Much has been said about the Vegas Golden Knights and their depth this season. Fans were worried about the team being too... top-heavy. When you rely on big names such as Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, and Mark Stone, you're relieved to hear that Brayden McNabb is coming back after the break.
However, he wasn't the only player who returned to the ice at Friday's practice. Colton Sissons and Brandon Saad also joined McNabb on the ice, adding depth to the forward group.
Brayden McNabb, Colton Sissons, and Brandon Saad are all on the ice for VGKs first practice back.
— SinBin.vegas 🇺🇸 (@SinBinVegas) February 20, 2026
13 skaters and 2 goalies.
On the surface, the scoring hasn't been there for the three players. McNabb only has two goals and an assist this season, while Sissons has three goals and three assists and Saad has two goals and five assists.
However, that doesn't mean that the Golden Knights are getting marginal returns on their players, well, returning to practice. There's much more that all three players provide for Vegas, starting with McNabb. The Misfit gives the Golden Knights back-end defense, taking away shooting lanes and blocking shots.
What Brandon Saad and Colton Sissons joining Brayden McNabb at Friday's practice means for the Vegas Golden Knights
When Sissons was acquired from the Nashville Predators during the summer alongside Jeremy Lauzon, the endgame wasn't getting more goals. It was addressing the faceoff problem, where the Golden Knights had to rely on William Karlsson and Tomas Hertl.
The center brings that back to the fold with a faceoff percentage of 55.1% this season. He's also a terrific penalty killer with a fluid stick that can disrupt plays. Saad provides a two-way game that also helps the lower units, keeping 200 feet of ice covered. Believe it or not, Saad's presence helps the Golden Knights more than people realize, even if he's on the tail end of his career.
Overall, the players add more to the defensive end, giving more cushion for the netminders. That has been a major gripe for the Golden Knights in recent weeks, although the goaltenders haven't done themselves any favors. Now, you have veteran players ready to constrict their opponents, specifically in the later periods, suffocating them and preserving the Golden Knights' leads.
That's something that could be a sight for sore eyes for Golden Knights fans come April. As long as the Olympians return to Las Vegas in one piece, that could be the icing on the Stanley Cup cake. Sometimes, it's the lesser-known players that kickstart something special.