Vegas Golden Knights fans held their collective breaths (and cheeks) after hearing the news about Adin Hill. In Tuesday's 4-2 win over the Calgary Flames, Hill had some unfortunate luck with the puck. He had a shot literally knock his mask off. But that wasn't the worst part of the game.
Adin Hill is out with a lower-body injury.
— Ryan The Hockey Guy (@RyanHockeyGuy) October 15, 2025
The injury stirred up an array of motions from Golden Knights fans. First, they lose their starting goaltender to a potential groin injury after he leaves in the second period. That's never fun, especially with Hill's recent injury history.
But it also confirms some fans' worst fears: the potential signing of a controversial figure. You know, the one.
But let's focus on Hill for a second. Last season, he had an electric campaign with the Golden Knights, posting career-best numbers across the board. That included a GAA of 2.47 and four shutouts. Those numbers were enough to net him a six-year contract extension worth $37.5 million.
This injury could have long-term ramifications for the Golden Knights, specifcally with their defensive group not playing up to par. What are those ramifications of not having the Calgary native around for some time? Who could step up in his absence?
What losing Adin Hill means for the Vegas Golden Knights
Obviously, the potential signing of that guy looms large. October 15 is the first day that the former Philadelphia Flyers goaltender can be signed. However, he's not eligible to play until December, leaving a notable gap in the goaltending situation.
You don't want to work Akira Schmid too much, considering he hasn't taken on the starting goaltender responsibility during his short career. Will the pressure be too much for him? Or will he slot in just fine for the Golden Knights?
That also puts the burners on Carl Lindbom, who's never started an NHL game in his career. The Golden Knights are reluctant to call up their young goaltender so quickly. They'd rather see the Swedish prospect spend some time with the Silver Knights and develop his skill set.
However, desperate times call for desperate measures. They might need their youngster to step in to ease the burden. The same thing applies to Lindbom as it does to Schmid, too. Will the pressure be too much for the young netminder to bear?
All of this hinges on the extent of Hill's injury. If it's "'Tis but a scratch," there's nothing to worry about with Vegas. If it's much more severe, it puts Kelly McCrimmon in a weird position. Considering he's hurting for cap space ($310,275, according to PuckPedia) and needs to make a move, his options could be limited. Does he make a deal with the devil, or does he stick with his young prospect and bite the bullet?
All these questions could be answered within the coming days. One thing's certain, though. Fans are quite uncomfortable with where the goaltender situation is. It could mean drastic measures for a Golden Knights team searching for quick solutions to a sudden problem.