(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)
Now that the trade season is underway the Golden Knights find themselves in a position to buy at the deadline. On Thursday, one of Vegas’ potential targets Vladimir Tarasenko came off the board in a deal with the New York Rangers. With 18 days remaining before the March 3rd deadline, the local team will move on and begin planning for the next marquee name. Could it be Sharks winger Timo Meier, Blues captain Ryan O’Reilly, Flyers wing James Van Riemsdyk or three-time Stanley Cup winner Patrick Kane? A move for any would dramatically help Vegas’ inconsistent offense. But there should be a ‘buyer’s beware’ mentality when discussing a deal for Kane. Sometimes, it’s best to look elsewhere.
It’s all health related. There’s an undercurrent of buzz around Patrick Kane, teams of interest, that worry about his health. We know that he missed some time not that long ago with that hip issue. Those things don’t magically disappear. I think that’s been something lingering with Patrick Kane perhaps in other seasons. What’s his health going to be like? If he aggravates that between now and March 3rd, are we 100% sure that he’s on the trade market? –Darren Dreger on TSN 1050 Toronto
If the Golden Knights were to acquire Patrick Kane, it’ll be a sign The Creator is once again all in. The Golden Knights owner loves superstars. However, in Kane’s case, it could be wiser to pass on the limping playmaker. It’s tough for many to gauge what the cost for Kane would be, or if he’s even a trade option. There’s no doubt the three-time champ would improve the Golden Knights’ chances at winning their first Stanley Cup. The question is, how much will his new team get out of Kane? He’s missed time this season and Sportsnet speculated Kane may need surgery in the near future.
There’s been a rumor that Pat Kane has been dealing with something. Some kind of nagging injury for some period of time. At some point he’s going to need a clean-up. I don’t know exactly what the procedure would be. –Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts Podcast
Other clubs that have reportedly had an eye on Kane all have the same concerns. Before the New York Rangers traded for Tarasenko, there was mutual interest with Kane. The 2013 Conn Smythe winner publicly stated his disappointment in the Rangers’ decision to pursue Tarasenko. It’s possible New York played it safe and went with the healthier wing. The Golden Knights should head down that same path.
There have been reports of interested teams worrying about Kane’s nagging injury slowing him down, but he said he’s not thinking about that when he’s on the ice.
“That’s not really something for me to worry about. I just go about it the best I can.”
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) February 6, 2023
Perhaps, the cost for Kane is lower than it will be for Meier or O’Reilly but that doesn’t mean it’s a bargain. With Vegas’ history of devastating injuries, another target would likely be safer to rely on.
One of the teams I wonder about for O’Reilly is Vegas. O’Reilly is not a scorer like Stone is but he’s similar high IQ, great defensive player. He doesn’t have to play at a fastest pace but knows how to play. That’s Mark Stone. The fact that Vegas has kind of talked to St. Louis about some of their other guys, like Barbashev and Acciari. I wonder if that makes a lot of sense. –Friedman on 32 Thoughts Podcast
Sure, O’Reilly is a two-way center, but coach Bruce Cassidy would gladly open up a middle spot in the top six for the 2019 Conn Smythe award winner. The Blues captain has had health issues of his own this season but as Daily Faceoff notes, it could end up benefitting the Golden Knights.
His injury may actually enhance his value since teams know they’d been acquiring a well-rested player. This has not been O’Reilly’s best season. The entire Blues team has been inconsistent. But the Blues’ captain is a true competitor, still has plenty of game left and is the quintessential deadline add for a team looking to get over the hump. – Frank Seravalli on DailyFaceoff.com
Acquiring O’Reilly won’t address the Golden Knights’ middling offense, but it replaces Stone’s defense, grit, and leadership. Plus, it’s possible St. Louis ships a depth winger along with their captain. Kane may add flashy highlights, but the alternative targets could push Vegas into the second week of June.
Rick Schoen
All this trade talk leaves a void in the conversation. Who do we give up off of the VGK roster or who do we have in Henderson that we can trade. We might have a few of the younger players that are expendable but that would leave us pretty bare on the HSK.
Our farm system is so depleted that if we give up prospects, we will leave Henderson’s cupboard pretty bare. Then what do we do if we need to call up a player or two during the rest of the season?
THE hockey GOD
i agree, RS, plus the quality of players available now is a notch below acceptable.
VGK may be better going after some under the radar type players, but the best ones available are ones in their own division. That is highly unlikely. Unless the FO
gets very creative I wouldn’t be surprised if they pass. I’d like to see another veteran goalie added to roster plus a power forward or sniper type (Gustov ? Nyquest?)
THE hockey GOD
“f the Boston Bruins or any other NHL team needs to acquire some salary cap space to complete an impact trade before the March 3 NHL trade deadline, they may want to call Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen.
Blue Jackets forward Gustav Nyquist (shoulder), is currently on injured reserve and has been ruled out for the rest of the regular season, but not the 2023 Stanley Cup Playioffs. As TSN NHL Insider Chris Johnston pointed out on the most recent episode of TSN Insider Trading, that ironically, may elevate not decrease the NHL trade value of the 33-year-old pending unrestricted free agent forward.
“It’s complicated and interesting,” Johnston said Thursday night. “Nyquist suffered a shoulder injury last week and may be out for the rest of the regular season. This could actually make him be a more compelling trade deadline chip for teams who have a chance to go for it. That’s because a lot of those teams are already using their long-term injury reserve and have the ability to add Nyquist before the deadline and if he’s not available until after the regular season, they can stash him on LTIR and activate him in the playoffs.”
