(Las Vegas) Quebec forward Jonathan Marchessault, who set a new personal mark with 42 goals this season, said Tuesday that he has not yet had discussions with the Vegas Golden Knights about a new CONTRACT.
If the two clans do not agree before the 1ster July, Marchessault will become an unrestricted free agent. Marchessault, 33, has been with the Nevada club since his first season in 2017-18 and won the Conn Smythe Trophy last year as playoff MVP.
Marchessault signed a six-year contract worth US$5 million per year in January 2018.
“We haven’t had a call until now or anything,” Marchessault said before the first day of the World Series of Poker. They said they were interested in giving me a contract. They have until around June 30. »
The Golden Knights did not immediately respond to requests for comment, but general manager Kelly McCrimmon said after the season that he valued what Marchessault did on and off the ice.
Marchessault, who came within one goal of William Karlsson’s single-season team record, is one of the main leaders of this team.
“There is certainly a real desire on both sides to have very good discussions,” McCrimmon said when reviewing the season. We will work on it. »
It wouldn’t be surprising if the Golden Knights let Marchessault go given their history of making quick decisions, such as when trading Quebec goaltender Marc-André Fleury to the Chicago Blackhawks in July 2021.
They had also signaled they might move on when they acquired Tomas Hertl and Noah Hanifin before the trade deadline, then gave Hanifin an eight-year, $7.35 million annual contract .
But in Marchessault’s case, the Golden Knights had the opportunity to give him an extension last summer.
“I asked them last summer,” Marchessault revealed. I told them I would prefer to do it before the season. They told me they weren’t ready for that and there wasn’t a single discussion during the season.
“I don’t know, we’ll see,” Marchessault concluded.