The Vegas Golden Knights have once again dealt with more injuries than they would have liked this season. But despite all of the bad luck, they still hold down first in their division. They did what they could at the trade deadline, but with injuries and a team loading up on players, there is bound to be a number of them who won’t be back next season.
Jonathan Quick
Of all the injuries to certain areas of the lineup, goaltending has been hit hard this season for the Golden Knights. They have used five different goalies, all who have played well and provided the team with at least a .908 save percentage. As good as anyone called upon to man the crease has been this season for Vegas, some of them will be moving on. It’s not realistic to hold onto even four goalies on NHL contracts.
Logan Thompson is the only one of the five goalies signed past this season, while Jiri Petera is the only other one under team control. Jonathan Quick headlines the three unrestricted free agent goalies the Golden Knights have, and seeing how he has been going downhill the past number of years, especially this one, he will be the goaltender there is no second thought about moving on from. The 37-year-old has a .882 SV% this season even though it is up to .908 with the Golden Knights. Vegas wouldn’t have even acquired him if injuries hadn’t been suffered to their key goaltenders.
Phil Kessel
The Golden Knights have been surprised by young Pavel Dorofeyev as he has inserted himself onto the second line. Along with the acquisition of Ivan Barbashev, Phil Kessel has slid down the lineup. He was a cheap offseason addition after his long and lucrative contract expired and has even provided the team with more value than his contract is worth.
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As the Golden Knights are expected to be more healthy going into next season than they are right now, the spots are very limited at forward. Barbashev is going to be pursued much harder than Kessel during the summer and the 35-year-old Kessel will be the odd man out considering he still has a fair amount of good hockey left to play. He has 13 goals and 32 points this season and continues to not miss a game. That has been very valuable for a banged up team but may not be needed again.
Laurent Brossoit
Laurent Brossoit is another one of the goaltenders who will be the odd man out in Vegas. He has only gotten into games this season with the Golden Knights due to injuries. His season started on the injured reserve and he came back as the third string goalie behind Thompson and Adin Hill. This saw him put up mediocre numbers in the AHL before his call-up was necessary.
He is currently one of the two goalies on the Golden Knights’ active roster and is 2-0-2 with a .929 SV%. He has proven over the past few years that he is a capable backup, but lost the opportunity to play that role in Vegas. As much of a choice it will be for the Golden Knights to move on from him, it will also be Brossoit’s choice to find an opportunity and playing time somewhere else as well.
Hope they trade Lehner too, as has been said we have 2 good keepers and this will free up so much needed cap space.