Chuck
Please no more injury prone former super stars
Emmanuel
They need help on the W’s not C. Since the coach likes to mix & match Domi would be perfect as a plug in at all 3 F spots. Also anyone would be an upgrade over Howden & Amadio, you dont have to hit a home run just a double or triple!
knights fan in minny
i agree on domi if you’re not going for the big fish
Paul Wiley
Krill Kaprizov!!!!!
A Random Comment
Everyone, including Jason here as well as elliotte Friedman, is forgetting that Jack Eichel is the number 1 reason O’Reilly left Buffalo. O’Reilly hates his guts. Go look into the locker room radio incidents and all the other O’Reilly/Eichel drama from the Sabres from 2017 up until the deadline. Highly doubt O’Reilly plays on a roster that has jack Eichel on it ever again in his career.
Sorvino
If that’s the case, then Ryan O’Reilly can go fuck himself.
VG
It was reported Patches and Stone didn’t get along either.
Eric Magnuson
I’d rather see a Ivan Barbashov or a Max Domi and with 3 goalies and a draft pick and not a prospect
knights fan in minny
nhl network kevin weekes says he has heard vegas jersey and the leafs are frontrunners for timo
VGK Fan
He is one high priced rental:
“What I’m hearing is a first-rounder — and one Grade-A or two Grade-B prospects, or one good prospect and a young, established NHL player.”
Jailbird
Timo is good, but at what cost? Rather see us add a couple of low/mid salary guys, that are tuff and aggressive!
A VGK Fan
We should get JVR. he is extremely underrated. He can score, and is reliably healthy every year. great fit on any line
knights fan in minny
i agree a big body to for net front havoc
Emmanuel
Very good player, but I dont like his character.
Vic
Timo is just coming into his prime. He already has two 30 goal seasons in the books, and he’s on a 45-50 pace this year. He ‘s 6 ft 1/220, and 26 years old. He has a nasty streak, but doesn’t take many dumb penalties. He has dropped the gloves. He has 13 goals on the PP already this year. He’s not a defensive liability either. He’s tough and aggressive but he scores goals. He’s on a terrible team, and he’s worth pursuing at the right price. The right price…..that’s the key. Make the Sharks a good offer and see what happens.
knights fan in minny
let’s hope vic it will be a dogfight for him
Shaun Elder
McCrimmon needs to adopt Herb Brooks philosophy. “We don’t need the best players, we need the right ones”.
DWC
Instead of making another blockbuster backfire, I would rather see the Knights strategically fill their weak spots. For me this starts with Nick Bjugstad from AZ. Probably wouldn’t cost more than a 3rd round pick but would correct for the Knights lack of grit, would win a lot more puck battles in the corners, I hear is a great locker room guy, and he brings 13 goals to boot! Then I would probably bring in a playmaker (maybe Domi if he can be had affordably). I think the right two guys could really elevate this time without having to mortgage a lot more of this team’s future.
Bobby
Good call.
vgk21
stay away from Kane. He is washed up with that bad hip, and even if he wasn’t, he is exactly the wrong type of player, another small perimeter fancy dan, playmaker/passer who is not a goal scorer any longer.
knights fan in minny
yes no kane
Knights fan in minnie
No more mulattos or mud people FFS
knights fan in minny
hey fake ass poster alex you should watch this new team the scorpion squad from memphis they get the job done
Alex
Lol – NLV Bloods cop killas vastly smarter and tougher
knights fan in minny
scorpion squad coming for you loser give you a lumping and thumping
Jailbird
I’m ok with Timo, IF, we don’t give away too much. Otherwise I like some of the affordable guys mentioned.
Blitz
I do think Timo is going to cost more than this team can realistically afford, but that has never stopped VGK yet. They say Timo was ranked slightly higher than Horvat for trade value. Horvat cost NYI Beauvillier (maybe similar level/age to Roy), Raty who is a 2nd round pick in 2021 prospect with 12 NHL games now, and a 1st round pick (conditional).
If Timo is slightly more than that. It might look like VGK would give up Roy, Brisson, and a 1st round and a 3rd round pick or maybe something like Roy/Hague/1st rounder. Maybe even another pick on top of that.
All of this for a rental and maybe first bids at a long term contract. Seems steep to me. Just food for thought.
VGK Fan
I agree way too much for a rental!
Jailbird
That would be ridiculous to give up Roy and Hague for him. Forget that!
knights fan in minny
i could live with losing hague not roy
JV
Sheng Peng reported that the Devils have asked SJ for ” The Last Shot” regarding Meier. Apparently they will beat any offer. Sounds like a 2 am infomercial. They have the assets and Cap space to do it. Yerganovic could be part of a deal.
Off topic. Mike McKenna has this to say about Adin Hill:
That’s what I want to know. Adin Hill is doing the exact same thing in Vegas this year that he did last year in San Jose. He’s on his back all the time. He’s chasing. He doesn’t rotate.
There seems to be an affinity in San Jose for these so-called “athletic goaltenders.” All that means is a goalie who’s mega-explosive and flops around. By today’s standards, that means “inefficient.”
Sorvino
When it comes to goaltending I truly believe that nobody knows. It’s the most unpredictable position. Would never waste a draft pick in the first three rounds on a goalie. Dominick Hasek always looked like he was having some kind of epileptic seizure when he was in the net. Nobody would ever try to teach that type of goaltending style.
No disrespect to make McKenna. In fact, it’s quite the opposite because I respect that he played in the NHL but he was on a podcast with Ken Boehlke last year and had nothing positive to say about Logan Thompson. He had no confidence that he could play in the NHL and was very critical of his style.
Linus Ullmark is the likely Vezina trophy winner this year, and he was drafted in the sixth round.
I think it’s very tough to handicap that position. A lot of teams find their number one goalies by accident.