The departures were big news. The incoming players more under the radar. Now it’s time to find out what impact it will all have on the Vegas Golden Knights.
Some eyes see marquee names leaving and view the Golden Knights as a lesser team. Others have come to the understanding that change in the NHL is inevitable and free agent exit strategies open the door for younger players.
Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon and his hockey operations staff knew this was coming. The departures didn’t catch them off guard.
McCrimmon made his first swing at improving this season’s roster back in March when he acquired defenseman Noah Hanifin and center Tomas Hertl. They’re both elite and, when healthy, they make Vegas a better team.
Under any circumstances these would be considered massive additions to any team in the NHL. Vegas is better on the blueline than a year ago and a healthy Hertl adds offense at five-on-five and the power play.
In net, Vegas changed out Logan Thompson and Jiri Patera for Ilya Samsonov and Akira Schmid.
Samsonov has won a lot of games in the NHL and Schmid has a Stanley Cup playoffs series win on his resume. Including incumbent Adin Hill, Samsonov and Schmid gives the Golden Knights as deep a top three in net as they have ever had.
Vegas lost top line scorer Jonathan Marchessault to free agency. The Day 1 Golden Knights winger chose a deal with the Nashville Predators over what Vegas had on the table. On one hand that’s 42 goals from last season walking out the door. On the other it’s more opportunity for Pavel Dorofeyev and Brendan Brisson as well as newcomers Alexander Holtz and Victor Olofsson.
Expensive players leaving also opens up cap space allowing McCrimmon to change the complexion of his lineup in small ways. An astute decision to bring in veteran winger Tanner Pearson on a pro tryout has resulted in a new look fourth line which clicked throughout the preseason. Pearson adds smarts and scoring touch to the fourth line.
Vegas will go into the regular season with more than $500,000 in cap space and no players on long term injured reserve which affords the opportunity to accrue cap space.
McCrimmon’s staff has proven to be creative and the GM shrewd when it comes to bringing in talent. If Vegas needs to add to its lineup at some point, they have the flexibility to do so.
Opinions abound about the Golden Knights at all times. They’ve quickly become a franchise people like to talk about. That’s what bucking trends and being a constant contender does.
Nothing is certain in pro sports but McCrimmon and his staff have proven adept. They plan and adjust.
Losing five members of a Stanley Cup champion team on the same day might be considered a shot to the hull. For Vegas, who were not surprised or ill prepared for the moment, it became an opportunity.
The work has been done. Now we get to see the results.
