The Vegas Golden Knights have poked around on a potential trade for Mitch Marner with the Maple Leafs. Here are three players they can’t deal.
Don’t you love when trade rumors fly around during the NHL offseason? It makes fan speculation and fantasizing about a Stanley Cup-winning season much more appealing. Plus, it keeps the news cycle going, where people can build on something as long as it’s credible. Even during the dog days of August, these rumors can still persist with potential momentum coming in hot.
That has been the case for the Vegas Golden Knights, who’ve inquired about acquiring Mitch Marner from the Maple Leafs. There’s a good reason, with Jonathan Marchessault no longer being with the team. Now, there’s a need for a top-line star who can put up fantastic stats and score goals.
That’s where Toronto comes in. They’re dealing with a salary cap crunch now, only having $1,275,333 in non-LTIR cap space. The “Core Four” has a majority of the money tied to them, with names like Auston Matthews ($13.25 million AAV), William Nylander ($11.5 million AAV), and John Tavares ($11 million AAV) taking home big paydays.
Matthews and Nylander are signed for four years left on their respective deals and Tavares is the older star, leaving Marner as the odd man out. A trade with the Golden Knights sounds nice, for Vegas is searching for a complimentary piece to Jack Eichel. However, there are three names they must avoid in a possible deal with Toronto. These players serve a purpose for Vegas, giving the team its identity. Who are these three mysterious names that must stay in Sin City for more hockey?
Ivan Barbashev
The stat sheet might not show Ivan Barbashev as a viable top line player. Scoring 19 goals and 26 assists in 82 games last season doesn’t impress as many people as flirting with 100 points every year. However, there’s more to the Russian forward’s viability than being Jack Eichel’s tag team partner on the first line.
It’s been mentioned numerous times how Barbashev has been a physical player on the ice for the Vegas Golden Knights. In 105 games with Vegas, the center has 230 hits, giving the top line its bite. Combined with breathtaking speed that can be used on breakaways and odd-man rushes, he’s a tough player to match up against. That’s especially true when the opponent commits a costly turnover, where Barbashev skates past them.
Giving him away means trading that physical prowess, where the Golden Knights lose a sizable name. Given that the Russian forward and Eichel have done well together (GF% of 61.02 and a GA% of 30.49 in 63 games together in 2023-24), it would be wise to hold onto him. That’s good for someone who earns $5 million AAV to be the Robin to Eichel’s Batman.
William Karlsson
One name that has regularly flown around in the Mitch Marner rumors with the Maple Leafs is William Karlsson. The “Original Misfit” is 31 years old and will stay with the Vegas Golden Knights through 2027. His cap hit will be $5.9 million, which would help make way for the younger Marner to come into the fold. Names like Alex Pietrangelo will come up, making them lucrative pieces to trade.
However, Karlsson has a purpose for the Golden Knights. He’s the special teams merchant who’s a threat to score short-handed. How, you might ask? He scored 12 short-handed goals with the franchise, tied for most with Reilly Smith in the team’s history. Whenever a team turns over the puck on the power play, Karlsson’s there to pounce, giving Vegas a “golden” chance to score. There are also the 28 power play goals he scored with the Golden Knights, making him an offensive threat.
Sure, the Swedish forward sounds like an appealing trade candidate given his age and cap hit. However, he’s currently a solid offensive piece that can fill gaps for the Golden Knights. Special teams has been a big part of the team’s history, given the power play hasn’t performed well. With Vegas missing Marchessault, Karlsson’s loss would make the unit worse overall.
Jack Eichel
This should be a no-brainer given his importance to the Vegas Golden Knights. Numerous aspects show Jack Eichel makes the Golden Knights better, including the power play and forward production. Why would a team give away a player they acquired in 2021 to give them a franchise-defining center? It doesn’t make much sense.
Sure, he might be a $10 million cap hit with two years remaining on his current deal. The Maple Leafs would want a young player who can be a complimentary piece to Auston Matthews. But cutting your nose off to spite your face doesn’t end well. That’s especially true when Eichel runs the offense well, making his teammates better. That’s partly why they got Ivan Barbashev in the first place, giving him a great playmaker to compliment him.
On top of that, he’s become a community staple, participating in numerous charitable causes in Las Vegas. He was even the captain for the Golden Knights in this year’s Battle For Vegas, replacing Reilly Smith. When you get rid of a franchise-defining star like Eichel, it sets you back. Like William Karlsson, the former first-round pick would be a major loss for a team in a Stanley Cup window.
