Leafs' Mitch Marner Trade to the Golden Knights Takes Hit After Nicolas Hague Move
Photo credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
The Vegas Golden Knights have traded Nicolas Hague to the Nashville Predators early Monday morning, leaving Toronto to figure out the Mitch Marner deal.
News broke just after midnight on Monday as NHL Insider Darren Dreger announced that the Nashville Predators had acquired defenseman Nicolas Hague from the Vegas Golden Knights.
It's a deal that sees Hague head to the Preds meanwhile the Golden Knights receive both Colton Sissons and Jeremy Lauzon in return, with Dreger mentioning Hague signed an extension with Nashville soon after.
Vegas gets Sissons, Lauzon; Hague heads to Music City
The extension is worth a total of $22-million ($5.5-million AAV) which is a massive increase from his $2.29-million per season contract, and rewards him for having a very solid season with the Golden Knights.
In 68 games, Hague poured in 12 points (5G, 7A) with 74 blocks and 82 hits and is a frightening presence on the ice standing 6'6 and nearly 250lbs.
Sissons is a Swiss Army knife of a player, able to play a very understated two-way game, and is on a very reasonable deal; he had 21 points in 72 games (7G, 14A) adding 67 blocks, 100 hits, winning nearly 55% of his face-offs, and is a staunch penalty killer.
Lauzon isn't going to bring a ton of offense but the physicality is off the charts. While he didn't hit the absurd 386 hits he tallied last season, he still managed to bring the pain with 137 hits.
Also a big-bodied player at 6'3, 225lbs, Lauzon is going to add even more toughness to Vegas, and again; on a cheap salary.
Toronto needs to shift gears to finish Marner sign and trade; Vegas needs to tread carefully
The surprise here though is that Hague was rumored to be part of the Mitch Marner sign and trade deal, but since nothing materialized, he was free to be dealt elsewhere.
Although it was just hearsay and speculation, if the Leafs really did want to get Hague in a sign and trade, either now the deal is dead in the water, or Toronto is going to have to see who else Vegas would part with.
If Hague being dealt to Nashville was intended to dump him off so they didn't have to give him to Toronto, it's got the potential to backfire spectacularly for Vegas; if Marner signs with them July 1 with no trade? That's contract tampering.
At this point, they may shift gears to someone like Noah Hanifin instead, but nothing is for certain and we will actually have to wait and see what's going on with only 24 hours until free agency kicks off.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 30 | 526 ANSWERS Leafs' Mitch Marner Trade to the Golden Knights Takes Hit After Nicolas Hague Move Will the Mitch Marner to Vegas trade work now with Hague being traded? | ||
| Yes | 364 | 69.2 % |
| No | 162 | 30.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
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