Marchessault is waiting for the Golden Knights to discuss a new contract with him.
Vegas Golden Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault, who netted a career-high 42 goals this season, revealed on Tuesday that he has not yet discussed a new contract with the team.
If no agreement is reached by July 1, Marchessault will become a free agent. The 33-year-old winger, an original member of the Golden Knights and last year’s Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the Stanley Cup playoffs MVP, signed a six-year contract worth $5 million annually in January 2018.
“We haven’t had any discussions yet,” Marchessault said before participating in the World Series of Poker. “They expressed interest in re-signing me. They have until June 30.”
The Golden Knights did not respond to a request for comment, but general manager Kelly McCrimmon previously expressed appreciation for Marchessault’s contributions both on and off the ice.
Marchessault, who nearly matched William Karlsson’s single-season franchise record, is a vocal leader for the team.
“Both sides are very willing to have productive discussions,” McCrimmon said earlier.
However, Vegas might let Marchessault leave, considering their history of quickly moving on from players, such as the trade of goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to the Chicago Blackhawks in July 2021. The team’s recent acquisitions of Tomas Hertl and Noah Hanifin, along with Hanifin’s eight-year, $7.35 million annual contract, suggest they may be preparing for changes.
Vegas also had the chance to re-sign Marchessault last summer.
“I asked about it last summer,” Marchessault said. “I preferred to handle it before the season, but they weren’t ready, and we haven’t had any talks since. As an organization, they had me for six years, so they might wait until the end of that period to address it.”
Marchessault led the Golden Knights to their first Stanley Cup title last year with 13 goals and 25 points in the playoffs. Vegas was eliminated by the Dallas Stars in seven games in the first round this year.
Marchessault believes Dallas and Vegas were the best teams in the West and expects Dallas to reach and win the finals.
He expressed support for Stars coach Pete DeBoer, who previously coached the Golden Knights, and other former Vegas staff now with Dallas, including assistant coaches Steve Spott and Misha Donskov. He also expressed hope for veteran Joe Pavelski to win a championship.
