(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)
This summer TSN has been deep-diving into each NHL roster. While we’ve expressed apprehension about the Golden Knights’ defense without Nic Hague and Alex Pietrangelo, TSN has confidence in VGK’s bottom blueliners.
With Alex Pietrangelo on long term reserve and unlikely to play this season, the workload will be increasing for the rest of the Golden Knights and I’m curious to see if depth defenceman Kardan Korczak is a player Bruce Cassidy leans on more. –Travis Yost on TSN.ca
TSN considers the Golden Knights’ defensive depth as second-tier. Beginning with Vegas, TSN’s Tier 2 consists of Buffalo, Florida, Toronto, Vancouver, Washington and Winnipeg. All teams with postseason aspirations, some with deep playoff plans.
Courtesy: TSN.com)
Vegas’ defense is blessed with two high-quality pairings. Veterans Noah Hanifin, Brayden McNabb, and Shea Theodore will firm up three of the top four defensive positions. That leaves Dylan Coghlan, Ben Hutton, Korczak, Jeremy Lauzon, Jacob Megna, and Zach Whitecloud to form the most effective bottom pair. Out of that group, coach Bruce Cassidy will need to find a combination he can trust on a nightly basis.
In a limited role, Korczak’s produced some impressive splits – in fact, no defender in the league over the last two years has conceded fewer goals per 60 than Korczak (1.4 per 60). –Yost on TSN.ca
TSN’s classes of defensive depth rank three Western Conference teams in their top tier. Unsurprisingly, Colorado, Dallas, and Edmonton are the clubs flashing the best hands. The Avalanche and Stars’ top four are so talented that they naturally make it easier on the bottom pair. In Edmonton, fewer minutes and less responsibility makes a veteran blueliner Jake Walman effective on the ice. That role could be Whitecloud for Vegas.
If Cassidy elevates Korczak to the second pair, the Golden Knights will have a strong veteran leader behind him. Whitecloud’s been an effective third pair D-man for Vegas since the 2020-21 season. Leaving him to sure up the depth would be ideal for Cassidy. Whitecloud remaining with the final pair likely means another defender forced himself into the lineup. This will strengthen the lineup.
We just felt Korczak was playing really consistent hockey so we put him ahead of Zach (Whitecloud) for that game. It’s not a long-term thing but sometimes it’s good for a player to know that this young guy is pushing from underneath… Korczak has brought some real value to this hockey team. For a young player in a position like right-shot D that isn’t easy to find these are good things. – Bruce Cassidy on February 12th, 2024
In 2024, Cassidy scratched Whitecloud and replaced him with Korczak. The Stanley Cup-winning coach praised the young blueliner but quickly sent him back to the AHL. Chances are, a year and a half later, Cassidy has a better read on Korczak. Natural NHL timelines suggest this is the season a young player makes his first leap.
Of course, reliable depth defensemen are necessary for contenders looking to make a deep run. However, it always comes down to the four blueliners above them. If the men with the most minutes struggle to defend and break down in their own zone, it won’t matter who Vegas’ fifth, sixth, or seventh defenders are.
ThG
the megna TRON
on D
yeah baby- ( needs to work on the Bad British teeth)
Emmanuel
The TSN tier list is complete BS.
Its seems to be based on the depth of D with flashy offensive stats.
That being said my main concern is that the VGK blueline becomes leaky and that results in the G being overwhelmed.
My prediction is Hill has a rough 1st half, the putative backup shines & Hill is shopped as a “Cup winng starting G” to make cap space for a big fish at the deadline.
ThG
too early to make such predictions, Cassidy normally has a well conditioned team good to go at start of season, that is his trade mark on this franchise to date.
Emmanuel
Its not conditioning that will do the Gs in its the blue line with only 2 reliable (defensively) D { & thats including a shaky Hanifin }.
ThG
some people say they “studied” this, yet new information comes out. Seems like they “couched” their traiterous actions wound around “team sport” play. What a bunch of evil, power monger, anti American pieces of shit.
