Elliotte Friedman is always looking for a good scoop. It doesn't matter if it's Adin Hill of the Vegas Golden Knights or wherever the next big free agent will land. He's always on top of his game.
That's why the latest Hill news is concerning. Very concerning. In fact, it's something that could leave Golden Knights fans disheartened for some time.
"Logan Thompson’s off to a dynamite start for Washington. He wasn’t selected to the 4 Nations because Canada wasn’t certain he’d handle being the backup. I’d heard the snub motivated him to prove that wouldn’t be case, that he wanted to be in the conversation and was prepared to talk to the selectors about it. (No confirmation, but I’ve heard there was communication.) Jordan Binnington is a lock, and deserves to be unless he completely craters off the face of the earth. After that, there are questions, especially since word is Adin Hill is out a few months. I think Thompson is a contender, on merit."Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts
Did you catch that last part? The streets are saying that Adin Hill is out for a few months. That's worse news than originally speculated for Golden Knights fans, specifically with a hodgepodge goaltending group. Granted, the group has held strong with Carl Lindbom rising up and Akira Schmid posting a shutout on Tuesday. However, you can't deny that having your starting netminder around would be nice, especially against tougher competition.
Why the rumors from Elliotte Friedman surrounding Adin Hill are disheartening for the Vegas Golden Knights
People don't like to admit this about Adin Hill. But there have been times where he's single-handedly won games for the Golden Knights. One can point to a solid December last season, where he posted a GAA of 2.26, a save percentage of .919, and a shutout. That included the infamous 1-0 shutout on December 3 against the Edmonton Oilers, where he stopped all 28 shots.
Yes. Those Oilers, complete with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Goaltenders like that fly under the radar, stealing games for you at a moment's notice. That was also the case with the 2023 Stanley Cup run, where he posted a GAA of 2.17, a save percentage of .932, and two shutouts. Argue all you want, but the fact is you can win a Stanley Cup with Hill in net.
That's why the loss hurts for the Golden Knights. You don't want to lose your trusted starter to a lower-body injury, specifically if it's for a few months. In that time, you're facing off against the league's best, including the Florida Panthers, the Colorado Avalanche, and the Winnipeg Jets. Of course, that's just scratching the surface with the teams you're facing.
Luckily, Kelly McCrimmon has prepared for this situation with an insurance policy
When you have a general manager like Kelly McCrimmon, you're able to prepare for such situations. That includes having a stellar prospect in Carl Lindbom, who's had two great outings to start the season. If he continues his upward trajectory, could we see more of him during the regular season?
Better yet, what about Akira Schmid? After shutting out the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, he showed that he has plenty to prove to the organization. That could mean he sticks around longer with a solid campaign, even if he's not seen as the long-term starter.
Of course, there's also Carter Hart, who'll be eligible on December 1st. In short, the Golden Knights' goaltending room, while imperfect, has choices. Ironically, that was the same situation they were in 2023. I wonder what happened during that Stanley Cup run?