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.
Chandler Stephenson
Coming off of two highly successful seasons of 64 (2021-22) and 65 points (2022-23), Chandler Stephenson’s season has been a bit of a disappointment thus far. It isn’t simply that his seven goals and 22 points fall below the scoring pace he’s established over the past two seasons, but a dip in ice time, a minus-4 rating and an uncharacteristic cheap shot on Garnet Hathaway of the Philadelphia Flyers earlier in the season all point to a player who isn’t at his best.
The good news is that it isn’t too late to turn things around, and with Eichel and Karlsson out, Stephenson has every opportunity to do so. On Saturday against the Flames, he scored for the first time in 11 games. On Monday vs. the Predators, he delivered the primary assist on two of Mark Stone’s three goals and wound up with a plus-3 rating. Things may already be headed in the right direction.
An improved Stephenson would be a major boost to the Golden Knights but would also do wonders for the player. The 29-year-old is headed into a contract year, with his bargain cap hit of $2.75 million set to expire. He is likely to net a raise even in a down season, but he has a real chance at additional money with a strong second half.
Mark Stone
Given the choice, Mark Stone would much rather have Eichel by his side on the team’s top line than up in the press box, but that doesn’t mean that the captain can’t thrive in his teammate’s absence, as he did with a hat trick against the Predators on Monday.
Monday’s showing aside, Stone has been plenty productive with Eichel. In what has been a healthy season to date, he has 44 points in as many games, remaining one of just five Golden Knights to suit up in every contest. Playing with Stephenson and Pavel Dorofeyev, the 31-year-old may drive play more often, but he will do so without the same level of talent in tow.
The real opportunity for Stone here might have nothing to do with his team. As we’ve discussed in this space, Stone is very deserving of All-Star consideration but wasn’t named the team representative (Eichel was) and didn’t get selected through the fan vote. When Eichel inevitably backs out of All-Star Weekend, the former Ottawa Senator would serve as an obvious replacement (unless, of course, he’d prefer family time to a trip to Toronto).
Nicolas Roy
Arguably one of the more under-appreciated Golden Knights, Nicolas Roy can be a veritable Swiss army knife for the organization, filling in wherever needed.
Never was that more clearly on display than during Vegas’ injury-marred 2021-22 season. No, it didn’t end the way the club had hoped, but you can’t place the blame on Roy’s shoulders. The 26-year-old did virtually all he could to help his team, joining the rush as part of the top-six, taking draws as a center and employing a grinding, defensive game where necessary, depending on who he was replacing. All told, he had a career-best 15 goals and 39 points while carrying a plus-12 rating.
This season is starting to look more and more like 2021-22, at least from an injury standpoint (hopefully not from a results standpoint). Roy has seven goals and 16 points while taking on several roles throughout the lineup. With a pair of injuries down the middle (Eichel and Karlsson), he is suddenly the No. 2 center, tasked with creating offense for Jonathan Marchessault, Ivan Barbashev and likely a rotation of other wingers along the way.
Pavel Dorofeyev
Ideally, Dorofeyev would have established himself as an everyday NHLer by now. The 23-year-old Russian winger has managed 44 games of experience in the league but has yet to make a strong enough impression to force his way into a full-time role. This might be his best chance. In fact, it’s already off to a good start.
Dorofeyev’s linemates, Stephenson and Stone, have the complementary speed and playmaking abilities that should put the youngster in a position to succeed. While his minutes have yet to match his top-line standing, a bigger role will surely come with on-ice production.
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Brendan Brisson
Brendan Brisson made his NHL debut on Monday, complete with the traditional solo lap in warm-ups and typical uneven, anxious performance. The 22-year-old was busy in his 11 minutes of ice time, registering a shot on net and five attempts but also allowing Nashville’s only goal of the night.
Mistakes are expected in game one, but what Brisson showed was an aggressiveness and high effort level that will win him fans in Vegas. The club’s 2020 first-round pick (29th overall) would ideally be getting more seasoning in the American Hockey League, where he has 10 goals and 23 points in 37 games with the Henderson Silver Knights, but injuries have expedited his first career call-up. If he can make the most of it, general manager Kelly McCrimmon will have some interesting decisions on his hands.
“Next man up” has become a familiar refrain in just about every locker room, although perhaps nowhere more than in Vegas over the last few years. While this season seems a bit different given the competitive nature of the Pacific Division, the Golden Knights’ focus remains the same: lean on depth and versatility and try to weather the storm. Losing Eichel is a big one, but nothing that the club hasn’t faced before.
