(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)
The Golden Knights’ lineup has been fairly set since the moment Training Camp opened. Bruce Cassidy and his staff revealed early that they are going to put Mitch Marner on the top line with Jack Eichel, then match Mark Stone with Reilly Smith and William Karlsson. That left a line they used down the stretch last year of Tomas Hertl, Brandon Saad, and Pavel Dorofeyev as the third line and the remaining trio of Colton Sissons, Brett Howden, and Keegan Kolesar as the fourth.
The only way it would be in need of a change would be due to an injury. Unfortunately for the Golden Knights, it appears that may be necessary after Pavel Dorofeyev suffered a muscle strain.
Dorofeyev played in VGK’s 2nd preseason game at home against the Los Angeles Kings. He played just four shifts before leaving the game in the 1st period. He has not practiced since, and yesterday Cassidy dropped a hint that indicates they may be without him on Opening Night.
Is Pavel going to get in? If not, who goes in his spot, so then we may shuffle (the lines) around. A couple people may move around, but no big changes. -Cassidy
Of course, there’s nothing even close to concrete in that statement from Cassidy, but bringing up the possibility definitely means there’s at least some concern the issue could linger to and through October 8th, VGK’s opener.
So, where would the Golden Knights turn if Dorofeyev cannot take his spot on the third line right wing?
It may seem a bit odd, considering the player does not even have an NHL contract at this point, but the leader to take the job is Alex Holtz. Holtz has been used in three of the four preseason games and wore an “A” in the most recent one.
He’s currently in camp on a PTO but all signs have pointed towards him being a part of this team going forward. With Alex Pietrangelo hitting LTIR for the entire season, it’s certainly possible the Golden Knights will utilize Holtz’s pending contract as a way to maximize their salary cap pool by signing him to an extremely specific contract, similar to when Nic Hague signed for $2,294,150 right before the season in 2022. That contract got the Golden Knights to within $17 of the salary cap, Holtz could certainly sign something similar next week.
However, Cassidy does have other options.
Raphael Lavoie and Cole Schwindt have both continued to show a lot of what they did last season, which is why the Golden Knights claimed them both on waivers.
Lavoie has been the more impactful player so far in the preseason despite having posted just a single assist. He’s played on both the left and right wings in his three appearances and has been strong both with the puck and defensively.
Schwindt scored against the Sharks in the last preseason game against the Sharks. He has played as a center in each of his three preseason starts but skated in practice yesterday on the right wing, a possible foreshadowing to tonight’s game in Colorado.
Neither Brett Howden nor Brandon Saad has played on the right side under Cassidy, so it would be surprising if either steps in to that role on Opening Night.
So, if Dorofeyev is out of the lineup, the choice likely comes down to Holtz, Lavoie, or a slightly out-of-position Schwindt. Holtz is the most like-for-like player to Dorofeyev, but Lavoie may be the more reliable in the mind of the head coach.
Hopefully, none of this is necessary and Pavel is ready to go in eight days. But, if he isn’t, these next three preseason games will be crucial for the three players fighting for that job.
