Winning has been a big part of the Vegas Golden Knights’ culture since day one, but so have cap management headaches. It seems like every offseason, the club’s tight cap situation forces the exodus of one or more key players, so much so that fans have become somewhat numb to it. In recent years, losing the likes of Max Pacioretty and Reilly Smith has mostly been shrugged off by a fan base that has grown accustomed to Vegas’ cold, business-like approach to asset management.
The loss of Golden Knights original and fan favorite Jonathan Marchessault might prove to be different.
Amidst a swarm of outgoing notable free agent forwards, including Chandler Stephenson (Seattle Kraken), Michael Amadio (Ottawa Senators), Anthony Mantha (Calgary Flames) and fellow Vegas original William Carrier (Carolina Hurricanes), Marchessault stands out above the rest. Popular on the ice and off, the Nashville-bound 33-year-old leaves a massive void both as a big personality in the dressing room and a leading scorer among the forward corps.
Successful Beginnings
When it came to first acquiring Marchessault in the 2017 Expansion Draft, Vegas’ gain was the Florida Panthers’ loss. Florida made the curious decision to expose the speedy winger, opting to protect depth defensemen Alex Petrovic and Mark Pysyk while exposing a 26-year-old who was fresh off a 30-goal season. The Quebec native would post 27 goals and 75 points in the Golden Knights’ Cinderella expansion season, or 12 more goals and 16 more points than Petrovic and Pysyk combined for over the remainder of their Panthers careers.
As if acquiring a future franchise all-time scoring leader for nothing wasn’t enough, Vegas further swindled Florida by adding Smith (and taking on all five years of his newly-signed contract extension) in exchange for a 2018 fourth-round pick. Marchessault and Smith would become the team’s second- and fourth-leading scorers, respectively, in their expansion season.
Marchessault’s Vegas Legacy
Marchessault’s free agent departure removes a 42-goal scorer from the Golden Knights’ offense, but also takes away a big part of the heart and soul of the franchise. No, he didn’t fit the stereotypical Vegas mold of big, physical and defensively dominant, but he served as an integral part of their winning culture for the seven years that he called T-Mobile Arena home.
Over those seven years, Marchessault scored 192 goals and registered 417 points. In their 2023 Stanley Cup run, he tallied an NHL-best 13 goals as part of his 25 points in 22 games to earn Conn Smythe honors. To illustrate his unique place in Golden Knights history, he currently holds a 40-goal lead on the franchise’s second-highest all-time goal scorer and a 50-point edge on the second-highest all-time point-getter (both William Karlsson).
As for Marchessault’s impact off the ice, the quotes from his former teammates as the team cleaned out their lockers at the end of the 2023-24 season spoke volumes to his character. Noting that he’s “done everything” for the franchise, Brayden McNabb couldn’t imagine the locker room without him. Alex Pietrangelo said that “everyone in this locker room loves having Marchy around”. Head coach Bruce Cassidy and captain Mark Stone mentioned the energy he brings to the club. To a man, his teammates painted the picture of a guy who will surely prove hard to replace.
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Life After Marchy
In keeping with the club’s cold, business-like asset management style, letting Marchessault go in free agency is an entirely defensible decision. The five-year, $27.5 million deal ($5.5 million average annual value – AAV) he signed with the Nashville Predators on July 1 could ultimately prove to be regrettable for a player who will turn 34 this coming season.
It’s not, however, easy to replace a player like that. Sure, the Golden Knights have no shortage of leadership with Stone, Pietrangelo and Jack Eichel still in the fold, not to mention plenty of character players beyond them. But it was Marchessault whose appeal resonated with fans and teammates alike, bringing both a sheer (and sometimes mischievous) joy to the game while also carrying a fiery chip on his shoulder that belies his 5-foot-9 frame.
That chip on Marchessault’s shoulder was on display in the aftermath of his departure, as he recounted how Vegas didn’t make much of an effort to engage in contract talks prior to free agency. As time goes on, however, let’s hope that the pain of a disappointing split quickly gives way to the great memories of an incredible, championship-winning tenure that may one day warrant the retirement of his No. 81 jersey.
With Marchessault and Carrier moving on, there remain just three of the original ‘Misfits’ off of the inaugural Golden Knights’ roster – Karlsson, McNabb and Shea Theodore. But Marchessault was an original in more ways than one. There will never be another quite like him.
