In this edition of Vegas Golden Knights News & Rumors, both Max Pacioretty and Mattias Janmark were forced to miss Tuesday’s game against the San Jose Sharks, and could miss extended time moving forward. Meanwhile, Alec Martinez continues to progress from his facial laceration but is not yet ready for a return. In other news, the Golden Knights victory on Tuesday was extra special for head coach Pete DeBoer, as it marked the 500th win of his coaching career.
Pacioretty & Janmark Dealing With Injuries
In a game on Feb. 25 against the Arizona Coyotes, both Pacioretty and Janmark were forced to leave early with injuries, and both have missed the Golden Knights most recent two games as a result. It is extremely frustrating news for a team that has had a very tough go of things on the injury front this season, and from the sounds of things, they could be without both for a while.
Asked earlier this week, DeBoer described neither as being close, though he failed to give a clear timeline. For Pacioretty, it continues an injury-riddled season that has seen him suit up for just 25 games. When he has played, however, he has been extremely productive with 15 goals and 27 points.
For Janmark, health up until this most recent injury hadn’t been an issue, as he has played in 47 games this season. In those games, he has managed seven goals and 17 points. Hopefully, for the Golden Knights’ sake, both he and Pacioretty are able to get back into the lineup in the near future.
Martinez Still Recovering
Back on Nov. 11, Martinez suffered a nasty injury after taking Minnesota Wild forward Brandon Duhaime’s skate to the face. He underwent surgery shortly afterward but has still been unable to play to this point. He is currently sitting on the team’s long-term injured reserve.
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While a return date has yet to be announced, he does seem to be progressing as he has been practicing with his teammates recently. Perhaps the extended break has to do with conditioning, as he did test positive for COVID-19 shortly after his injury. Regardless, it seems like a return is nearing, which will provide a huge boost for the Golden Knights’ blue line.
DeBoer Hits Huge Milestone
On Tuesday, DeBoer became one of just seven active coaches to reach 500 career wins in the NHL. It is an incredible feat for the 53-year-old, who has spent 14 seasons in the league as a head coach. He spoke briefly postgame about the big achievement but made it more about others rather than himself.
“It’s hard to put into words. When you look back, I think it’s my 14th year, you don’t remember the wins and losses. You remember the people,” DeBoer said. “Coaching staffs, the trainers, the doctors, the world-class players that we get a chance to work with every day. You feel fortunate that you’ve had the opportunity to work in the best league in the world. In order to work for that long, you have to win some games. I’ve had a lot of people contribute to the fact that I’m still getting an opportunity to work.”
Of DeBoer’s 500 career wins, 85 have come with the Golden Knights. Prior to joining the organization during the 2019-20 season, he also had head coaching gigs with the Florida Panthers, New Jersey Devils, and the San Jose Sharks. His 500 wins have come in 987 attempts, which gives him a winning percentage of 56.7.
Up Next for the Golden Knights
The Golden Knights have three games remaining this week. The first will come Thursday night against the red-hot Boston Bruins. They will then have a short turnaround, as they will face off against the Anaheim Ducks the following evening before playing the Ottawa Senators on Sunday. They will look to surpass the L.A. Kings, who currently sit second in the Pacific Division with 65 points to the Golden Knights 64.
