What We Learned: Are Vegas Golden Knights actually better now?

It's always "Cup or Bust" in Vegas.

When you make it to the Stanley Cup Final in your first year of existence, it kinda has to be.

That's why, every summer, they seem to make a run at the best player available in free agency, and engineer trades that brings elite talent to town — even if it means having jettison other beloved and highly effective players.

But you gotta wonder if bringing in Mitch Marner means there's some sort of reasonable endpoint for that mindset in sight. I mean, probably not, because the terms of negotiated contracts don't actually seem to matter that much for the organization, but still. With this deal locked in, and all other business handled this summer, the Golden Knights are $6.81 million over the salary cap, and while that includes the $8.8 million owed to Alex Pie