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Golden Knights won’t re-sign Jonathan Marchessault, says insider

Originally posted on ClutchPoints | By Colin Gallant | Last updated 5/4/24

Jonathan Marchessault is in the midst of helping the Vegas Golden Knights in their quest to win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2024. After staving off elimination on Friday night, the Knights will be looking to once again silence an excellent Dallas Stars team in Game 7 on Sunday.

But the future of the reigning Conn Smythe trophy winner after this postseason run is murky. Marchessault is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer after the six-year, $30 million contract he signed back in 2018 expires.

And the 42-goal scorer is going to be due for a monster raise — a well-deserved one — with his next contract. But as the Golden Knights are going to be strapped tightly to the cap, Daily Faceoff hockey insider Frank Seravalli doesn’t think the team will re-sign the French star.

“I just can’t look at the Golden Knights cap table, with the addition of Tomas Hertl, with the extension of Noah Hanifin, even with the additional cap space all teams will receive… $4.3 million… The Vegas Golden Knights have spent a chunk of that already,” Seravalli explained on the latest edition of Daily Faceoff Live.

“How do you say goodbye to one of the original Golden Misfits, who has won the Stanley Cup and been to (another) Final, and was such a big part of the run to the Stanley Cup. …it’s tough to envision the Golden Knights without him, but I just can’t see the math working to keep him. So unless he’s willing to take a massive hometown discount. …I just can’t see that happening in Vegas.”

Marchessault has turned into one of the most important players on the Golden Knights, and not just because he was a catalyst of the Stanley Cup run last season. The 33-year-old followed that up with a career-high 42 goals and 69 points in 2023-24, despite injuries to Jack Eichel and other ailments throughout the forward core.

It was a career year for the veteran, and it’s going to earn him a huge payday. But he may also have played himself out of what Vegas will be able to spend this summer.

Jonathan Marchessault has emerged into a true top-line player

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Jonathan Marchessault (81) shoots against the Anaheim Ducks during the second period at T-Mobile Arena. Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Marchessault is no longer just a top-six player; he’s a bonafide top-line, first PP sniper that can change a game with one shot. And he showed that throughout the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

One of the original ‘Golden Misfits’ has been part of the equation in Las Vegas since the expansion season in 2017-18. He scored the most points of his career that year, amassing 75 in 77 games and helping the Knights come within three wins of a first Stanley Cup in their inaugural campaign. That championship would come five years later.

But, whether or not the Knights are able to beat the Stars in Game 7 and keep the dream of going back-to-back alive, the reality is Vegas’ front office is going to have a very hard time giving this player the money he deserves.

And because of that, after the better part of a decade, Jonathan Marchessault might be into his last few months as a Vegas Golden Knight.

This article first appeared on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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