Jonathan Marchessault, the Vegas forward who achieved a career-best of 42 goals this season, mentioned on Tuesday that he hasn’t had any discussions with the Golden Knights regarding a new contract.
If there’s no agreement by July 1, Marchessault will become a free agent. As one of the original members of the Golden Knights and at 33 years old, he won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the NHL playoffs MVP last year. Marchessault inked a six-year deal in January 2018, valued at $5 million annually. He stated, “We haven’t had any discussions yet. They’ve expressed interest in re-signing me. They have until around June 30.” Marchessault made these remarks before participating in the opening day of the World Series of Poker.
The Golden Knights did not promptly respond to a comment request, but general manager Kelly McCrimmon previously expressed appreciation for Marchessault’s contributions both on and off the ice. Marchessault, who nearly matched William Karlsson’s single-season franchise goal record, is recognized as one of the team’s prominent vocal leaders.
Jonathan Marchessault, the right wing for the Vegas Golden Knights, participates in poker during the $5,000 Champions Reunion No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout event at the World Series of Poker on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
“At the time, McCrimmon expressed a strong willingness from both sides to engage in productive discussions,” McCrimmon said. “That’s what we’re going to focus on.”
Given Vegas’ track record of swiftly moving on, such as trading Marc-Andre Fleury to the Chicago Blackhawks in July 2021, it wouldn’t be surprising if they let Marchessault go. The indication of a possible move came when they acquired Tomas Hertl and Noah Hanifin before the trade deadline and later awarded Hanifin an eight-year contract worth $7.35 million annually.
Additionally, the Golden Knights had the opportunity to re-sign Marchessault last summer. “I inquired last summer,” Marchessault revealed. “I expressed my preference to handle it in the offseason before the season begins. They weren’t ready for that, and there hasn’t been a single discussion throughout the season. Technically, as an organization, you’ve committed to a player for six years, right? So you have the full six years, and afterward, you can address it, so we’ll see.”
Marchessault led the Golden Knights to their inaugural Stanley Cup title last year, amassing 13 goals and 25 points in the playoffs. However, Vegas’ quest for a repeat ended when the Dallas Stars eliminated them in seven games in the first round.
The Stars are still competing, leading the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 in their best-of-seven Western Conference Final.
“I still believe that Dallas and us were the two strongest teams in the West, and the victor of that series had a clear path to the finals,” Marchessault commented. “I don’t think any other teams in the conference were on our level. I think Dallas will reach the finals, and personally, I believe they’ll emerge victorious.”
