Imagine this scenario, dear reader. What if Kelly McCrimmon didn't care about conditioning his prospects and used his draft picks for getting the biggest stars? What if he got Mikko Rantanen and went back on his word regarding acquiring big names? Only Vegas Golden Knights fans would appreciate someone of this magnitude. After all, they were one of four teams the Finnish forward wanted to sign an extension with.
As for everyone else? They'd be deep in a bottle.
It would've broken the NHL and brought out every troll account in the world (looking at you, Fronk Seravalli). Fans from Los Angeles, Edmonton, and Colorado would've exploded in a fit of anger. Riots and protests would've swept every North American city as fans would yell in outrage.
"HOW COULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED?!"
"THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS ARE CIRCUMVENTING THE SALARY CAP AGAIN!"
The salty tears of hockey fans everywhere would've flowed into Lake Mead, refilling it and giving Las Vegans water for decades. Not only would it have been good for business, but it would've saved the environment.
Unfortunately, that's not the reality we live in and that comes with a couple of reasons. First, Rantanen wanted a contract extension around $14 million AAV. Yes, he got $12 million per year for eight years. However, it would've been a bulky contract to take on.
Second, McCrimmon did promise a quiet trade deadline after splurging last season. That came at the expense of numerous prospects, draft picks, and cap space. The cupboard was bare sans a few pieces, which left the general manager without any choice but to go small.
But what happened if he did go all-in on the megastar winger? What if he wanted to rile up the 31 other fanbases and swipe a player instead of Jim Nill? Marvel fans will have fun with this post since it explores alternate realities. Therefore, let's assemble the Avengers and dive into an alternate universe with three consequences.
1.) The Vegas Golden Knights would've had a broken forward group
If having a unit that scores 3.34 goals per game (fifth in the NHL) isn't enough, imagine adding a superstar winger with 29 goals and 73 assists in 2024-25. He would've paired well with Jack Eichel and competed with him for the most points in a single season for the Golden Knights. However, that's not the only stat where he stands out (minimum of 500 minutes of ice time).
2024-25 stats | Expected goals | Primary assists | High danger xgoals | Flurry adjusted xgoals | Created xgoals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mikko Rantanen | 30.1 (third) | 30 (tied for sixth) | 15.17 (seventh) | 28.1 (second) | 29 (second) |
In short, he's a playmaker. He can gel into the transition offense well, flying down the ice with his fellow 4 Nations Face-Off participant. But the Finnish forward is also a threat to score goals, carrying a heavy shot. That would've been enough to put any opposing goaltender and defense on the edge.
2.) The Vegas Golden Knights would've ran away with the Pacific Division
Currently, the Vegas Golden Knights are five points ahead of the Edmonton Oilers for the Pacific Division. They've built a comfortable lead off the Oilers struggling (they've lost seven of their last 10 games). However, imagine if that lead was expanded further.
That goes for winning games against teams like the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday. Part of why they lost those games was because of slow starts. Mikko Rantanen would've changed those fortunes by charging the offense with his skill set. So why didn't a trade materialize?
3.) It would've come at the cost of Jack Eichel... and more players
This is the part that Kelly McCrimmon hesitated on and with good reason. He likes his roster sans adding a "Misfit" and didn't want to part with key players. While names like Zach Whitecloud, Nicolas Hague, and Nicolas Roy were floated, it was probably best for the long-term that Rantanen went to the Dallas Stars.
Besides, that would've meant there was no money for Jack Eichel to get a new deal. His current $10 million AAV contract will expire after the 2025-26 season and he's expected to earn more. That's especially true after his breakout season where he has 20 goals and 78 points.
Why throw all that away when you've worked hard to get a game-changing center? Don't forget that Eichel is a two-way forward that the Stars winger could only dream of. That's why he has a short-handed goal and short-handed assist this season.