NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Vegas Golden Knights at Dallas Stars

Three things we can expect to happen with the Golden Knights after the playoff series loss to the Stars

Modified May 06, 2024 17:32 GMT

The Vegas Golden Knights will not repeat as Stanley Cup champions, losing to the Dallas Stars in Game 7 of their opening-round series.

After several successful seasons, Vegas faces many questions heading into the summer of 2024, unusual for a team built to advance past the first round.

What will the expectations be in the coming months as they retool and prepare for next season?

Three things we can expect to happen with the Golden Knights in the 2024 offseason

#3. Rest and get healthy

Golden Knights captain Mark Stone had a ruptured spleen and missed 26 games. He played in the opening round but didn't look 100%, especially in Game 7. Although he scored three goals, the captain was not healthy.

Tomas Hertl was another player who missed almost 30 games of the regular season but played in the playoffs, registering a single goal. We may never know whether he was fully healthy. But as a high-price trade acquisition, it will be vital for him to continue getting healthy in the offseason.

On paper, the Golden Knights are one of the superior teams in the league, but injuries hamstrung their ability to play healthy and stay competitive.

Now that their season ended earlier, everyone can rest, reset and get healthy. Following the post-season interviews, we may learn that other players were playing through ailments. It means that Vegas forced a Game 7 while not even playing healthy.

#2. Restructure the lineup with just $3 million

The Golden Knights have under $3 million in cap space to sign their restricted free agents, make offers to unrestricted free agents and round off their roster with other players. CapFriendly.com shared the news on X.

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It will not be an easy summer for general manager Kelly McCrimmon. He almost has his hands tied because he has made deals in the past to secure the team's Stanley Cup title in 2023.

Now, players like Stone, Hertl and Noah Hanifin locked up to lengthy deals eat up a good portion of their salary cap. That leaves little wiggle room to fill out the rest of the lineup.

Like the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are top-heavy with four mega contracts, three skaters in the Golden Knights roster account for over 10% of their cap. Jack Eichel makes $10 million annually, 12% of the team's cap.

Moreover, eight players will make over $5 million next season, with only netminder Robin Lehner's contract eligible for long-term injured reserve. Watching Vegas navigate the summer and stay competitive in the Western Conference with limited resources to restock the lineup will be interesting.

#1. The original "misfits" continue to disband

When the Golden Knights hoisted the Stanley Cup in June 2023, five of the franchise's original players were still in the lineup. They were William Carrier, William Karlsson, Jonathan Marchessault, Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore.

After seven seasons, the remaining five will be four or fewer in 2024. Heading into this offseason, Karlsson has three years left on his contract, with Theodore and McNabb at one.

Marchessault ($5 million) and Carrier ($1.4 million) are unrestricted free agents on July 1 and may have priced themselves out of the Golden Knights budget.

Even though Carrier could come back at the same price, Marchessault is now a Conn Smythe Trophy winner and 40-goal scorer. He may request more on what could be his last big contract at 33.

Eventually, everyone departs, whether through trade, free agency or retirement. However, Vegas has continued to run with the same core from year one, which is impressive after seven seasons.

Ultimately, professional hockey is a business first and a sport second. It means the Golden Knights will face the realities of the business side. They should move on from some players who laid the foundation for their early successes.