The 4 Nations Face-Off break has finally arrived, and teams around the league will see a brief hiatus as Sweden, Finland, Canada, and the United States duel. This will be the first year of the 4 Nations Face-Off, where we will see the best of the best against each other and replace the All-Star Game, which many fans agreed has gotten lackluster in recent seasons.
The Vegas Golden Knights see four players seeing extra action. For Team Canada: Mark Stone and Adin Hill. Then, the United States have only two: Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin.
Related: Trevor Connelly’s Future with Golden Knights Could Be in Play at Trade Deadline
That said, here is a midseason progress report (sort of), on all players currently on the NHL roster and who have been up with the Golden Knights for at least 10 games.
Adin Hill, G
Adin Hill, the starting goaltender for the Golden Knights, has been the rock that has held up the team on the back end. This season, he’s played 62% of the games, has a .900 save percentage (SV%), and a 2.64 goals-against average (GAA).
He’s had a few off nights lately, allowing three or more goals in six of his last ten starts dating back to Jan. 4, but he hasn’t been objectively bad. He can be a very hard goaltender to beat when he’s on his A-game.
Alex Pietrangelo, D
Alex Pietrangelo is second behind only Theodore in ice time this season with the Golden Knights, averaging slightly over 21 minutes a game. Given that, he’s been an absolute workhorse for the team, even at age 35.
He’s only registered three goals and 25 points in 53 games this season, which isn’t great, considering Pietrangelo once scored 54 points in Vegas just a few seasons ago.
Brett Howden, C
Brett Howden has leveled up his game this season like no other and has arguably been the most improved player on the team. In 55 games, he has 16 goals (fourth on the team) and 23 points thus far. Last season, he only recorded eight goals and 19 points, which he has easily surpassed in almost half the games.
With Eichel, Stone, and Tomas Hertl providing much of the team’s offense, having an unexpected offensive explosion from Howden has given the Golden Knights another reliable option. He’s also shooting at 17.2%, which places him second on the team.
Brandon Saad, LW
By technicality, Brandon Saad doesn’t qualify for this list, but he’s played over 40 games with the St. Louis Blues this season before signing with the Golden Knights. In four games in Vegas, Saad has already made a difference, adding a goal and an assist.
Saad fills a need on the wing, where the Golden Knights have been thinner than usual compared to past years. While he won’t be putting up crazy numbers or anything, he adds a veteran presence and depth on the wing.
Brayden McNabb, D
Since arriving in the 2017 Expansion Draft, Brayden McNabb has been Mr. Consistent for the Golden Knights and has proven to be an extremely reliable defenseman. He is tied for second in plus/minus with Florida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling.
He is also ranked ninth in blocked shots with 123, a team-best for the Golden Knights. The 33-year-old blueliner has been solid on the backend and is always in the right place at the right time.
Cole Schwindt, RW
Cole Schwindt was claimed off waivers right before the season opener and hasn’t made a significant impact so far during his tenure in Sin City. At 23, he is still searching for his first NHL goal with the Golden Knights and only has seven assists.
Additionally, he hasn’t seen any action since Jan. 18 in Chicago and only got 6:13 time on ice (TOI). Schwindt hasn’t been a bad addition to the bottom six but has yet to make an impact that wows fans.
Jack Eichel, C
Eichel entered his fourth season with the Golden Knights with high expectations, and rightfully so, as the team’s superstar and one of the most skilled players in the NHL. So far, he’s on pace to crush his season-high of 82 points with the Buffalo Sabres as he’s on pace for 102.
For the Golden Knights, Eichel has been the heart and driving force of the offense regularly, if not every night. He has also taken a step forward in his defensive game this season, getting more reps on the penalty kill and taking more defensive zone starts. It’s hard to find a part of Eichel’s game that isn’t likable, as he does just about everything.
Ivan Barbashev, LW
While most of the time (if not all the time), it doesn’t matter who’s on Eichel’s wing, he’ll find success, but a guy like Ivan Barbashev makes his job much easier. His frame and physicality help make plays happen, along with his IQ, which is always on point.
So far, Barbashev has 15 goals and 34 points in 45 games this season and has been one of the best wingers on the team. His 1.42 goals per 60 are among the best in the league, tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov.
Ilya Samsonov, G
In his first season with the Golden Knights, Ilya Samsonov has been serviceable as a backup goaltender. He holds a .897 SV% and a 2.72 GAA, which isn’t bad for a backup goaltender.
In his past seven games, he’s 3-3-1 and has only twice allowed four or more goals. Samsonov and Hill have been a good tandem this season and have helped propel the Golden Knights to where they are now. They are one of the better tandems in the league.
Kaedan Korczak, D
Kaedan Korczak hasn’t seen a lot of NHL games this season, only appearing in 18, where he’s only recorded three assists during that span. Though that’s not to say that when he has played, he’s been bad, that would be far from the truth.
The Golden Knights blue line has been solid this season regarding health, so Korczak hasn’t been needed nearly as much if there had been more injuries. That said, he’s looked good when he’s been up in the NHL.
Keegan Kolesar, RW
Keegan Kolesar has been dominant this season and has taken off compared to his previous seasons in Vegas. In 56 games, he has 10 goals and 22 assists, only two points from his career high of 24 set in 2021-22.
