‘No Loyalty, But…’: Marchessault Tried to Broker Late Deal with Golden Knights

After his hockey super-agent, Pat Brisson, waved the white flag, Original Misfit Jonathan Marchessault picked up the phone in the final few days leading to the July 1 NHL free agent frenzy. Marchessault wanted to stay and tried in vain to get something done, but GM Kelly McCrimmon and president of hockey operations George McPhee were unmoved.

And yet another Misfit will be fondly remembered when they visit as a member of the opposing team. Marchessault signed a five-year deal worth $27.5 million. But he told the Cam and Strick podcast based in St. Louis everything that went down. He gave fans the full story–he only wanted a fourth year from the Golden Knights.

Listen to the full Cam & Strick podcast here.

McCrimmon didn’t budge for the 33-year-old, sticking to the team’s original three-year offer. It was a whirlwind weekend for the Golden Knights–the 2024 NHL Draft was at The Sphere on Friday and Saturday. In fact, they traded goalie Logan Thompson while he signed autographs in the concourse.

After the draft concluded on Saturday, free agency began at 9 a.m. local time on Monday. By the afternoon, Marchessault was the latest departure.

“I called the GM on Friday. I called the president on Saturday. I’m like, ‘What’s going on? What do you guys want to do? I need to know if you guys are actually letting me go for real,'” Marchessault told the podcast. “Then Sunday showed up, (and) nothing was budging.”

Marchessault scored 42 goals last season and is the VGK all-time leader in goals and points. He couldn’t miss on the magical Golden Knights Stanley Cup run that fulfilled owner Bill Foley’s prediction of a “Cup in six (years).” Marchessault was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the VGK dispatched the Florida Panthers in five games, setting off a weeklong celebration that concluded with a parade on the Strip and a rally outside T-Mobile Arena.

Read More: Bill Foley Stanley Cup in 6 Comes True, “I’ll Think About My Next Asinine Statement!”

For his part, Marchessault wasn’t salty about the split, but he did acknowledge the McPhee and McCrimmon regime doesn’t waste energy on loyalty.

“There’s definitely no loyalty, but at the same time, you’re there to win. I don’t mind that mindset, personally. Obviously, I’m disappointed that I left,” said Marchessault. “I didn’t have any real things to consider, and that’s what disappointed me. I thought I had done well enough in the past seven years for them that I could deserve what I deserved.”

Misfits Marc-Andre Fleury, Reilly Smith, and Ryan Reaves had previously been traded. William Carrier left via free agency on July 1, signing a one-year, $2 million contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. And Chandler Stephenson also bolted when he inked a monster seven-year contract with the Seattle Kraken worth $43.75 million.

Only three originals remain: William Karlsson, Bryden McNabb, and Shea Theodore. However, Theodore, 29, will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.

The Golden Knights begin their preseason schedule on Sept. 22. They begin the regular season in a clash of the titans against the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 9 at T-Mobile Arena.

“But it’s life, and you move on. They’re still going to have a really good team, Marchessault concluded.