It seems like some Vegas Golden Knights fans can't let go of the Adin Hill vs. Logan Thompson debate. When Thompson requested a trade last summer to be closer to his fiancée, it seemed like a win-win.
"Finally! I'm get to prove myself as a No. 1 goaltender and be closer to my true love."
That's probably what the Washington Capitals netminder said after being traded for a third-round pick in both the 2024 and 2025 NHL Drafts. Life was good for the 28-year-old afterwards. He led the Capitals to the most points in the Eastern Conference (105 points).
He ran away with the debate, leaving some Golden Knights fans burned. Before January 31, he had a GAA of 2.05 and a save percentage of .927. Toss in two shutouts and the Calgary native looks like he's thriving... Until the last two months.
He's had a GAA of 3.33 and a save percentage of .877 (both entering Wednesday's game) since February 1. On top of that, he suffered an upper-body injury in Wednesday's 5-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Thank goodness Alexander Ovechkin is chasing Wayne Gretzky because this news would hurt Capitals fans even harder.
Suddenly, Adin Hill fans are coming out of the woodwork, claiming their goalie as superior. Oh boy, here we go with this whole thing again...
Yep, it looks like we're doing this bit again. Fans already know the backstory and what came in the aftermath. It seems like one article isn't enough to talk about this. Still, there's more to this comparison than the surface allows.
How has Adin Hill done since February 1st compared to Logan Thompson?
Since February 1st, Adin Hill actually has an advantage over his former teammate. In fact, the comparison isn't even close between the two. What does the statline look like between Hill and Logan Thompson (stats are entering Wednesday's slate of games)?
Goaltender stats since February 1st | GAA | Save percentage | Shutouts |
|---|---|---|---|
Adin Hill | 2.08 | .922 | 2 |
Logan Thompson | 3.33 | .877 | 0 |
The night-and-day difference is astonishing. Hill has taken the Golden Knights to new levels, preparing for the postseason run. Speaking of which...
Fans will remember the netminder who took the reins in the 2023 Stanley Cup run. It was Laurent Brossoit before he went down, making way for... Hill. The prior post mentioned this, talking about the former Shark's postseason experience compared to his counterpart.
The last two months have proven that Vegas's starting goaltender is holding his own just fine. Ironically, both have similar statlines with Thompson holding the slight edge (stats are before Wednesday's slate of games).
2024-25 stats | GAA | Save percentage | Shutouts |
|---|---|---|---|
Adin Hill | 2.47 | .908 | 4 |
Logan Thompson | 2.43 | .912 | 2 |
In the end, it doesn't matter who the Vegas Golden Knights chose
Let's be honest. This isn't a situation where fans simply debate because one was traded for salary cap reasons. Thompson had personal reasons beyond wanting to be the starting goaltender and prove himself. He's happier in his new home despite a few hiccups.
Still, both netminders are similar beyond being on the Golden Knights between 2022 and 2024. They're both 28 years old, from Calgary, and got nice contract extensions. Their fortunes are well-deserved.
After all, Kelly McCrimmon still came out a winner in all this. He still got a solid goaltender and gained two draft picks in the process. It should be expected from a bona fide general manager who won most of his deals with Vegas.
So who will be the better goaltender? Time will tell. But it doesn't matter right now. All that matters is for the Golden Knights and Capitals to get their second Stanley Cup. Who knows? They might face each other in the Stanley Cup Final. Now THAT would add another layer to the debate.