He’s on pace for 33 points, and while his offensive production has been great, his physical presence is always one of the best on the team each night. He leads the team in hits with 164. That also places him at 15 in the league for hits.
Mark Stone, RW
It’s hard to say anything bad about Stone here, as he’s continued to be a go-to point producer this season, much like how he was with the Ottawa Senators. Despite missing a chunk of games, he’s still way beyond a point per game with 49 points in 42 games.
Stone’s ability on the power play has also made a huge difference this season for Vegas, as it ranks second at 28% behind only the Winnipeg Jets. The captain has been a lot of fun to watch this season and hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down yet.
Nicolas Hague, D
Nicolas Hague has likely struggled most of all the defensemen on the roster this season. The 26-year-old has only three goals and eight points to his name and is a minus-5.
Hague ranks last in nearly all on-ice metrics among defensemen on the team, and while it’s partly due to how he’s played this season, it’s also how head coach Bruce Cassidy has deployed him.
Nicolas Roy, C
The big 6-foot-4 center Nicolas Roy hasn’t found his footing this season. His numbers aren’t shiny, with only seven goals and 19 points in 45 games. However, he’s been very reliable on the defensive side of things.
Roy hasn’t necessarily been bad. He provides good depth down the middle of the lineup but hasn’t taken off like Kolesar and Howden have this season.
Noah Hanifin, D
Noah Hanifin was one of two prized possessions acquired at the 2024 Trade Deadline, and he’s had an up-and-down season up until now. In 56 games, the 28-year-old has six goals and 23 points, which slots him in at third among defensemen on the team.
Hanifin has slowly improved his game lately after some rather rough stretches earlier this season, but since then, he has recovered and played much better. Though, it’s safe to say Vegas will expect more out of him throughout the second half of the season.
Pavel Dorofeyev, LW
Pavel Dorofeyev has been a surprise this season and one of the best Golden Knights, given his expectations before the season. His 23 goals lead the team, and that’s much thanks to his power play expertise.
Now that Dorofeyev has become an NHL regular, the Golden Knights have a winger they can rely on in all situations, which has certainly been one of their weaker spots at times this season.
Shea Theodore, D
Theodore has been a rock for the Golden Knights this season and once again leads all defensemen in points with seven goals and 48 points in 55 games. He’s on pace for 70 points, which would shatter his career high of 52 points in 2021-22.
He just got injured (broken wrist) in the 4 Nations Face-Off and will be out for the remainder of the tournament. Hopefully, this doesn’t mean he’ll be out long-term because his presence has been noticeable every time he’s on the ice.
Tanner Pearson, LW
Before the season, Tanner Pearson signed a professional tryout agreement with the Golden Knights, and it was up in the air whether he’d even make the roster. Since then, he’s been a good addition to the lineup, with 19 points in 53 games this season.
He’s not going to be a game-changer every night, but he can play across the lineup and provide good minutes. Pearson has been solid regardless of where he is in the lineup or the circumstances.
Tomáš Hertl, C
Along with Hanifin, Hertl was an unexpected trade general manager Kelly McCrimmon made last season and put the rest of the league on notice. Hertl has been okay this season, and while many expected him to take off, that hasn’t been the case.
Hertl has dominated the power play with 10 goals, tied with Dorofeyev. He’s taken a backseat at five-on-five, where he has been disappointing this season. Nonetheless, his ability to keep Vegas’ power play above 25% creates a nightmare for any team they play.
Victor Olofsson, C
When Victor Olofsson signed during last offseason, many wondered if he would regain his former self that we all saw with the Buffalo Sabres. While that hasn’t happened, he’s done exactly what Vegas has asked of him this season.
In 35 games, he has 11 goals and 20 points, providing a solid bottom-six presence down the middle. He won’t make highlight-reel plays, but he’s been a solid addition to the lineup this season for the Golden Knights.
William Karlsson, C
William Karlsson has been in Vegas since being drafted during the expansion draft and continues to produce, even if it’s not offensively. He only has 18 points this season, but his impact goes beyond what the numbers show.
He’s been one of, if not the best, defensive forward for the Golden Knights this season and continues to do the little things right all the time. While the point total being higher would be nice, it’s hard to be upset at what he’s been able to produce so far.
Zach Whitecloud, D
Zach Whitecloud has had a good first half and some change so far. From an offensive standpoint, he hasn’t added anything Vegas didn’t already know about him and has been solid thus far.
He has only four goals this season but has a good shot when given the chance to let it rip. While he’s not playing against the best on other teams, he has put up good numbers and has been someone Vegas can rely on night in and night out.
Alexander Holtz, RW
When the Golden Knights traded for Alexander Holtz in the offseason, many expected him to break out in ways he couldn’t with the New Jersey Devils. Unfortunately, that has not been the case, as he’s struggled to see success this season, with only three goals and 11 points on the season.
Holtz has struggled to find consistency in his game, and while the skills and potential are undoubtedly there, he has yet to fully showcase his talent at the NHL level.
Big Second Half for Golden Knights on the Horizon
With the trade deadline looming, these next 20-ish games will dictate a lot. Granted, the Golden Knights are tied for first in the Pacific division, but you never know when McCrimmon will make a blockbuster trade, and we’ll see if he’s back at it this deadline. Regardless, there’s still lots of hockey left to be played, and we’ll see where Vegas is in about a month.
