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Golden Knights Target 3 Forwards Prior to Trade Deadline

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | By Jordan Manning | Last updated 2/26/24

With their captain Mark Stone injured, the Vegas Golden Knights intend to be players at this season’s NHL trade deadline. No doubt, they have scouted around the league for someone to fill the empty spots on the roster. As per Ben Gotz of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, “The Knights’ attention likely will be focused on the wings given their depth at center, on defense and in goal.” In other words, the team has targeted scoring.

With the deadline approaching, here are three forwards Vegas could look into acquiring in early March.

Golden Knights Have Deadline Room for Guentzel

Jake Guentzel is expected to be out for a few more weeks. That said, it isn’t a risky play to trade for the Penguins left winger. Looking at the Golden Knight’s left offensive side, it is not very strong; their number one left-winger is Brendan Brisson. Guentzel would be a welcome upgrade and Vegas has money to spend.

When examining the goal differential for the Knights, it seems like goal scoring is the Golden Knights’ biggest need trade-wise. Adding a point-per-game player like Guentzel would surely help bump up the numbers in the offensive zone. He’s on pace for 36 goals. Only Jonathan Marchessault is on pace for more.

Tarasenko Likely Leaving Ottawa

Vladimir Tarasenko is an elite sniper with a sharp finish on the puck. Putting a player such as Tarasenko up with someone like Jonathan Marchessault, a fellow elite sniper, would create a one-two finish for the Knights’ top line, making them an offensive threat and a threat to their opponents.

Tarasenko is carrying a no-trade clause, but he has shown interest in teams who have a good shot at making the postseason at the trade deadline. He’s been through this before with the New York Rangers. Being a rental isn’t new territory for him. With Vegas, it is almost certain that they will make the playoffs. Tarasenko has had his times when he entered the postseason so he would surely help an offensive-lacking Vegas team to a postseason run.

Reilly Smith Being Shopped

After trading Smith in the offseason, Smith has struggled to find his way to success on a desperate Pittsburgh team. Smith left the organization for extra cap space, but there is a good chance he could find himself back in his former golden jersey.

With Stone being week-to-week with his upper body injury, the Knights have some extra money they can work with. Sending a large cap-hit player such as William Carrier to the Pens would give the Knights more space to work with, once Stone returns to the ice.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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