The Three Biggest NHL Moves So Far This Offseason
Every offseason in the NHL, fans see players gained, lost, and kept. Once free agency opens, chaos can ensue. Players once thought to be franchise cornerstones sign with new teams, blockbuster trades are a regular occurrence, and monumental extensions are signed that secure a team’s present and future. This offseason has been no exception, with three particular moves standing out. They are Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights, Brad Marchand extending with the Florida Panthers, and Trevor Zegras being traded to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Mitch Marner Goes to Vegas
Mitch Marner left the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he had spent his entire NHL career up to this point, to go to the Vegas Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade deal. Vegas signed Marner to a $96 million contract for eight years. Vegas then traded Nicolas Roy to the Maple Leafs. Marner has quite a career in Toronto, having been a key player for the franchise for the past nine years. Marner, in his stint with the Maple Leafs, has racked up 221 goals, 520 assists, and 741 points. He has been named to the NHL All-Star Team twice, has the fifth most points in Toronto franchise history, and the fourth most assists in Maple Leafs history. Nicolas Roy has spent the last six seasons in Vegas, where he racked up 68 goals, 98 assists, and 166 points. He also won the 2019 Calder Cup in the AHL and the 2023 Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights. While Roy can be a good piece in Toronto, the squad is sure to feel Marner’s absence.
Brad Marchand Signs Florida Extension
Marchand was a key component in the Panthers winning their second consecutive Stanley Cup last month. Given Florida’s salary cap restrictions, many wondered if Florida would be able to resign him at all, especially with Marchand’s age. Not only has there been an extension, but it is a six-year extension for just under $32 million. This will keep him under contract until he is 43. Brad played for 16 seasons for the Boston Bruins before being traded to the Panthers right before the trade deadline this past season. Marchand is the all-time Bruins leader in short-handed goals, fourth in games played, fourth in goals, sixth in assists, fifth in points, sixth in plus/minus, and second in game-winning goals. This solidifies Brad Marchand as one of the greatest Boston Bruins in franchise history. Marchand has also been named to the NHL All-Star Team four times. Given his playoff success for Florida, the Panthers hope this extension is worth the length and cost.
Zegras Traded to Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers, a team seemingly in a rebuild and had the youngest roster this past season, traded for Trevor Zegras shortly after the Stanley Cup Finals concluded. In return, Anaheim received Ryan Poehling and draft picks. Poehling had career-high goals and assists, recording 12 goals and 19 assists for the Flyers this past season. The 24-year-old has had seasons of success in Anaheim. He missed plenty of games over the last two seasons due to injury, but he was stellar in the two seasons before. In the 2021-22 season, he scored 23 goals and 38 assists for 61 points. In the 2022-23 season, he scored 23 goals and 42 assists for 65 points. This performance from such a young talent, alongside viral goals, made Zegras go on the cover of EA Sports NHL23. However, in the past two seasons, he has only had 18 goals and 29 assists for 47 points. The Flyers will hope to get the pre-injury version of Zegras back during this new era, viral goals and all.
Conclusion
Vegas signing Mitch Marner is huge for the Golden Knights, who will surely be Stanley Cup hopefuls once the season starts. However, this risk could backfire tremendously given the contract if Marner can’t find his footing on the Golden Knights. Marchand being extended keeps a major part of the Panthers' core that won the Stanley Cup, but this means the money may not be in the salary cap for other key members to re-sign. It is also a huge risk to have any player under contract at 43, like Marchand will be. Zegras may be huge for the Flyers' future given he’s still young, but the trade will be seen as a mistake if injuries continue to spiral his career. NHL fans can be sure that more moves are to come as the offseason continues.
