OH I Cant Wait To Be King

Vegas had a very busy June pre-draft, the Knights general manager has made moves to further ensure the organizations first playoff series. Each year GM Hubacher has made a large deal to take the next step. This time in 2024 Nikita Kucherov’s right were dealt to Vegas and made a few additions that were more mid six than game changers. This year may be a little different. Vegas has made three big trades this offseason;

This may be the roar the league was talking about

Vegas had a big decision this off season in what to do with their UFA right slot with Joel Eriksson Ek and Nikolai Ehlers. Honestly this could have gone either way and finally decided on that Ek was getting a lot more attention in a deal than Ehlers regardless of the great year Ehlers had. Ek could have stayed as a decent 1C but not someone playoff teams would lean on. Ehlers should get a nice boost and play the 2RW spot for the Knights.

LA was one of a few teams that came calling for JE Ek and had the players the Knights were looking for. Its no secret that not only is GM Hubacher a Sabre fan, but a season ticket holder from Buffalo. Jiri Kulich was a target right away as someone who IRL could be getting big top 6 minutes going forward. If Josh Norris goes Josh Norris he will be a 1C lock. The addition of Kesselring gave Vegas a much needed D man to fill out the corps and got the bonus that he was acquired by the IRL Sabres was a cherry on top. This makes 5 of the 6 D men under contract for 2 more years at least.

The trade shakes out;

Kulich and Kesselring for prospect Easton Cowan- 2 Bonafide NHL players on a GMs favorite team for a prospect who may or may not make it, I hope he makes it, just not a star.

Joel Ericksson Ek’s rights for LA Kings 1 and flip picks in the 2^nd and 3^rd round. Is it enough?

This wasn’t a splash this was a move, the Knights knew with Ek gone down the middle was going to be very lacking and they needed a cornerstone center. Hubacher found his partner

GM Hubacher put it out there at IRL trade deadline where his Sabres dealt Cozens to Ottawa allowed him to be able to move him here. It was still difficult to try to trade him as Dylan and Kyle Okposo were Dan’s sons first autograph. Like in Buffalo Dylan needed a new home St. Lous really wanted Savoie and new years VGK1 which they hope to be in the 20s but should definitely not be a top ten pick. Marchment was a bit of a toss in but Vegas got Larkin give Vegas a cornerstone Center to play with Kucherov for at least 3 more years.

What are you going to do play Larking/Kuch with Janni Gourde? Hell no you go out and get a weapon to go with them;

Vegas knew it wanted to take that LA 1 they got in the Ek deal to move for a top line player to pair with Kuch and Ek and I think Meier just may be that guy. The whole time it was Meier for a 1&3 but Hubacher wanted more and Kane came about which added in a 2 2’s and 2 6’s to give a little bit more of a scoring punch.

That leaves just one more thing Vegas really needed, could thye go into next season with Connor Ingram as their starter with his rates taking a hit?

Buffalo came calling again wanting to get Vegas pick 14. UPL was a target as he is the clear starter for now IRL for the Sabres. But Vegas wanted just a little bit more and after some back and forth Faksa was added as he plays the game Hubacher loves in a high DF forward. Faksa should make the Knights PK unit towards the top of the league.

I think the Vegas moves are just what they needed to get them into the playoffs for the first time in franchise history in the M. Jones coming off the books was a god send for the team. With all these moves pending Ehlers deal should leave them with a few million to play with. The team pre free agency looks to be as follows;

Meier Larkin Kucherov

Kane Gourde Ehlers

Skinner Sissons Marchment

O’Connor Faksa Malenstyn

Pionk Mosser

Power Kesselring

Borgen Rutta

UPL

OH I cant wait to be King