On-ice Training Camp begins today with the 66-man roster broken down into three sessions, skating at 9 AM, 11:30 AM, and 2 PM.
Thanks to a little tidbit from a recent article by Nick Cotsonika on NHL.com, the expectation is that Shea Theodore, Rasmus Andersson, and Noah Hanifin will each be in separate groups, and therefore slotted in each on separate pairs to open the season.
On defense, the Golden Knights likely will deploy puck-movers Shea Theodore, Rasmus Andersson and Noah Hanifin on different pairs, complemented by the more defensive-minded Brayden McNabb, Parker Wotherspoon and Jeremy Lauzon. McCrimmon said the defense likely will be more involved in the offense. –Nick Cotsonika on NHL.com
This is an ambitious move for new head coach Ryan Craig to put into action, as it will lead to some tricky decisions early in the season.
Splitting up the three puck-moving defensemen sounds great on paper, until it comes time to actually deploy them in games. The decade-long trusted pair of Theodore and McNabb will certainly remain VGK’s top pair. Behind them, Craig, along with assistant coach John Stevens, must decide whether Andersson or Hanifin will serve as the second pair, likely alongside Wotherspoon. That then leads to a $7+ million defenseman playing on the third pair.
Because the power play roles are all still expected to be filled by forwards, one of the Golden Knights’ highest-paid players is destined to play somewhere between 14-18 minutes a night rather than the closer to 22 they are all used to getting. Also, deployment is never equal, which means there will be a preferred offensive zone pair and a defensive zone one. More than likely, the player who falls to the third pair will also draw the short straw as the defensive-minded one.
Last season, Jeremy Lauzon and Kaedan Korczak who served as Vegas 3rd pair for much of the season, averaged 17:11 and 15:58, respectively. When he filled in, Ben Hutton’s ATOI was just 14:35.
Hanifin has averaged at least 20 minutes a night in each of the last seven seasons. Andersson has been over 23 minutes a game in each of the last 5 seasons and Theodore hasn’t been below 20 minutes in any of his nine seasons in Vegas.
The math doesn’t add up if all three of them are on separate pairs and none of them are on the top power play unit. It seems like a massive underutilization of at least one defenseman and maybe even two.
The appeal is obvious. Vegas could have a legitimate puck-moving presence on the ice for every five-on-five shift. But unless the Golden Knights are planning on leaning much more heavily on a third pair than ever before, someone is going to be asked to play far less than his resume and contract suggest he should.
Emmanuel
I think the reason they have 3 puck movers is insurance in case of injury.
With Doro leaving they should break up the 5 F PP1 unit & go with 4/1 & 3/2.
Abdullah
They should return the minor league coach to the minor leagues and get a real NHL head coach – this season will be a disaster
Knights fan in minny
Every time you post you are a disaster Put your money where your mouth is big mouth
Dude
There is a reason why you are not a coach or GM
JB
Just about every NHL coach started as a minor league coach, idiot!
larry
Arent all defenseman puck-moving defensemen, its in their DNA and job description.
Are we instead talking of being an offensive defenseman, one who can skate the puck out with pace, using speed through the neutral zone and perhaps being involved in odd-man rushes?
Theodore is not like that, he does not possess the speed to do that, his offensive acumen comes in the offensive zone with his stick-handling and shiftiness.
Andersson does in fact possess the speed and stick-handling to be an offensive force, and one can only hope he can use that to be worth the contract he signed.
Hanifin certainly has the most speed and athleticism on the back end, but for whatever reasons there may be he is happy to just get past center ice and dump the puck in, he shows no desire or inclination to join the rush, and has been a major offensive disappointment since he has been a Golden Knight.
vgk21
exactly right Larry… they got within 2 wins of a stanley cup playing their d corps just the way it was last season.
Colorado Avs had PLENTY of offensive dmen…how did that work out vs Vgk?
to create more offense, what the Vgk really need is the Carolina Brindamour system for the FORWARDS….iow, a relentless offensive zone forecheck by the forwards to replace their current half hearted o-zone forecheck.
Pistol Pete
“Are we instead talking of being an offensive defenseman, one who can skate the puck out with pace, using speed through the neutral zone and perhaps being involved in odd-man rushes?”
“Theodore is not like that, he does not possess the speed to do that, his offensive acumen comes in the offensive zone with his stick-handling and shiftiness.”
You are kidding us, right? Have you looked at his career stats recently? He has enough speed. Absolute top shelf speed is not required for a D to do the below.
“Puck-Moving & Zone Entries:
Analytical tracking data frequently ranks Theodore near the top of the league for zone entries with possession and stretch passes. Vegas regularly relies on him to carry the puck directly through the neutral zone.”
“Rush Creation: He is highly aggressive and excels at jumping into the play. Coaches have historically tailored their systems to let him lead or join four-man line rushes to overwhelm opposing defenses.”
“Skating and Agility: Rather than just having straight-line speed, his defining trait is his agility, lateral movement, and patience on the blue line, allowing him to manipulate defensemen and open up clean passing lanes.”
In any case it will be cool if Craig’s strategy pans out and we see all three pairs getting about equal TOI.
larry
I am not trying to kid anyone with my observations and feelings, I stand by what I said and encourage you to watch Theodore in action once the regular season begins.
vgk21
Connelly gets his chance
Few players have more to gain over the next several days than Trevor Connelly.
The 20-year-old opened camp alongside Tomas Hertl and Victor Olofsson. Craig coached Connelly in Henderson and said the prospect gets the “first kind of crack” at that opportunity.
“Trevor has a skill set that he brings to our group that not a lot of people in our organization have,” Craig said.
=============================
so, the Craig lines so far are-
Barbashev-Eichel-Stone
Howden-Karlsson-Marner
Connelly-Hertl-Olofsson
?????- Dowd- Gatcomb?
vgk21
obviously Bowman fits in there on the bottom six….either taking the Connelly spot if he does not make it, or the 4th line spot next to Dowd
Knights fan in minny
I would say Connolly has to stay and get some seasoning it looks like to me that hard checking harassing 4th line will not be in play this season olofsson Needs to become a 20 goal scorer this year Lots of question marks on the offense it might be a rough start unless Mccrimmy has something up his sleeve
Larry
I’m hoping ….still hoping lol….that Lavoie will make and have an impact to break camp after his stellar AHL season….his size and scoring ability are rare within the VGK roster… and yes I am acutely aware he has yet to register a point in 17 NHL games!
I’d like to see someone like Lavoie, Uchaz or another supplant Olafsson sooner than later on that prospective 3rd line.
Pistol Pete
If Connelly makes the 3rd line there will be no room for Silver Knights unless there are injuries or Olofsson flunks out. I like Lavoie too just think this roster is too deep. There are a number of HSK players with NHL potential. The VGK prospect makeup is way underrated imo.
larry
I do agree with you on the prospect pool for VGK, that is why I think VGK will have a better performance this year which will result in a better overall record.
Knights fan in minny
TS Are you out there Hope Everything’s OK
vgk21
the Vgk veterans are just kids compared to the LA Kings veteran roster
LAK=
Armia 33
Fiala 30
Haula 35
Kempe 30
Laughton 32
Moore 31
Panarin 35
Perry 41
Zuccarello 39
Ceci 33
Doughty 37
Dumoulin 35
Edmundson 33
Gustafsson 34
Kuemper 36
Forsberg 34