Post by Vegas Golden Knights on Jul 17, 2024 10:13:41 GMT -6
Las Vegas, NV - If you can't beat them, acquire them.
That is Vegas GM Tom Jervis' motto this off-season after his seismic Leon Draisaitl trade that sent Matty Beniers & Filip Chytil to the Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers.
While this trade undoubtably makes the Vegas Golden Knights a better team for the upcoming season, it does not come with substantial risk.
Draisaitl is a pending UFA and there is no guarantee he will want to re-sign with the Knights after the season ends. GM Tom Jervis would love to keep the team together for years to come, but it will be up to the players to decide if they want to stay and chase a championship, or test free agency. This will be the most critical season in Vegas Golden Knights PFHL history so far. With most of the teams core players contracts expiring at the end of the season, it's do-or-die time. Players whose contract expires at the end of the year include:
Auston Matthews
Claude Giroux
Anze Kopitar
Travis Konecny
Jacob Trouba
Devon Toews
Victor Hedman
If the team struggles in to the trade deadline, GM Tom Jervis may have a lot of tough decisions to make. This team will be a cup favorite entering the year, but contract demands could change everything. It's possible this juggernaut could actually be the biggest seller at the trade deadline depending on circumstances. No matter which way things go, the upcoming season will decide Vegas fate for years to come.
