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Vegas Golden Knights Acquire Philip Holm

By Richard Cardinale

LAVAL, QC - NOVEMBER 25: Utica Comets defenseman Philip Holm (52) skates with the puck during the first period of the AHL game between the Utica Comets and the Laval Rocket on November 25, 2017, at the Place Bell in Laval, QC (Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LAVAL, QC - NOVEMBER 25: Utica Comets defenseman Philip Holm (52) skates with the puck during the first period of the AHL game between the Utica Comets and the Laval Rocket on November 25, 2017, at the Place Bell in Laval, QC (Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The Vegas Golden Knights indeed made a move on NHL trade deadline day.

Questions were surrounding the Vegas Golden Knights ahead of the trade deadline. What should the expansion franchise do? Should they stand pat, sell or pick up someone to help them in their first run for the Stanley Cup?

Erik Karlsson’s name has been linked to Vegas, but that seems to be more of a fantasy than a reality. I can see a player like Zack Smith coming to Vegas for cheap but not sure if general manager George McPhee wants to pay for that kind of contract. However, he did make a minor tweak to the Golden Knights roster with a little over two hours to go before the 12 PM PT deadline.

On Monday, the Vegas Golden Knights traded forward Brendan Leipsic to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for defenseman Philip Holm. Leipsic struggled in his time here in Vegas by only scoring two goals, 11 assists and 13 points in 44 games played. Meanwhile, Holm played his only NHL game against Vegas at T-Mobile Arena a few days ago finishing with a -2 rating.

Initial Thoughts

Leipsic had a ton of bad luck this year with the Golden Knights. Whether it was hitting the post or crossbar on multiple occasions, the goaltender was making an unbelievable save or the puck bouncing off of his stick. For whatever reason, Leipsic didn’t show enough “finish” ability. But who is Philip Hom and what does he bring to the table?

The 6’1 blueliner is a bit of a late bloomer at 26-years old. Holm plays a well-rounded game, owns fantastic mobility and makes a great first pass entry in the offensive zone. The Stockholm Sweden native also brings a physical presence to his game and loves dishing out some big hits.

In 42 games played with the AHL’s Utica Comets, he notched 11 goals, 18 assists, and 29 points. Pretty impressive for his first year playing North American hockey. I expect Holm to go straight to the Chicago Wolves and finish off the year in the AHL. Not a bad move at all if you’re McPhee and the Golden Knights.

Furthermore, with the emergence of Ryan Carpenter and his recent play as of late, it made Leipsic expendable. It also wouldn’t surprise me if Tomas Hyka took over that Leipsic role from now until the end of the season. They’ve seen Hyka grow his game from development camp in July to now and he’s impressed with every shift.

Next: Vegas Golden Knights Prospect Nikita Gusev Wins Olympic Gold Medal

Overall, this is a decent minor move for the Vegas Golden Knights. Will this be the only move of the day for the expansion franchise? We’ll have you covered for the rest of the day if any trades break in from the Golden Knights.

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