Vegas GM provides update on health of players and if they're planning to circumvent the cap

The Vegas Golden Knights, like the past couple years, had a very busy trade deadline. Vegas, fresh off a championship, is looking to make it back-to-back Cups. Earlier this week, they traded with the Calgary Flames for defenseman Noah Hanifin.

Then, a buzzer-beater blockbuster trade occurred when Vegas traded with the Sharks for forward Tomáš Hertl. In return, San Jose got a 2025 1st round pick and center David Edstrom.

In addition to the trade, San Jose had to retain 17% of the contract ($1.39 million) of the $8.14 million so that it could work for the Knights because their cap is so tight. However, the Sharks will have to hold on to that money for the next six years. Vegas already put Captain Mark Stone on LTIR with a lacerated spleen to get this cap space; so if it wasn't for that, they couldn't even get Hertl, nor Hanifin.

Well, according to Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon, Hertl is currently on LTIR and is currently unavailable to play right now with a knee injury. He also gave an update on Stone's spleen, stating he'll miss the rest of the season and that it's impossible to know when he's coming back.




This isn't unusual territory for the Knights, as they circumvented the cap last year as well to give them an advantage for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Stone was the odd man out last year, just like this year, possibly due to having the second highest cap hit on the team at $9,500,000. Taking that $9,500,000 gives them endless options and opportunities at the trade deadline, which they then utilize. Mark then magically becomes okay to play when the playoffs start, because in the playoffs, there's no cap limit.

You would think by now they'd be better at hiding their plan, but they just keep on making it clear as day. Same guy; same story. Every year.