Golden Knights A Trade Deadline Winner
It's unanimous — the Vegas Golden Knights one of the big winners of the NHL trade deadline.
Stephen R. Sylvanie - USA TODAY Sports - Golden Knights A Trade Deadline WinnerThe Vegas Golden Knights made three deals over the course of the NHL Trade Deadline week, and The Hockey News — among others — called the Golden Knights a “winner” at the deadline.
Here’s what Adam Proteau of The Hockey News had to say of Vegas's trade deadline in his "Winners and Losers" column:
Let’s be clear here – we’re talking about the winners of the moment. There could be a time when some of our “winner” teams regret what they gave up in preparation for a deep Stanley Cup playoff run.
But right now, teams like the Golden Knights made all the right moves to address their immediate needs. The Golden Knights have to be considered a winner, as they’ve added three above-average players – defenseman Noah Hanifin and wingers Anthony Mantha and Tomas Hertl – without taking away anything from the roster.
The trade for Hertl cost prospect David Edstrom and a first-round pick, but Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon ensured his top nine forwards are as skilled as about any team in the NHL.
McCrimmon has earned a reputation as a shrewd operator, and his moves at this year’s deadline confirm he knows how to build an elite hockey team.
The Golden Knights can be considered winners at the trade deadline. They addressed needs and filled holes on the ice.
They acquired scoring forwards and shored up an already good blue line with a top-4 defensemen.
The more impressive thing that the Golden Knights did was weaponize its draft grid, which Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon credited to why Vegas was able to pull off the deals it did. Combine that with the unfortunate injury to Mark Stone, which opened a lot of cap space, the Golden Knights maneuvered with the grace of a ballerina to get three quality players that make Vegas a strong contender for repeating.
In Mantha, they gain a skilled big man with great hands, who's found a scoring touch thanks to just shooting the puck more.
In Hanifin, they gained a young defenseman who can easily play on the top pair alongside Alex Pietrangelo and eat some of those minutes that Pietrangelo plays, especially as Pietrangelo hits the twilight of his career.
In Hertl, they gained a strong puck possession, all-around player whose versatility shows in his ability to center a line and play on the wing, if needed.
It’s easy to see why Vegas have improved their odds to win the Stanley Cup to +900 to win the Stanley Cup, according to BetMGM. On Bet365, they have gone from +1400 to +1200 in the hours after the Hertl trade was announced.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vegas Golden Knights site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
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