs again.
As for the Predators? Well, they're left wondering what could've been after falling far behind early. They don't have much time left to recover after an abysmal 7-16-6 start. Marchessault and company hope a win can get those boots scootin' to salvage a playoff spot.