Vegas Golden Knights acquire Tomas Tatar at trade deadline

In their first NHL trade deadline, the Vegas Golden Knights acquired Tomas Tatar from the Detroit Red Wings.

No team has been a bigger surprise in the NHL this season than the Vegas Golden Knights. At the trade deadline, Vegas continued that trend by making a shocking trade for Tomas Tatar.

While trading for Tatar is not that surprising, what Vegas gave up for him was. The Red Wings will get a first-round pick in 2018, a second-round pick in 2019 and a third-round pick in 2020, per Craig Custance:

Tatar has scored more than 19 goals in the past four seasons and is on pace to break the 20-goal barrier for the fourth straight season. In 62 games this season, Tatar has 16 goals and 28 points.

Head coach Gerard Gallant will likely use Tatar on one of his top three lines. The addition of the left winger gives the Golden Knights a third scoring line as they compete with the Winnipeg Jets in the Western Conference.

While general manager George McPhee gave up a large package of picks for Tatar, he is signed for $5.3 million per season until 2020-21. The cost certainty and term left on his contract are likely why McPhee was willing to give up multiple draft picks. McPhee also had the luxury of having extra picks thanks to deals he made at the expansion draft during the summer.

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Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland was on the hot seat in hockey-crazy Detroit. However, Holland’s seat should feel a lot cooler after today’s trade.

Getting three picks for Tatar is an incredible return. The Red Wings will now have an extra pick from Vegas each of the next three drafts as they look to rebuild following their 25-year playoff streak coming to an end. In addition to the picks, Detroit gets some valuable cap space. The Red Wings will enter the off-season with around $20 million in cap space available.