Carolina Hurricanes Clinch 2nd Stanley Cup With 3-0 Game 6 Win Over Vegas

Q: With a severe cap crunch looming, which star player will the Golden Knights be forced to trade this offseason?

Tomáš Hertl appears to be the Golden Knights’ most likely cap-casualty this offseason. The reporting around Vegas’ cap situation points to a tight squeeze: the club is projected to have only modest space while needing to address Pavel Dorofeyev’s next deal and other roster decisions. Among the names floated as trade candidates, Hertl stands out because of his contract and profile. He carries a $6.75 million annual cap hit through 2029-30, is entering his age-33 season, and, while still productive, is no longer viewed as indispensable at that price if Vegas needs to prioritize younger core pieces. Adin Hill is also a serious possibility, especially with his $6.25 million cap hit and questions about his role after Carter Hart’s rise. But the broader cap analysis in the available reporting more consistently identifies Hertl as the star player Vegas would be most pressured to move if it needs meaningful relief. So while nothing is official, the best-supported answer is Hertl, with Hill as the other major name to watch.

3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Jun 15

Carolina sealed its second NHL championship Sunday night, shutting out Vegas 3-0 in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Taylor Hall and Jackson Blake each scored their seventh goal of the postseason, and Nikolaj Ehlers added an empty-netter at 18:52 of the third.
Brandon Bussi, an undrafted rookie starting for the third straight game after Carolina fell behind 2-1 in the series, made 22 saves for his third playoff win.
Vegas, chasing its second Stanley Cup in four seasons under late-season hire John Tortorella, could not force a return trip after losing Game 5 in North Carolina.