VGK Notebook: Analyst Praises Golden Knights, ‘Don’t Care (About) Feelings’

The fallout continued after now-former Vegas Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault spilled the beans on the Cam and Strick podcast that general manager and president of hockey operations George McPhee essentially rebuffed his last-second attempts to re-sign with the Golden Knights.

Marchessault said he called both members of the Golden Knights front office hoping to broker a four-year deal but didn’t hear back from them. On July 1, he signed a five-year deal with the Nashville Predators for $27.25 million.

You can listen to the entire radio segment here.

Pierre LeBrun appeared on TSN radio Thursday afternoon, and depending on your frame of reference, he either criticized or praised the Golden Knights’ cold philosophy.

“They’ve made some unpopular decisions since they’ve come into this league, and all they do is win,” LeBrun said. “So it’s kind of hard to sit here and say, ‘What are they doing again?’ It hasn’t backfired on them yet. They really handle their roster in a way in which they just want to win. And they don’t care whose feelings they are going to hurt.”

The Golden Knights have traded or didn’t re-sign team stalwarts from goalie Marc-Andre Fleury to wingers Reilly Smith and Marchessault. William Carrier also bolted via free agency to the Carolina Hurricanes for a paltry $2 million deal.

Pavel Dorofeyev and Brendan Brisson will take the middle-six left-wing spots. Dorofeyev was the Golden Knights third-round pick in 2019 (79th overall) but has not yet established himself as an NHL regular. Last season, he played a career-high 47 games and scored 13 goals with 24 points. 

Brisson made his NHL debut last season and dressed for 15 games, scoring two goals with six assists.

It’s a significant downgrade in experience and expected contributions, but also a salary cap difference of just under $5 million. Nashville snapped up a pair of team favorites, also signing long-time Tampa Bay Lightning cornerstone Steven Stamkos.

“I kept thinking it’d be Marchessault or Stamkos that goes to Nashville, and when I realized they were both going, it was one of those crazy moments,” LeBrun said. “But I think it all points to how emotional that divorce was. Honestly, guys leave. It’s a business. But Marchessault established himself in Vegas. He was discarded from both Florida teams and ended up in Vegas.

“He had a huge year last year and real heart and soul huy in that room.”

Marchessault netted 42 goals last season, following his Conn Smyth Trophy-winning performance during the Golden Knights 2023 Stanley Cup run. McCrimmon has added high-priced talent over the past season, acquiring Noah Hanafin and Tomas Hertl just before the NHL trade deadline. The deals cost the Golden Knights their first-round picks for the next two seasons.

Was it cold or was it necessary? Only a few Original Misfits remain: William Karlsson, Bryden McNabb, and Shea Theodore. However, Theodore will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.