He’s back! Popular Original Misfit returns for 1st time with Predators
The best word Bruce Cassidy could use to describe his relationship with Jonathan Marchessault was “growth.”
There were times the Golden Knights coach and their leading goal scorer butted heads. It’s a challenge all coaches go through, Cassidy said, with high-end players to find common ground on reaching the ultimate goal.
“We came to a mutual respect to what each other wanted, and it culminated in a Stanley Cup and a Conn Smythe, so that’s a pretty good ending,” Cassidy said.
A season full of tribute videos and “welcome back” messages reaches its conclusion Saturday.
Marchessault — the Original Misfit, the expansion draft selection from the Florida Panthers, the 2023 Conn Smythe Trophy winner and all-time franchise leader in almost every statistical category — will make his long-awaited return to T-Mobile Arena against the Nashville Predators.
The 34-year-old, an integral part in the first seven seasons of the Knights’ history, signed a five-year, $27.5 million contract with Nashville on July 1.
The Knights have already welcomed back center Chandler Stephenson (Seattle), right left wing Michael Amadio (Ottawa), defenseman Alec Martinez (Chicago), left wing William Carrier (Carolina), and defensemen Daniil Miromanov and Brayden Pachal and forward Anthony Mantha (all three with Calgary).
This one will be a bit different. Marchessault’s emotional nature and competitive fire made him one of the most beloved figures in franchise history. It’s why he’s the franchise’s leader in goals (192) and points (417).
There were times that carried over behind closed doors, but it was all in the name of being competitive.
“I enjoyed coaching Marchy. He’s a challenge, but in a good way,” Cassidy said. “He has opinions, he has a way he likes to play. I have opinions, and I have a way I like to coach.”
Cassidy said he doesn’t know if Marchessault would agree on the common ground thought process, but “I certainly felt we got really good mileage out of him, and he did right by the team. To me, it was a win-win.”
The Predators traveled to Las Vegas on Friday, so Marchessault was not available for comment.
Marchessault has already gotten the nerves of being on the other side out of the way. The Knights and Predators split their first two meetings at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
Nashville won 5-3 on Jan. 14 despite right wing Pavel Dorofeyev’s first career hat trick, but the Knights answered with a 3-1 win March 29.
This, however, is the game that has been circled on the calendars. It comes on the Knights’ final home game of the regular season.
What could have been
This was supposed to be a potential playoff preview. Nashville was the big winner of free agency last summer. Along with Marchessault, the Predators added longtime Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos (four years, $32 million) and defenseman Brady Skjei from the Carolina Hurricanes (seven years, $49 million).
“We miss him here,” Cassidy said. “He had to make a decision for his family. We had to make a decision for our team, and that’s how hockey goes sometimes. I wish him all the best.”
Things haven’t gone as planned. A disappointing season has the Predators (29-42-8) thinking ahead to changes in the offseason. Marchessault has 19 goals and 53 points in 75 games.
Meanwhile, the Knights (48-22-9) will be playing playoff hockey for the seventh time and can wrap up their fourth Pacific Division title in eight seasons with a regulation win.
The Knights can also clinch if the Los Angeles Kings lose in regulation to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.
“We’re putting ourselves in a good spot. We’ve got a good team in here. We believe in the team,” defenseman Brayden McNabb said. “We know we can beat any team any given night.”
Emotional ending
It will start to settle in during warmups at about 6:30 p.m. Marchessault will walk from the visiting tunnel for the first time and take line rushes on the opposite side of the ice. Maybe he will talk to former teammates.
The true emotion won’t hit until the first TV timeout when Marchessault receives a tribute video to highlight his accomplishments of seven seasons, then what’s expected to be a rousing ovation.
After that, it will be back to business. The Knights will have a mission to accomplish, and it might come at the expense of Marchessault.
“It’ll be exciting for him to be back, for sure,” McNabb said. “He’s a character, and he’s always fun to compete against.”
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.