The Dylan Larkin chatter around the Vegas Golden Knights has been all over the map, but Darren Dreger poured a little cold water on the idea Friday.
Appearing on Hockey Sense, Dreger said the Golden Knights were not in the mix at this point, relaying this from a Detroit source: "A Detroit source told me...Vegas wasn't involved to this point."
That doesn’t necessarily mean Larkin is off everyone’s radar, but Vegas no longer looks like the team driving the conversation. The Golden Knights still show up on his preferred destination list, yet the focus in Las Vegas appears to have shifted elsewhere.
And that makes sense. General manager Kelly McCrimmon has more immediate problems to solve, even if Larkin would be a strong add. The Golden Knights have areas that need attention fast, or they could be staring at another first-round exit in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The biggest issue isn’t just whether Vegas could fit a center like Larkin. It’s whether the roster construction and cap math would even cooperate.
The Golden Knights are already deep down the middle, so another center is not exactly the most urgent fix. On top of that, the salary cap puzzle would be a tough one to solve, especially if Adin Hill is off limits in any deal.
That was part of the challenge in the Connor Hellebuyck sweepstakes as well.
What Vegas really needs is cleaner play in its own end and better puck management. The Golden Knights have the fourth-most team turnovers in the NHL with 265 entering Monday’s game against the Boston Bruins. Those giveaways include costly mistakes in the defensive zone that end up putting goaltenders like Carter Hart and Adin Hill in bad spots.
Yes, the goaltending has taken heat because soft goals have shown up. But the bigger problem is that Vegas keeps handing opponents extra chances. The team needs to protect the puck better and get more reliable shutdown defensemen to take pressure off the netminders.
That’s where the conversation shifts away from Larkin and toward the blue line. A reunion with Zach Whitecloud would make sense on paper, especially with his $2.75 million cap hit and the shutdown work he once provided before being traded for Rasmus Andersson. There’s also the possibility of Parker Wotherspoon and Nic Dowd filling the role, though that doesn’t exactly scream certainty.
Even so, a Whitecloud reunion seems unlikely, despite how well liked he is in Las Vegas. Another option is Nick Perbix of the Nashville Predators, a bigger defenseman who can move the puck without issue.
For now, though, the Golden Knights appear to have bigger priorities than chasing another marquee center. The same goes for someone like Nikita Kucherov - a big-time scorer would be welcome, but Vegas has to clean up the back end first. If the turnovers and defensive issues keep piling up, the results could turn south fast.
In Other News...
Jack Eichel Returns For A Golden Knights Test That Means More
Mondays trip to Boston gives the Golden Knights a familiar backdrop and a little extra edge, with Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin both returning to the region where their hockey roots were formed. Vegas is set to face the Bruins in a matchup that carries more than the usual regular-season weight, simply because of who is on the ice and where the game is being played.
Eichels return has long been the bigger storyline whenever the Knights visit New England, but Hanifin adds another layer to the night as Vegas continues a road stretch that puts two of its players back in front of old friends, family and a crowd that knows their histories well. It is the kind of game that can feel bigger than the standings for a few hours, even if the real answer to how much it matters will only come once the puck drops. [Read more 🡒]
Ben Hutton Is Back In The NHL Spotlight Again
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Huttons path includes a familiar connection for Golden Knights fans, since he was part of Vegas 2023 Stanley Cup run and has spent the last five seasons in that organization. He also comes in off a career year offensively, with six goals last season, but the tryout only opens the door and leaves him with work to do before anything more permanent is on the table. [Read more 🡒]
Golden Knights Let A Valuable Road Point Slip In Boston
The Golden Knights walked out of TD Garden with a point, but it felt like a missed opportunity after a tight road game against the Bruins. Boston got goals from James Hagens and Morgan Geekie in regulation, while Mark Stone and Trevor Connelly answered for Vegas to keep it level through the third period and into extra time.
Vegas had done the hard part by climbing back into a game that looked like it could get away from them, only to see it decided in the skills competition. The Bruins finished it there, leaving the Golden Knights to settle for a result that was useful on the standings sheet but still left some frustration attached to the trip. [Read more 🡒]