How Golden Knights’ Anthony Mantha trade could help them land Vladimir Tarasenko

The Vegas Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup defense hasn’t gone as smoothly as they would have hoped, but the reigning title holder remains in the playoff mix. The Golden Knights would know, of all teams, that getting into the playoffs is what’s important, as lower-seeded teams can still make noise in the postseason. To that end, despite being a Wild Card team for the time being, the Golden Knights swung a huge trade for 29-year old winger Anthony Mantha from the Washington Capitals.

With star man Mark Stone out due to injury, the Golden Knights needed some high-quality depth at right wing, and that’s where Mantha should slot in for the rest of the season. But the manner with which Vegas acquired Mantha from the Capitals could open up the possibility that the reigning Stanley Cup champion swing another blockbuster deal leading up to the March 8 trade deadline.

According to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, the Capitals’ decision to retain 50 percent of Anthony Mantha’s contract gives the Golden Knights the financial flexibility to go after veteran winger Vladimir Tarasenko of the Ottawa Senators, with the caveat, of course, that Tarasenko waives his full no-trade clause to join Vegas.

At this point, there’s not an obvious reason for Tarasenko to reject the opportunity to join the Golden Knights if that choice was available to him. He’s 32 years old, so he would prefer to land with a team that’s still competing for the Stanley Cup. The Senators, meanwhile, are the second-worst team in the Eastern Conference.

Tarasenko’s cap hit is worth $5 million; at present, according to CapFriendly.com, the Golden Knights have about $4.4 million of cap space, making a potential trade with the Senators very feasible.

Vladimir Tarasenko’s output on the rink has declined considerably in the past two seasons, but he should remain a very helpful winger for a contending team such as the Golden Knights thanks to his veteran mettle and scoring ability when playing alongside designated playmakers on the ice.

Acquiring Tarasenko and Mantha may not be tantamount to replacing Mark Stone, since Stone’s defense is top-tier, but the Golden Knights can’t stand around and do nothing to help fill the void of their captain’s injury.