Adam Proteau thinks the Vegas Golden Knights could swing for the fences again and upgrade their offense for the playoffs, even if they get a rental player.
Since their inaugural season in 2017-18, the Vegas Golden Knights have made their mission perfectly clear: they intend on being good now, and they’re not going to let the label of “expansion team” stop them from contending for a Stanley Cup right away.
In two of the five seasons they’ve played prior to this season, the Golden Knights have made it to the Cup final once, the Western Conference final twice, and they’ve won seven playoff series in five years. The bar for this franchise is as high as it gets. And few observers of the franchise’s behavior would be shocked to see Vegas stand pat at the NHL’s March 3 trade deadline.
The Golden Knights haven’t been as dominant this year, but their current five-game winning streak has propelled them back to familiar territory: the top of the Pacific Division. And they’re very likely to add talent as they attempt to outlast the entire Western Conference and earn home-ice advantage in the post-season.
There’s little question the Golden Knights need help up front; their 3.23 goals-for per game puts them 13th spot in the league. Michael Amadio is not a second-line talent on the wing. So, you’d have to imagine Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon will be in the market for a higher-end forward – say, a Patrick Kane or a James van Riemsdyk.
We believe McCrimmon would spend his team’s first-round draft pick this summer for the right player, and given the fact the Golden Knights aren’t brimming with young talent, it will be more difficult for Vegas to outbid some other franchises.
A first-rounder is probably the starting point for Vegas as a “buyer” team, but that’s what the market is showing for a needle-moving player, even if that player is only a rental and not under contract beyond this year. Vegas can’t really commit to long-term money for anyone anyhow, as, per CapFriendly, they’re already completely capped out on the salary-cap front next year. A rental is probably the best they can hope for.
The Golden Knights have a solid-enough defense – if you don’t count their shabby penalty kill – and while the goaltending tandem of starter Logan Thompson and understudy Adin Hill has provided above-average goaltending, there’s a sense Vegas could benefit from some goaltending insurance. A veteran currently available, such as Columbus netminder Joonas Korpisalo or San Jose goalie James Reimer, might be what the doctor ordered as they try to keep their goals-against numbers in respectable territory.
Under first-year Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy, the Golden Knights have made it to the top of the Pacific despite the injury bug taking a significant bite out of them. They’re currently without star forward Mark Stone and Thompson, and star center Jack Eichel has missed time this season.
They’re fortunate to play in the league’s weakest division, and they’re also 3-1 in shootouts – one missed shot here or there, and they’d be battling neck-and-neck with the Edmonton Oilers for the fourth spot in the division.
Vegas is far from a flawless team. However, in their current five-game win streak, the Golden Knights have allowed more than two goals just once, and they’ve outscored their opponents 24-9. There’s an encouraging degree of balance on this team, leading to their success as the Pacific’s best team so far. That said, in the NHL arms race, the optics of standing pat aren’t good. Vegas has a dangerous team, but they need depth as much as the next playoff contender.
There will likely be quite a few teams jostling for position at the trade deadline. And one of them is very likely to be the Golden Knights. It’s in the DNA of this franchise to swing for the fences every year, and this year won’t be any different.