THW's Golden Knights News

THW's Golden Knights news for 03/21/2021

March 21, 2021

The latest Lightning stories from The Hockey Writers.

 

03/21/2021 edition:

By Michael Vidakis on Mar 20, 2021 01:22 pm

With the Trade Deadline weeks away, the Vegas Golden Knights will want to bolster their lineup for playoff time by negotiating deals with teams that haven’t had much luck this season. That includes the lowly Nashville Predators who, after a dismal start to the season, find themselves out of a playoff spot.

Nashville has two players on TSN’s “Trade Bait” board: Matthias Ekholm and Mikael Granlund. They are viable options for any team looking to solidify their roster and compete for the glorious Stanley Cup, but unfortunately, they are not the right options for Vegas. “Who is?” you may be asking yourself.

The Golden Knights should really pursue Nashville center Erik Haula. Yes, that Erik Haula. There are three reasons why I think they should acquire the young Swede. Here they are.

Best Season in Vegas

Starting with the best reason first; Haula enjoyed the best season of his NHL career during his time in Vegas. In the team’s inaugural season in 2017-18, Haula was a star, posting 55 points in 76 games, as well as contributing a solid nine points during their run to the Final.

Since then, Haula has bounced around three teams, the last being his home now, Nashville, where he signed on a one-year deal. He is an underrated rental that any team should consider to strengthen their bottom-six forward corps. However, the Golden Knights should do more than look into his availability; they should pull the trigger.

Haula hasn’t produced another season like the one he played in 2017-18. His highest point total since then is a measly 24 points for the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers in 2019-20, but that could change in Vegas. He has already proved to be a great fit for the organization, and with the Golden Knights as strong Stanley Cup contenders, they could use all the firepower they can get.

Nashville Selling Low

With so much hype around Ekholm and Granlund, it would be easy for Haula to be lost in the fray. With teams looking at Nashville’s “Top Guns” for reinforcement, Vegas could easily swoop in for Haula and secure him for a late-round pick in the upcoming draft.

The University of Minnesota Alum will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, and Nashville has already made it clear they will be sellers at the deadline, so they may sell Haula off cheap. How do I know this? I don’t, but it makes sense.

Nashville is a far cry from a playoff team, so why not get something for Haula, who will probably leave in the offseason anyway. I don’t need to be a general manager (though I wish I was) to understand this makes perfect sense from Vegas’ perspective; pick up a player who has a track record of producing for you for peanuts. I don’t know about you, but I see a reunion in Vegas coming up, and it’s not for a bachelor party.

Vegas Needs Center Depth

This has been talked about since the offseason. The team doesn’t have a true number one center, as Chandler Stephenson and William Karlsson have jostled for first-line minutes throughout the season, but their last two center spots are lacking even more.

Their third and fourth line centers are Cody Glass and Thomas Nosek, respectively. They are great players, don’t get me wrong, but Haula would be a big upgrade. He would slot in beautifully on the third line, allowing Glass to sometimes play wing on the first two lines. Haula also brings flexibility, as he has played on the wing before and can be a winger on the third line if the Golden Knights want to keep Glass in the middle.

Whatever they decide to do, Haula would be a great addition and automatically strengthen Vegas’ center depth, giving them an even greater shot at attaining the Stanley Cup.

Time’s Ticking

With the NHL trade deadline upon us, teams will be looking to wheel and deal to secure their playoff chances, as well as bolster their future odds. With NHL trades also comes excitement, and as I have said in the past, this is the most wonderful time of the year (aside from the playoffs and free-agent frenzy of course). So, enjoy this time of trade and bask in the Golden Knights’ attempt at success; I know I will.

By Greg Boysen on Mar 19, 2021 03:36 pm

Today’s “Prospects News & Rumors” column takes us on a trip through the National Hockey League’s West Division. An Anaheim Ducks top prospect made his NHL debut and fit right in last night. A high draft pick of the Vegas Golden Knights is back in the Western Hockey League (WHL) and performing well. Plus, a San Jose Sharks hopeful is tearing it up in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).

Trevor Zegras & Jamie Drysdale Score First NHL Goals

The Ducks have two young stars that won’t be considered prospects for much longer in Zegras and Drysdale. After very successful and short stints with the San Diego Gulls in the American Hockey League (AHL), both young stars are playing in the NHL.

Drysdale, the sixth-overall pick of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, made his league debut on Thursday night. He sparked a comeback after the Ducks were down 2-0 to the Arizona Coyotes as his first NHL got them on the board.

The 18-year-old took the puck off the right wall and skated down the blue line until he got the room he wanted to fire off a shot. His wrister banked off defenseman Alex Goligoski and got in behind Adin Hill for his first NHL goal.

Just over two minutes later, Drysdale was credited with the secondary assist on Zegras’ first NHL goal to tie the game.

Those silky-smooth hands are going to cause NHL goaltenders to have nightmares for years to come. Zegras now has a goal and four points through his first 11 games with the Ducks.

“I was joking with [Zegras] on the way here, just saying, ‘You know, if I don’t fall on my solo lap, then it’s a win,’ so it was a lot of fun to get that [goal] under my belt,” Drysdale said after the game. “Coming out with the win on top of it made it that much better.”

Drysdale is the 13th player 18-years-old or younger to have multiple points in his NHL debut. He joined Ray Bourque and Petr Svoboda as the only defensemen to do so.

