Golden Knights Have To Trade A Defenseman This Summer

The Vegas Golden Knights' defense has been a staple of their team for a while now and not much has changed over the past number of years. But heading into next season, there are seven players that should be in the lineup every game as well as Ben Hutton who proved to be an effective bottom pairing d-man as well.

Assuming Hutton starts the season as the seventh d-man, which he should, that means there are still seven players vying for six full time jobs. The Golden Knights need help up front and in their prospect pool, so that seems like the likeliest outcome if and probably when a trade occurs.

Shea Theodore and Noah Hanifin are signed for seven more years, Alex Pietrangelo is signed for two more, and Brayden McNabb and Zack Whitecloud are signed for three more. Considering that is the base that has been successful, I don't think any one of them are going anywhere this summer. So that leaves Nic Hague and Kaeden Korczak.

Hague is a RFA and Korczak has another year left on his two-year deal. Korczak stepped up this season and the 24-year-old got into 40 games. He is the only defensive prospect the team can be excited about and now that he got a taste of the NHL and got the experience, he can't be going back to the AHL or sitting out half of the season.

This is why I think Korczak takes that sixth spot on the Vegas defense and Hague is dealt. He is a more than solid fifth defenseman who is big and pretty young. Plenty of teams will be interested in a player like him for their back-end. This is the most likely trade that makes sense for the Golden Knights as lack of scoring and depth at forward showed in the second round against the Edmonton Oilers and the defense did their job as they always do. The return for Hague could be solid and what Vegas needs.