Euphoric Golden Knights have major personnel decisions to make after Cup win

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Golden Knights will celebrate Saturday night with their fans during a parade on the Las Vegas Strip and then outside T-Mobile Arena, the euphoria of the Stanley Cup championship still high in a city known for partying.

But there are hard questions Vegas management will have to begin answering when free agency opens July 1, and anyone who has paid attention to the Golden Knights knows those who run the organization aren’t afraid to make tough calls — even when it doesn’t sit well with the fan base.

General manager Kelly McCrimmon said before the Stanley Cup Final that such decisions are “damn tough.” He challenged the notion, however, that management has been cutthroat in its approach by saying few teams still have more than six players from the 2017-18 season, as the Knights do.

“If you have these jobs and you want to avoid the hard decisions, you probably shouldn’t have these jobs,” McCrimmon said.

These four players are worth watching closely with free agency nearing:

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Right wing Jonathan Marchessault

He picked a fantastic time to become the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP. Marchessault, whose salary cap hit is $5 million, has one year left on his contract and can begin negotiating an extension July 1.

The Knights might be leery of agreeing to an extension for a 32-year-old player, even if Marchessault proved his dynamic ability by finishing the postseason with a 10-game point streak. One of the Misfits from the first season, he has a non-stop motor that energizes his teammates and is a fan favorite.

But if the Vegas brass believes Marchessault’s best days will soon be behind him and can create salary cap space to acquire someone younger and perhaps cheaper, that’s a move they very well could make.

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Goalie Adin Hill

Speaking of fan favorites, no Knights player received consistently louder cheers during the playoffs than Hill. All he did was come off the bench in the second round against the Edmonton Oilers, make a ton of highlight-reel saves and lift the Stanley Cup.

But the Knights also play a goalie-friendly system. Hill was one of five goalies to win multiple games this season and until now was largely seen as a journeyman. Besides, Vegas has let a popular goalie go before. Does Marc-Andre Fleury sound familiar?

At the very least, Hill likely has earned quite a raise on his $2.2 million cap hit, and some team is likely to offer it. If Vegas comes in with a lower offer, Hill will have to decide if it’s close enough to stay with the defending champion or take his Cup ring elsewhere.

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Left wing Ivan Barbashev

He was a key trade acquisition from the St. Louis Blues who showed his value on the top line with Marchessault and center Jack Eichel. That line produced 69 points in the playoffs, and Barbashev had 18 of them.

At 27 and with a cap hit of $2.3 million, Barbashev figures to be attractive on the open market, and the Knights will have to determine how aggressive they want to be to retain him.

“This team really means a lot to me,” Barbashev said. “Hopefully, I’ll stay here, but we’ll see what happens. It’s been incredible. I’m just really happy.”

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Goalie Robin Lehner

He missed the season after undergoing hip surgery in August. Lehner has two years remaining on a contract with a $5 million cap hit each season, unless he remains on long-term injured reserve.

Vegas fans never warmed to Lehner, who was the goalie chosen to replace Fleury. The Knights hoped Lehner would be their franchise goalie moving forward, but his performances were uneven, and off the ice he has filed for bankruptcy and reportedly been accused of fraud in connection with that case.

Given the Knights have shown they can win without Lehner, they don’t seem to be in a hurry to get him back in the net. If he recovers from surgery — and there isn’t a guarantee that will happen — Vegas could try to move him.

It was telling during the playoffs when McCrimmon said he wasn’t “up to speed” on Lehner’s progress. If Lehner truly was the Knights’ goalie of the future, McCrimmon likely would be much more informed.

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