BREAKING
Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper allegedly directed officials to “compromise” “normal” procedures to rush a politicized 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment — despite concerns from then-Director of the National Security Agency Mike Rogers, who allegedly said his team did not have “enough time” to review the intelligence to be “absolutely confident” that Russia was involved in the 2016 election.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard declassified emails Wednesday. Fox News Digital obtained the declassified records.
OBAMA ADMIN ‘MANUFACTURED’ INTELLIGENCE TO CREATE 2016 RUSSIAN ELECTION INTERFERENCE NARRATIVE, DOCUMENTS SHOW
“The leading figures in the Russia Hoax have spent years deceiving the American public by presenting their manufactured and politicized assessments as credible intelligence,” Gabbard told Fox News Digital. “The email released today reinforces what we already exposed: the decision to compromise standards and violate protocols in the creation of the 2017 manufactured intelligence assessment was deliberate and came from the very top.”
Former NSA Director Mike Rogers, left; DNI Tulsi Gabbard, center; former DNI James Clapper, right.
Former NSA Director Mike Rogers, left; DNI Tulsi Gabbard, center; former DNI James Clapper, right. (Getty)
“Clapper’s own words confirm that complying with the order to manufacture intelligence was a ‘team sport,’” Gabbard claimed.
In July, Fox News Digital exclusively reported that Gabbard and intelligence officials claimed that the Obama administration allegedly “manufactured and politicized intelligence” to create the narrative that Russia was attempting to influence the 2016 presidential election, despite information from the intelligence community stating otherwise.
The email, exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital Wednesday, from Rogers was sent to then-Director of National Intelligence Clapper, then-CIA Director John Brennan and then-FBI Director James Comey Dec. 22, 2016, at 7:00 a.m.
“I’ve just returned from a TDY overseas and been updated on the current status of our efforts to produce a joint product related to Russian attribution and intent for the DNC/DCCC hacks,” Rogers allegedly wrote in the email. “I know that this activity is on a fast-track and that folks have been working very hard to put together a product that can be provided to the president.”
ThG
Clappered responded ” That is our story and we are sticking to it”.
Get the gallows ready folks.
knights fan in minny
How funny the lefty loser party has become the party of crime They don’t want the city streets to be safe
TS
TAKE YOUR HATE SOMEWHERE ELSE, MAGGOT
.
knights fan in minny
Unhinged anger Queen why are you against safe streets in cities and neighborhoods I know why because Trump called out the guard I bet if Nap King Mushhead Joe called out the guard you would think it’s a great idea You need a rubber room Anger Queen
ThG
and straight jacket, no one comes to this site to listen to dribble coming out of that person’s mouth.
Frank
They have the Oilers defense in tier 1…… makes the credibility here dubious…… FWIW, I don’t think our issue this season will be defense.
Vic
Agree. The Oil are not tier one on D. Almost half way through August and the hockey drought will be over.
Emmanuel
This ^
ThG
inaugural
knights fan in minny
Unhinged anger Queen why are you against safe streets in cities and neighborhoods I know why because Trump called out the guard I bet if Nap King Mushhead Joe called out the guard you would think it’s a great idea You need a rubber room Anger Queen
TS
Too bad you don’t read minds, fool. What i continually OBJECT TO is the MAGGOT POLITICAL SHIT HERE ON SINBIN. If you had a functioning brain you would know PRECISELY WHY I OBJECT TO THIS MAGGOT HATE that you two MAGGOTS ram down our throats here.
knights fan in minny
Poor kids you taught probably hated you all the anger That’s why you lose your lefties won’t be in the White House for a long time Hate anger Hitler Dictator That’s all you loser lefties have
TS
You’re a real DICK, kfim
.Worse than your master here on this
A HOCKEY SITE.
. You must have failed miserably in school, that you hv such distain for educators. Perhaps if you had been a reasonable, cooperative human being, you would have been a success.
But, you’re a LOSER
.Be proud, it’s who you are.
knights fan in minny
Fuck you anger queen go back in your hole Stay angry just what you loser lefties do enjoy the greatest president ever Lookout for the man in the white coats
knights fan in minny
How many meltdowns a day do you have Anger Queen Donald J Trump is the best