The last Training Camp session of the week before a battle against the San Jose "Baby" Sharks commenced, with fans excited about hockey returning. Finally, fans got to see Mitch Marner on the ice and watch what he could do with Jack Eichel. Fans also saw familiar faces such as Tomas Hertl, Mark Stone, and Adin Hill.
More importantly, hockey is back on the ice. Finally, fans don't have to watch Rob Manfred's gooberish face on the television. They also don't have to suffer through FOX's "Shohei Ohtani Watch" regularly. Imagine having a "Connor McDavid Watch" posted by ESPN or SportsNet.
Thank goodness that isn't the case because Disney would've set the bar even lower. As if the company couldn't have done anything else dumb...
Anyways, let's look at some observations from the final Training Camp day this week. One line stood out, while a key defenseman was surprisingly absent from drills. Should fans worry about this? What about this particular line? Should they be excited about where their potential lies?
Get ready because it's time to take a dip into Training Camp notes!
1.) Where is Noah Hanifin?
A notable absence from the last group was Noah Hanifin. He wasn't on the ice during line rushes and was replaced by Dylan Coghlan. The absence was noticed and felt by Golden Knights fans at practice.
"Is he okay?"
"Is there an injury that we don't know about?"
Those questions were brought up as the practice progressed. Will the former first-round pick be okay before the season starts? More importantly, will his best buddy, Jack Eichel, bring him soup and an ice pack to cool down?
2.) The projected top line looks fast
Mitch Marner and Jack Eichel had plenty to celebrate throughout the day. They started bonding after the first Training Camp session and created some highlight reel sequences throughout the week. That's a promising sign for a Golden Knights team looking to compete with the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers.
As mentioned, having three players in their prime who are running up and down the ice will work wonders for Vegas. It also eliminates the need to tinker with the lineup too much since Marner is also sound defensively. The instant chemistry could pay dividends early in the season since the Golden Knights have a tougher October month.
3.) Dylan Coghlan looks comfortable as an alternative
On the note of Dylan Coghlan, he looked great in his practice sessions alongside Zach Whitecloud. He scored solid goals and looked comfortable functioning offensively.
Of course, he's familiar with the Golden Knights organization. The British Columbia native played with Vegas from 2020 to 2022, scoring six goals and 13 assists during his tenure. He returns after being traded alongside Max Pacioretty to the Carolina Hurricanes on July 13, 2022, for Golden Knights legend, Future Considerations.
A good Training Camp will lead to Coghlan competing for the seventh defenseman role with Ben Hutton. His comfort level and familiarity indicate he'll be a good fit heading into the 2025-26 season. You can never have too much depth, you know?