Let's be honest for a second. This has been a stinky season for Adin Hill. Vegas Golden Knights fans have quickly turned on him after the Calgary native posted a GAA of 3.06 and a save percentage of .868. Not only that, but he has a Goals Saved Above Expected of -13.9. Suddenly, that six-year deal worth $37.5 million doesn't look too smart, does it?
Fans have led the revolt against the former Stanley Cup Final hero, calling for his head on a silver platter. They want him traded to the Shanghai Dragons for a bag of peanuts and some pucks, hoping to never see his face ever again. It's amazing what one bad season can do for a goaltender, especially when you were picked as the starter over Logan Thompson.
The good news? He has a chance to redeem himself (somewhat) against the Seattle Kraken on Thursday. The Kraken enter Thursday's game on a six-game losing streak, while the Golden Knights are riding the John Tortorella high with a four-game winning streak. Of course, things can get extremely dicey if Hill's not careful. Still, here's how the netminder can ease the burden off the Golden Knights on Thursday.
How Adin Hill can help the Vegas Golden Knights defeat the Seattle Kraken
Looking at the aforementioned stats, you'll see a goaltender who doesn't have much hope against the Kraken. It doesn't matter who Hill plays on a random night: he's bound to be cooked beyond belief. However, there are some factors favoring the netminder.
For one, Seattle doesn't score too many goals. They're 26th in the NHL in goals scored per game entering Thursday's game (2.77 goals per game), making them less than a greater expansion story. Players like Matty Beniers and Jared McCann have vastly underachieved, leaving Seattle to look for more scoring depth.
But that's not all. They're tied for 21st with the Florida Panthers regarding the power play (19.5%), leaving much to be desired. Even if the Golden Knights get themselves in a penalty killing pickle, the unit has had no troubles making successful exits. In fact, the unit's been one of the league's best entering Thursday, tied with the Nashville Predators for the league's fourth-best penalty kill (82.1%).
Everything is set for Adin Hill to be successful in net. The one thing that he must do is not let one goal become two or three. That has been a troubling habit from the netminder this season, where the floodgates have opened numerous times. Of course, it doesn't help that the Golden Knights constantly turn the puck over (16.14 giveaways per game, eighth-most in the NHL). However, he carries the burden of stopping easier shots, regardless of whether they come off a turnover.
Thursday presents a "golden" opportunity for the Golden Knights to have a big game against Seattle. The Kraken are wounded and have lost six straight games, while the Golden Knights are rolling with four straight wins. You can say that it's two teams going in opposite directions. But it'll definitely be the case if Hill can hold down the fort.