Golden Knights' GM Kelly McCrimmon Eyes Another Cup Run as he Reveals Trade Deadline Plans
The Vegas Golden Knights are once again near the top of the NHL standings, and GM Kelly McCrimmon has revealed his trade plans to bring another Cup home.
What more could a first-place team need? That's the question looming as the March 7 trade deadline inches closer.
With the Vegas Golden Knights firmly at the top of the NHL standings, speculation swirls about exactly how they'll beef up an already formidable roster.
Their depth is impressive, but noises persist that they seek to add not just one forward but two.
Kelly McCrimmon keeping his cards close to his chest
But general manager Kelly McCrimmon wasn't giving anything away when we spoke earlier this week. «There's still a lot of hockey to be played,» he reminded everyone.
Our top guys have played real well. We've also had some players take advantage of new opportunities - more opportunity - that have really filled the void from some of the people that have moved on. We're well-coached. Goaltending has been pretty good.
«So yeah, the things that we need to have (to) be consistent, we've had so far. We've had some injuries, but manageable based on what we've experienced in the past. We hope for continued good health and the consistency we've had so far.»
«I think we'll let it play out for a while,» McCrimmon said. «I think you'll see some teams likely going into that (Feb. 12 to 21) 4 Nations (break) assessing where they're at.
Once we come out of 4 Nations, that's likely when you'll see teams define specifically or exactly what their needs are.»
So far this year, the Knights have checked many of the boxes. Especially hot is Jack Eichel, who is having what might be his best season yet, even drawing some quiet talk in Hart Trophy conversations for the 108 points that he is on pace for.
He's certainly found some magic with linemate Mark Stone. When Stone can stay healthy, at least.
The star missed most of November with a lower-body injury but has since been electric, particularly when put on the same line as Eichel and current injury casualty Ivan Barbashev.
Meanwhile, their power play hums along in the top five in the league, something they've never done.
Add in the pickups of key traders who seemed to find their groove this season in Noah Hanifin and Tomas Hertl, and this is a brilliant Vegas strategy at last year's deadline in retrospect.
Off the ice, the Vegas team has also been locking in key pieces for the long term and avoiding that roster uncertainty they had to deal with last summer.
Among them are Shea Theodore, Brayden McNabb, Brett Howden, and Keegan Kolesar, all with new deals.
Not everything went swimmingly. They did lose original Golden Misfit Jonathan Marchessault in the offseason, but Vegas still sits as one of the top-five scoring teams in the league.
But one thing's for sure at the midway point of the season: this is a hungry team, with a fire in its belly, ready to take back its place among hockey's elite. And it's not over.