Peyton Krebs Keeps Streak Alive

Krebs is back in the WHL and captaining the Winnipeg Ice after starting the season in the AHL. The 17th overall pick of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft had a goal and five points in his five games with the Henderson Silver Knights.

After being held off the scoresheet in the Ice’s season-opener, Krebs has got his offensive game going. He had an assist on the eventual game-winning goal shortly after scoring this goal in Thursday night’s 5-2 win over the Moose Jaw Warriors.

Krebs has now scored goals in three straight games, including the game-winning goal in overtime against the Saskatoon Blades on Wednesday night. He has two assists to give him five points in his first four games in the WHL this season.

Vlad Kotkov is Red Hot

While Golden Knights currently one of the best teams out west and the Ducks seem to be on the rise, the Sharks appear to be heading in the opposite direction. They currently have just 25 points; only four teams in the entire NHL have fewer.

As the franchise looks to transition, they will need as many talented young players as they can get their hands on. They may have one in Kotkov, who is having a nice run with the Saint John Sea Dogs in the QMJHL.

He made his debut with the Sea Dogs on March 9 and put up a goal and three assists in a 5-3 win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. He followed that up with two goals and an assist on March 13 during a 5-4 victory against the Moncton Wildcats. He has three goals and eight points in his first four games.

The Sharks signed Kotsov, an undrafted free agent, to an entry-level deal back in July of 2018. Before joining the Sea Dogs, he played with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens for three seasons, scoring 77 goals and 156 points in 177 games. He played in one AHL game for the San Jose Barracuda back in 2019 and scored a goal. At 21, he will likely be playing in the AHL full-time next season.

By Brett Pickler on Mar 18, 2021 04:05 pm

The Vegas Golden Knights and San Jose Sharks have been fierce rivals over the last few years due to intense playoffs series. Recently, this rivalry has seemed to be fizzling out, but after the last contest, it appears it is still strong.

So far this season, the Golden Knights have won all five games against their Northern California rivals. This most recent game, however, posed a new challenge for Vegas. They had to battle from behind. The Golden Knights were able to complete the comeback with help from their depth, top six grit, and a returning player.

Depth Delivers

The Golden Knights entered the game with some significant absences. Alex Pietrangelo, Alex Tuch, and Chandler Stephenson were all ruled out with injury. While Tuch and Stephenson were game-time-decision, Pietrangelo was placed on Long-Term Injured Reserve. With these players out of the lineup, there was going to be more pressure on the Vegas depth players.

One of the standout players in this game against the Sharks was Ryan Reaves. Although his play has not been on par with that during the 2020 playoffs, he has steadily improved his performance over the last few games. After getting a goal called back early in the game for goaltender interference, Reaves was able to find the back of the net after a very skillful high-slot tip to put the Golden Knights up 4-3.

It was not just the depth forwards that produced offensively in this comeback win. Both Nicolas Hague and Alex Martinez were able to find the back of the net. Martinez’s goal came on the power play where he was filling the hole left by the injured Pietrangelo. It eventually became the game-winning goal.

Vegas will need their depth to continue its level of play as the season goes along. The fourth-line has seemed to struggle this year, but this game could act as a turning point for the group. In order for the Golden Knights to finally capture the Stanley Cup, they will need these players to continue to perform at their highest levels.

Top Six Grit

Normally, when people think of grit and toughness on the Golden Knights, they are drawn to the fourth-line or Brayden McNabb, but that was not the case for this game. Mark Stone and Jonathan Marchessault both dropped the gloves in an attempt to light a spark for their team.

These fights appeared to motivate the team as both fights led to goals while the “skill guys” were in the box. For Marchessault, it was only the second fight of his NHL career. His previous fight was in the 2015-16 season as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning. As for Stone, it was the fourth fight in the NHL and his second this year.

With both of these top six forwards getting into scraps, it gave the game another layer of intensity. It felt like a playoff game where all players are willing to take on any role. Going forward, it would not be surprising to see similar fights occurring when the Golden Knights need a spark.

A Familiar Face Returns

There was a notable return for the Golden Knights as Robin Lehner returned from injury to back-up Vegas. He had not dressed since his last game on Feb. 9. The reason for his absence from the team was due to a concussion. He confirmed that his injury was a concussion during his media availability prior to the game.

Lehner’s return is great news for the Golden Knights. This allows Marc-Andre Fleury to get some much-needed rest after starting the last seven games in a row and 17 of the last 18. Despite the heavy workload, Fleury’s play has been outstanding. During the course of the 2020-21 season, he has produced a 1.87 GAA, .933 SV%, and four shutouts.

With Lehner coming back into the lineup, it is unclear how head coach Pete DeBoer will rotate his two goalies. There is no doubt that Fleury could use some rest, but he is the hot hand right now and has stolen some games for the Golden Knights in the last few weeks. Lehner has also had a slow start to the season, and his injury seemed to be the icing on the cake.

It will be interesting to see how DeBoer will choose to play his cards. If he goes back to the goalie rotation, it could help ease in Lehner but stop the momentum for Fleury. On the other hand, riding Fleury could make Lehner’s return to form take a bit longer.

The Golden Knights earned their comeback victory against the Sharks due to their never surrender attitude. This attitude mixed with a whole team committed to a common goal has made Vegas a dangerous team even without some of their top players.

Recent Articles:

Latest News