In today’s NHL news and rumours rundown, Mitch Marner was reportedly almost dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights; however, finalizing the deal became too difficult for the two teams. Elsewhere, the New York Islanders have re-signed some of their free agents, indicating a retool for Mathieu Darche, rather than a full on rebuild. Finally, Jamie Benn is hoping to re-sign with the Dallas Stars, but with little cap space to work with, it could be difficult.
Marner To Vegas Conversations Happened
Any time there is a superstar player who could be available, the Golden Knights are always in the mix. In the latest episode of 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman spoke about how the Maple Leafs and Golden Knights talked about a Marner trade, but Brad Treliving was targeting defenseman Shea Theodore from the Golden Knights. Apparently, having Theodore in the deal was a non-starter for the Golden Knights, as he is their top defenseman alongside Alex Pietrangelo.
Theodore is a perfect defenseman for any team looking to get over the hump. He plays very well defensively, has a strong offensive game, and has the experience of winning in the playoffs. At the time of these discussions, Theodore was entering the final year of his contract at just $5.2 million per season, which could have been some of the incentive for Vegas to trade him, but they extended him instead.
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Now that Marner is set to become a free agent and is unlikely to return to the Maple Leafs next season, Vegas could theoretically target him. It would make a lot of sense to add him to their lineup, and as a team that already won and looks hungry for more, Vegas could be a very attractive destination for Marner.
The Golden Knights only have $9.6 million in cap space to use in free agency, and only have nine forwards signed, but with general manager Kelly McCrimmon, anything is possible. If they are looking for a winger, there are plenty of other options, including Brock Boeser, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Sam Bennett, who can also play center. It will be an interesting storyline to follow, but Marner is without a doubt the top target for many teams.
Islanders’ Darche Opts to Keep Palmieri & Boqvist
When the trade deadline had passed and Kyle Palmieri was still on the Islanders, it was speculated by many that an extension had already been agreed upon, but just hasn’t been announced. He is a quality veteran and has been with the Islanders for five seasons now, so having him walk for nothing made no sense for the club.
Whether it was going to be a trade or re-signing, the decision with Palmieri was going to be a big indicator of the direction of the club. While Brock Nelson was dealt to the Colorado Avalanche, it wasn’t a total fire sale by the club.
With a good start on quality prospects with Cole Eiserman and now Cal Ritchie, the Islanders were thrilled to receive the first-overall draft pick in the 2025 Draft Lottery, and can continue to add to that pool.
By re-signing Palmieri and Adam Boqvist to extensions, it was an indicator that Darche does not want to enter a full rebuild, but rather could look to retool the team. There are some difficult contracts to manage, and not enough talent on the team to be a true contender, but Darche has gotten to work quickly and should be able to put this team in a better position via free agency and the draft.
Jamie Benn Looking to Stick With Stars
On the same episode of 32 Thoughts referenced earlier, Friedman indicated that Benn would like to stick with the Stars, and vice versa. Not only that, but he also stated that once he retires, it could be fair to expect the Stars to want to hang a banner and retire his number.
When a veteran player who has had a great career like Benn is a free agent, there is bound to be lots of interest, but for the Stars, it would be a very difficult decision to let their captain walk to free agency. When asked about his contract status and plans for next year, Benn stated that he is heading into the offseason fully planning on playing next season, and said “I don’t see myself going anywhere else. This is all I know. So hopefully we can get something figured out and then I don’t have to answer these questions.”.
While Benn struggled to produce in the playoffs, scoring just three points in 18 games, he is a very valuable player. He is a great leader, he plays physically, and up until the 2025 playoffs, he has regularly been a very productive player in the regular season and playoffs.
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