Which veterans are regression candidates on the Vegas Golden Knights?
The Vegas Golden Knights went through a lot of change this off-season, including losing original misfit Jonathan Marchessault in free agency. They did not advance out of the first round in their defense of the Stanley Cup last season and need to improve in many areas to get back to the Cup Final. Can William Karlsson, Adin Hill, and Shea Theodore keep up their good form? Or will they regress in 2024-25?
The Golden Knights sit in the top ten on the Stanley Cup odds board heading into the pre-season. Their odds are not as good as many other teams in the Western Conference, including the Avalanche and Oilers. These players must step up to guarantee their success this season.
William Karlsson loses misfit partners
The Golden Misfits took the league by storm in 2017, led by William Karlsson. The expansion draft selection from the Blue Jackets scored 43 goals in the regular season and another seven in the playoffs as the number one center on the team. His fellow misfits of Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault are now gone and he is slated to center the third line.
His projected linemates Brendan Brisson and Alexander Holtz have played a combined 97 games in the NHL. Karlsson's value has changed from being a goal-scorer to shepherding along their young wingers. The addition of Tomas Hertl makes Karlsson the clear third-line center.
Golden Knights need Adin Hill to perform well in net
One of the more surprising moves of the offseason was the trade of Logan Thompson to the Washington Capitals. While the Golden Knights have a reputation for dumping important players in cap moves, their goalie was not on many people’s radars.
They replaced him with Ilya Samsonov, but the brunt of the goaltending will fall on Adin Hill. While Hill was the goalie for the 2023 Cup run, he has yet to prove that he is a top-shelf starter in the league over a full season. They must get Hill’s best season to make the playoffs.
Hill had a .909 save percentage and 2.71 goals against average in 35 starts last season. That represents the most starts he has made in one season in his career. Given an even bigger role, he could struggle. The Golden Knights must ensure that their goaltending tandem is well-balanced in the regular season.
Can Shea Theodore continue his great play?
Another original Golden Knight, Shea Theodore is entering his age-29 season. He has been excellent since arriving in Vegas and must continue that play to keep the Golden Knights competitive.
Alex Pietrangelo and Noah Hanafin make for a star-studded top pair that other teams will likely avoid with their top lines. When you play in the same division as Connor McDavid, playing against the top units is a big task. If that lands on Theodore, his numbers could take a hit.
When the Golden Knights play on the road, coaches could target their bottom-four defenseman to try and score while Pietrangelo and Hanafin are off the ice. Theodore’s partner is scheduled to be Brayden McNabb with Zach Whitecloud and Nicholas Hague playing behind them. Each of these players has an important role, but none more so than Theodore.
The Vegas Golden Knights had a solid regular season but fell in the playoffs in their defense of the Stanley Cup last year. If they want to grab another title during this window, they must get continued great performances from William Karlsson, Adin Hill, and Shea Theodore this season.
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