The offseason NHL trade rumor mill is churning out a blockbuster possibility: Ivan Provorov heading to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for a package centered around a first-round pick and promising prospects.
With the Columbus Blue Jackets entrenched in a rebuild, moving on from Provorov, who is heading for unrestricted free agency in 2025-26, makes sense. The Blue Jackets would recoup valuable assets to accelerate their rebuild.
For Vegas, this deal hinges on the potential departure of Noah Hanifin. If Hanifin leaves as a free agent to Boston, as some rumors suggest, Provorov slots in as a solid replacement. Vegas aims to acquire Provorov in the offseason, then convince him to sign a long-term extension ahead of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft where they could fetch even more in a subsequent trade.
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Why the Blue Jackets do it:
- Asset Accumulation: They load up on a first-round pick and the intriguing prospects Kaedan Korczak and Matyas Sapovaliv in return for a player likely to leave.
- Salary Relief:Â With 50% of Provorov’s salary retained, they gain some cap flexibility for their rebuild.
Why the Golden Knights do it:
- Contingency Plan: It’s a calculated gamble if Hanifin departs – they gain a quality defenseman with upside who provides offense and playing on a stacked defense.
- Salary Cap Relief: With the Blue Jackets retaining 50% of Provorov’s salary for next season, Vegas gets some vital cap space to use for next season.
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