Parting is such sweet sorrow, especially when hockey season is over. For the Vegas Golden Knights, they must part with the Stanley Cup and hand it to a new recipient this season.
After losing to the Dallas Stars on Sunday, 2-1, it’s a sad reality that both the players and fans must deal with.
Of course, that also means some upcoming free agents won’t be back with the Golden Knights next season. The circumstances will vary from player to player.
With some players, they’re getting older. Their skills have diminished and left them without any purpose. Therefore, they must make way for younger talent and give younger prospects a chance to shine.
For others, their skill sets are washed. Some even took home a hefty paycheck this season, hurting the Golden Knights salary cap-wise.
For general manager Kelly McCrimmon, most of these choices should be easy to make. There will be some players that employ two or all three circumstances, making them easy choices for not re-signing.
Many Golden Knights fans hope that one Vegas Golden Knight isn’t Jonathan Marchessault. The former Conn Smythe winner had 42 goals this season, good for being tied for 11th in the NHL.
Marchessault has proven to be a clutch player for the Golden Knights, scoring 32 game-winning goals during his Vegas tenure.
The good news is that Jonathan Marchessault isn’t on the list. He has valuable talent as an offensive sniper, helping at even strength and power play.
Plus, there’s mutual interest in a return for the winger, with the locker room and community loving Marchessault’s presence. Therefore, it would be foolish to put the “Original Misfit” there… for now.
