You know that feeling when something goes exactly the way you planned? Maybe you got a hole-in-one with careful planning. Perhaps your favorite team's trade deadline acquisition scores the game-winning goal in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. As they say in the A-Team, "I love it when a plan comes together."
For the Vegas Golden Knights, they need to hit a home run in the upcoming free agency period. The vultures waiting for Vegas's downfall are circling the carcass, hungrier than ever. The critics waiting for the Golden Knights to stink are foaming at the mouth. What's a team to do in this scenario?
Cower and run? Cry to mommy? No, because that's not what we do in Las Vegas.
Instead, it's on Kelly McCrimmon and company to keep the "Evil Empire" alive and well. How can you do that? Why, that's done by nailing the offseason.
Allow me to present to you a checklist, dear reader. These items will help the Golden Knights get back to winning the Stanley Cup and being the bane of everyone's existence. Let's dive in like we're swimming during the summer!
1.) Get Jack Eichel his contract extension
The Golden Knights megastar is hitting free agency after next season and is expected to get a pay bump. Personally, this should be a main priority for Kelly McCrimmon since he is your superstar.
After all, you don't just let a man walk after scoring 28 goals and 94 assists this past season. That would be like taking a leak after you took your morning dump. The smell would fester and leave your place smelling rancid. Heck, even Chris Pratt can vouch for me here (rule No. 7!).
2.) Re-sign Reilly Smith AND Tanner Pearson on friendly deals
Now, I know what you're thinking. There's no way that this could possibly happen! After all, the Golden Misfit is projected to earn a two-year contract worth $3.5 million AAV (according to ScotiaStats).
But what about Pearson? Well, what about him? He's projected to earn a one-year deal worth $800,000. That's an incredible discount for a fourth-liner who scored 12 goals and 15 assists this past season. It makes life much easier to add forward depth during the free agency period.
Does it mean it'll happen? Probably not, especially when your cap space is $9.615 million. But Smith is willing to do whatever it takes to stay in town. It should be in the best interest to offer the necessary hometown discounts to maintain the forward depth.
3.) Trade Nicolas Hague OR Zach Whitecloud and Ivan Barbashev
Two guys at once, minimum? That seems like a tall order for Vegas. However, there's a good reason. Two of these players are defensemen.
With Kaedan Korczak waiting in the wings and Ben Hutton waiting for some ice time, it makes such a proposal easier. Does the unit take a hit defensively? Yes. However, the pain is eased considering Hutton is a seasoned veteran and Korczak showed his worth at the NHL level (10 assists in 40 games).
Hague is due a bigger contract and Barbashev has a cap hit of $5 million until 2028. As for Whitecloud? He has a cap hit of $2.75 million until 2028. Heck, I wouldn't mind seeing Nicolas Roy moved since his cap hit's $3 million and he doesn't have a no-move clause attached to him.
Now, why the "OR," you ask? Well, there's uncertainty that Alex Pietrangelo won't be around next season. Why trade two defensemen and gut the unit of its depth?
Still, the point is getting cap space cleared up. These moves should help the Golden Knights make the necessary moves to make a splash in free agency. Speaking of which...
4.) Make a big free agency move
Now, this can involve Mitch Marner (IF you can get him, that is). It's a tall task to get him considering that his price tag will be high. However, you know Vegas is in on a player because Kelly McCrimmon exists. Plus, there are other viable options on the table.
I wouldn't mind seeing Nikolaj Ehlers or Brock Boeser come to Las Vegas. You can even make the case for Sam Bennett and his penchant for crashing into goalies. As long as you make a corresponding move to compete with the Edmonton Oilers and the Dallas Stars, I will be satisfied. You can't be left in the dust in your Stanley Cup contention window, you know?