The Trade That Could Reshape Vegas — and Why It Might Not Be Dylan Larkin

You don’t lose a Stanley Cup Final and just run it back. Not in Vegas. Not with this front office. After falling to the Carolina Hurricanes in the championship round, the Golden Knights are already circling the trade market — and the name at the top of every rumor board is Dylan Larkin. But even if he wants to come, the math might not work.

Larkin’s Interest Is Real — but So Is the Cap Problem

When Larkin requested a trade out of Detroit, he handed the Red Wings a shortlist of three preferred destinations. Vegas was on it, and that news barely raised an eyebrow. The Golden Knights are perennial contenders, Nevada has no state income tax, and Larkin already has chemistry with Jack Eichel from their gold medal run together in February. On paper, it clicks.

But Puckpedia lists the Golden Knights with just $4.6 million in cap space. Larkin’s $8.7 million cap hit blows that figure apart. Yes, they could move money — William Karlsson’s name is out there as a potential trade chip — but that doesn’t count the other deals Vegas needs to get done, like re-signing Rasmus Andersson after the picks they dealt for him at the deadline. The team has not confirmed any serious talks involving Larkin, and insiders suggest the price tag — both in assets and cap space — may be too steep for a center they don’t strictly need on paper.

A Defenseman From Long Island Makes More Sense

The Golden Knights have raided the Calgary Flames’ blue line twice in three years — first Noah Hanifin, then Andersson. But that well has run dry for now. Enter the New York Islanders. With a logjam of left-handed defensemen, the Isles could shop Adam Pelech, who turns 32 on opening night next season. He’s got three years left at $5.75 million per season and a 16-team no-trade list, but moving him would give the Islanders draft capital to build around Matthew Schaefer.

New York’s dream return would be Pavel Dorofeyev — exactly the kind of forward they need. But Vegas will almost certainly find a way to re-sign him. Instead, a 2028 first-round pick and forward prospect Jakob Ihs-Wozniak could get it done. It’s a quieter move than Larkin, but it fits the cap and the roster.

A Buy-Low Swing on a Former No. 2 Pick

There’s another factor in Vegas this offseason: a new head coach. John Tortorella is out after the Cup Final run, and reports point to AHL coach Ryan Craig as the likely hire. That could open the door for a developmental project — someone like Devils defenseman Simon Nemec, the No. 2 overall pick in 2022 who has played 155 games but never lived up to that billing in New Jersey.

Nemec is a restricted free agent, which means his next contract won’t break the bank. The Golden Knights have limited cap space, especially if they re-sign Dorofeyev, but they could land Nemec for a package of mid-round picks — the kind of low-risk, high-upside swing this franchise loves. As fans online noted, Vegas has earned a reputation for living by the “f*** them picks” motto. This would be another chapter in that book.

Whether it’s Larkin, a veteran defenseman, or a reclamation project, expect the Golden Knights to be aggressive. They’ve done it before. They’ll do it again.