The fans rose to their feet the moment the video started to play.
A loud roar reverberated throughout T-Mobile Arena for the entire 90 seconds the Golden Knights honored Jonathan Marchessault on Saturday night.
Marchessault’s old team is doing just fine. The Knights (49-22-9) clinched their fourth Pacific Division title in eight seasons by beating Nashville 5-3 on Saturday.
The ovation got louder every time one of the right wing’s goals was shown. It reached its apex when Marchessault was pictured with the Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP.
The 34-year-old stepped through the open door of the Nashville Predators bench when the video ended. He skated around the neutral zone, tears welling in his eyes. He tapped his chest and waved to the crowd.
The fans, several of them wearing Marchessault’s No. 81 jersey, chanted “Marchy” as he made his way back to the bench. The Knights’ all-time leader in goals and points, who visited his old rink for the first time since signing a five-year, $27.5 million contract with the Predators on July 1, received one more ovation before play resumed.
“It was unbelievable,” Marchessault said. “It’s what you expect from a high-class organization and high-class people from top to bottom. Great fans who were always there for me and my family, but really anyone who puts on a jersey here.”
It took a long time for Marchessault to get the flowers he deserved from his former team.
The Predators’ lone visit to T-Mobile Arena was also the Knights’ final home game of the 2024-25 campaign. Marchessault circled the date on his calendar when the schedule came out, but he had to wait a while to get there.
He had no idea what to expect, even though the 2017 expansion draft pick is one of the most important players in franchise history. His 192 goals and 417 points in 514 games are team records. His 13 goals and 25 points in 22 games during the 2023 postseason were crucial to the Knights’ first championship.
Marchessault said he still “had some butterflies” when he woke up Saturday. The game meant so much more to him than a typical late-season contest.
“I think (the fans) loved me for my intensity, the energy I was able to bring,” Marchessault said. “It’s an unbelievable building to play in.”
Outside looking in
Marchessault joined a Predators team that appeared to be on the upswing last summer.
Nashville, after making the playoffs, spent big to bring in him, center Steven Stamkos and defenseman Brady Skjei. Things didn’t click. The Predators (29-43-8) fell well below expectations and are on track to finish with the third-worst record in the NHL.
Marchessault did score at his old stomping grounds 1:02 into the third period. An eerie hush fell over the crowd afterward. Fans reacted with a mixture of cheers and boos when the goal was later announced.
It was far different than the reception Marchessault had grown accustomed to after scoring at T-Mobile Arena.
“It’s definitely never happened to me, scoring in The Fortress and it being dead silent,” Marchessault said. “But it was a good atmosphere.”
‘I miss that’
The Knights, despite their impressive record, still miss having Marchessault around.
The boisterous 5-foot-9 star would chip teammates during practice. He would start friendly banter in the locker room. He created a fun, competitive atmosphere players enjoyed being part of.
Center William Karlsson joked it’s been “a bit quieter” not having Marchessault around.
“He had great success and he was a beloved member of the team. The town has gotten to love him,” Karlsson said. “(He’s) a fun guy. I miss that.”
Marchessault’s departure, along with those of center Chandler Stephenson, left wing William Carrier and right wings Anthony Mantha and Michael Amadio this past offseason, did open the door for other players to get more of an opportunity.
Right wing Pavel Dorofeyev is playing 3:09 more per game this season and has scored 33 goals. Center Brett Howden has a career-high 23 goals after seeing his average ice time rise from 13:14 to 14:48.
There were questions over the summer about how the Knights would replace all the scoring they lost. But they’re fifth in the NHL in goals per game (3.33) with the regular season almost over.
“(Marchessault) was a guy I enjoyed coaching,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I saw growth in his game, and as a coach you’re trying to make guys better. I felt I did my job on that part. Hopefully he’d agree with that.”
Looking ahead
It’s been a difficult season for Marchessault in more ways than one.
On top of moving his wife and four children to a new city — which he admits was the easiest part — he played with a heavy heart. His mother, Lesly, died of a heart attack Sept. 20.
Marchessault has 20 goals and 54 points in 76 games this season, hitting the 20-goal mark for the eighth time. He called this year a “challenging” one that “definitely tests your character.”
He compared it to the 2021-22 season when the Knights missed the playoffs for the first time. They used the summer to heal up and won the Stanley Cup a year later. He won’t guarantee the same results for the Predators, but he wants to push the team back to the playoffs.
“That’ll be my motivation for the summer,” he said.
Marchessault, however, knows he’ll have to watch this postseason from home. He’ll have a rooting interest.
“(The Knights) have a great chance,” Marchessault said. “I don’t see anyone stopping them until the (Western Conference Final). Personally, I think they’re going to get out of their division. It’s going to be a pretty good battle against the Central (Division) because I think there are three really good teams. But I’ll cheer for them, for sure.”
Contact Danny Webster at [email protected]. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.
