Golden Knights’ Thompson Shining Bright Behind Depleted Lineup & Who Must Step Up in Eichel’s Absence
Also, who leads the way for 2024 All-Star snubs from Vegas & more
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In today’s edition, we have more on the recent play of Logan Thompson, the players who must step up in Jack Eichel’s absence, and more.
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Thompson Shining Bright Despite Depleted Golden Knights Lineup
January 20, 2024 by Eric Cruikshank
It’s no secret that the biggest issue the Vegas Golden Knights have faced over the past few seasons has been their injury troubles. They’ve proven that they can overcome these issues before, but as the 2023-24 season progresses, they’ve found themselves at a point where their playoff hopes have actually come into question.
Despite playing behind a depleted lineup, nobody has been more impressive for the Golden Knights lately than Logan Thompson. With a packed schedule and a ton of injuries, he had a pretty brutal end to the calendar year, finishing the month of December with a .887 save percentage (SV%) and 3.14 goals-against average (GAA) in nine games played.
5 Golden Knights Who Must Step Up in Eichel’s Absence
January 18, 2024 by Ben Fisher
The Vegas Golden Knights’ forward corps was already stretched thin before it was reported that franchise superstar and No. 1 center Jack Eichel underwent lower-body surgery this week and is now considered week-to-week. Eichel was injured in the second period of last Thursday’s 2-1 overtime win over the Boston Bruins but returned to the ice and even said he felt good afterwards. However, he wasn’t in the lineup for the past two games against the Calgary Flames and Nashville Predators.
Eichel’s injury and surprise surgery cast a dark cloud over what is already a problem upfront. William Karlsson (lower body) and William Carrier (upper body) are also out of action, leaving three key forward roles vacant. Not to mention other notable players sidelined throughout the roster, including Adin Hill and Shea Theodore. So, who steps up? Rather than focus on the challenges presented by these injuries, here’s a look at who has a chance to benefit from a bigger role.
Golden Knight’s Adin Hill & Mark Stone Lead All-Star Snubs
January 11, 2024 by Ben Fisher
On Saturday, the NHL will announce the remaining 12 players to be named to the 2024 All-Star Game through fan voting, which closes today. But don’t expect to hear any more Vegas Golden Knights‘ names included in the group that will head to Toronto for All-Star Weekend. Based on the most recent voting tally released by the league (as of Jan. 9), the Golden Knights do not have a skater ranked among the top 15 vote-getters, and the still-sidelined Adin Hill ranks a distant seventh in goalie voting (the top four will be selected).
Barring a late injury replacement, it appears that Jack Eichel will be the sole representative for the team. Sure, the All-Star Game is little more than a meaningless exhibition. Players from Canadian teams comprise 10 of the top 15 vote-getting skaters, suggesting that inclusion may be less about how you play than where you play. Still, it’s disappointing for an organization that has sent multiple representatives to four of five games in its history (there was no All-Star Weekend in 2021) and for two of its players, in particular.