Look, I know that the Vegas Golden Knights faithful isn't too happy after dealing with a heartbreaking Stanley Cup Final loss. It's tough to watch your favorite team lose to a great squad like the Carolina Hurricanes, after all. But the Golden Knights are a team that operates on a different level.
We're talking about making the biggest moves known to mankind and jettisoning players past their primes and usefulness out of town. That's been the objective of one Kelly McCrimmon, who's done an excellent job of riling up the other 31 fanbases. It takes a gutsy general manager to do such a thing, you know.
Also, let's be honest for a second. Las Vegas has become a premier hockey destination for many NHL players. It doesn't matter if it's Elliotte Friedman or Frank Seravalli reporting the news. Everyone can admit one thing about the Golden Knights: nearly everyone wants to play there.
So, let's give McCrimmon some suggestions on how to rustle everyone else's jimmies. These three superstars would be home run-hitting trades that would shake the NHL to its very core. You just know that Bill Foley would love to make a trade for one of these players and anger the masses. Heck, let's add a Great Lakes State twist to it since all three players have a connection with Michigan.
1.) Connor Hellebuyck
Yes, I know that Connor Hellebuyck hasn't been the best goaltender during the postseason. He has a career GAA of 2.90 and a career save percentage of .903. He wasn't even great during the 2025-26 season with a GAA of 2.86 and a save percentage of .895. Plus, he's 33 years old.
However, Golden Knights fans have seen this story before. Remember when Marc-Andre Fleury was left for dead by Pittsburgh for a younger netminder? A Stanley Cup Final appearance and a Vezina Trophy later, he's regarded as the team's best goaltender ever. Why not go for the former Hart Trophy winner and give him a go until 2031?
2.) Dylan Larkin
Like Hellebuyck, Larkin was on the United States' gold medal-winning team with Jack Eichel. He also made his intentions clear regarding his next destination. Believe it or not, the Golden Knights were one of three teams he picked as his preferred destination.
Everyone knows about his offensive output as an NHL star. However, his defensive shares are also remarkable. He's averaging 1.6 defensive point shares in an 82-game setting, making him reliable on the back end. That could help the Golden Knights defensively, giving them yet another two-way veteran to help the back end.
3.) Jason Robertson
While a $7.75 million AAV cap hit seems daunting considering the team's current extension fiasco, the Golden Knights wouldn't want to pass up a premier forward. Robertson is 26 years old, had a 100+ point season in 2022-23 (109), and can score goals.
Imagine how much more potent the Golden Knights could be if they had both Robertson and Dorofeyev on a line. They would have a potent attack that would blitz goaltenders endlessly and shred defenses. That would be an offensive dream for Vegas fans everywhere.
