Vegas Golden Knights' Top Trade Candidates Heading Into 2023-24 Season

The Vegas Golden Knights are coming off a Stanley Cup win, and as always, they are very much at risk of altering their lineup with a significant move in order to stay on top. This offseason saw Reilly Smith traded, and the one prior, Max Pacioretty. The team might have to move someone mid-season or by the end. Let's take a look at what they might do heading into 2023-24.

William Karlsson

With the emergence of Chandler Stephenson, William Karlsson has become a very expensive third line center. While it isn't bad to have that kind of center depth, they also have Nic Roy playing on the fourth line. He is very capable of moving up and being the third line center moving forward to save a lot of cap space. This cap space could be used to improve a different area, like the wing that's weak. Karlsson still has four years left on his deal at $5.9 million AAV with some trade protection. In the six seasons since joining the Golden Knights, he's averaged 23 goals and 58 points per 82 games. He could still be a good second line center option on another team.

Robin Lehner

The Golden Knights might be put in a bind mid-season if Robin Lehner returns from injury. Right now the team has two good options in net with Adin Hill and Logan Thompson. If Lehner returns during the season, this would force the Golden Knights to trade him so that they aren't over the salary cap. It would also mean this trade would be a cap dump and cost them some assets. There would be too much uncertainty surrounding the veteran goaltender if he came back from injury during the season and there was cap space to hold onto him for the remainder of the season.