Vegas Golden Knights center Jonathan Marchessault (81) tracks down a puck with Arizona Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson (23) on his shoulder during their season home opener game at the T-Mobile Arena Tuesday, October 10, 2017.
Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018 | 2:52 p.m.
General manager George McPhee came to Las Vegas before the Golden Knights had a team name or logo, and from the very beginning he has trumpeted the idea that “creating a good culture within an organization is easier than changing a bad one.”
The Golden Knights’ mantra has always been to bring in good people, from the coaching staff to the players, and it appears McPhee’s plan is working. Not only is the team far exceeding expectations with its hot start, but McPhee announced today he has locked up one of his best, young players for the foreseeable future.
Jonathan Marchessault, who leads Vegas in points with 15 goals and 22 assists, signed a six-year, $30 million extension to remain with the Golden Knights through the 2023-24 season.
“He’s just entering his prime,” McPhee said. “He’s very competitive, and he’s become a better playmaker this year than he’s been at the pro level, so there’s always something a player can improve in their game.”
The 27-year-old scored 30 goals last season with the Florida Panthers but was surprisingly left exposed in June’s expansion draft. The Golden Knights jumped at the opportunity to add him to their squad and it has paid off.
He leads the team in points (37) and assists (22) and is tied for second in power play goals (3) and power play points (7).
“(I’m) really happy, more happy to be here with my teammates, and the organization has done amazing things for us,” Marchessault said. “Since we all came here, we just feel like part of a big family, and we love this city.”
Marchessault would have been an unrestricted free agent this season but chose to stay in Las Vegas, largely because of the culture McPhee has created and coach Gerard Gallant has fostered.
“We think what we’re doing here is very important in how we approach things,” McPhee said. “There are teams that have more talent, but it’s what we’re doing internally that’s helping us get wins. We’re focused on getting results each and every day.”
Not only is Marchessault’s extension a result of the Golden Knights culture, it will add to it in the future. From interacting with young fans to being a leader in the locker room, Marchessault is a perfect example of the type of person McPhee wants to build the future of the hockey club around.
“There’s no doubt about that,” McPhee said. “We’ve emphasized from day one that we want talented, hard-working players with low ego that buy into the team and the community.”
The fact that Nevada has no state tax probably doesn’t hurt, either, when negotiating.
“That’s hard to say,” McPhee said. “What players really want first and foremost is the right fit and to feel comfortable in an organization and believe that they can succeed. That’s really what it comes down to.”
Marchessault has certainly succeeded in his short time in Las Vegas. He, Reilly Smith and William Karlsson make up the Golden Knights’ first line, which ranks third in the NHL with 45 combined goals this season. Smith was already locked up through the 2021-22 season.
Karlsson is scheduled to be a restricted free agent after this season. McPhee wouldn’t comment on future negotiations, but Karlsson could be the next to ink a long-term deal.
“We like how the line is performing and we wanted to keep it together,” McPhee said. “(Marchessault) is an effective player and he competes hard at both ends of the rink and is producing on the offensive end.”
Last season was Marchessault’s first full season in the NHL and he scored 30 goals. He’s on pace to top that mark this year.
“There’s certainly room to grow as a player and he’s aware of that,” McPhee said. “There’s even more that can be developed, and that’s only a positive.”
It’s a great signing for McPhee and the Golden Knights but an even better sign going forward. Between the player-friendly coaching staff, the fun, energetic locker room, and the unbelievable atmosphere at City National and T-Mobile Arenas, the Golden Knights have a good thing going.
If they can foster the culture they’ve created, Vegas is going to be a very attractive place to play hockey.
“It means so far, we’re doing the right things,” McPhee said. “It’s a challenge every day, but we approach every day trying to do things better and figure out how to be a better organization.”
This signing certainly does that.
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