Golden Knights Positioned for Blockbuster Mitch Marner Move After Pietrangelo News
Photo credit: Hockey Patrol
The Vegas Golden Knights couple be preparing for a massive free agent signing after potentially using Alex Pietrangelo's injury as a loophole for some cap relief.
While there's a lot of talk about Mitch Marner and his potential future, and there is also a lot of talk about Vegas being a destination. It can offer him a great salary, a competitive team and a much smaller spotlight.
But they have some cap issues they need to get around if they want to offer him any of that, and it looks like they may have a very sneaky, but legal workaround.
Vegas may use Alex Pietrangelo's injury as loophole for cap space
With Alex Pietrangelo being injured during the 4 Nations Face-Off, Vegas has a lot of dead cap sitting around. But according to The Toronto Sun's Steve Simmons, Vegas might use that to their advantage:
The future of star defenceman Pietrangelo already is in question regarding the Golden Knights future.
There are those in front offices around the NHL who wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Pietrangelo has played his last NHL game - and that the long-term injury relief from the final two years of his $8.8 million per year contract would put the Knights in position to be able to afford Marner. - Steve Simmons
There are those in front offices around the NHL who wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Pietrangelo has played his last NHL game - and that the long-term injury relief from the final two years of his $8.8 million per year contract would put the Knights in position to be able to afford Marner. - Steve Simmons
It would be a stunning turn of events for a team who was fighting to find ways to dump cap and now have a potential easy workaround.
What would Vegas save, and would they actually keep Pietrangelo buried?
Pietrangelo is 36, playing through injuries, and is not the same impact player he was in years past. It's a lot of money for a player potentially on the verge of retirement.
The team gets the full benefit of Pietrangelo's contract, so it would certainly give them more than enough wiggle room to get Marner to come over. The team can exceed the salary cap, and as long as they make sure things are kosher once the season starts; then it can work out.
It also allows them to find a way to hang onto some pieces that otherwise might have been gone such as William Karlsson, and if they are able to bring Marner aboard, could be enough to fight for another Cup.
Marner is going to get paid, and while we've seen $14-15M as a potential number, he could sign for less in Vegas and earn more based off tax breaks.
Vegas would absolutely love it if Pietrangelo could be healthy, because he is one of the better defenders over the last decade, and it's a shame to see his career end so abruptly.
But they'll certainly take that loss as a win, especially if it leads to them landing the biggest fish on the market.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 11 | 415 ANSWERS Golden Knights Positioned for Blockbuster Mitch Marner Move After Pietrangelo News Do the Vegas Golden Knights have a plan to sign Mitch Marner by using Alex Pietrangelo's injury as cap relief? | ||
| Yes clearly! | 365 | 88 % |
| No that's preposterous! | 50 | 12 % |
| List of polls | ||
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