It's always important to take care of yourself, my friends. You want to ensure that you don't overindulge in those McDonald's French fries or chicken wings. Otherwise, you'll deal with a litany of complications throughout the remainder of your life.
The Vegas Golden Knights know that and have dealt with a different type of health problem. You see, they've seen their best players go down with a wave of injuries, whether that's Mark Stone, Jack Eichel, or even Brett Howden. The injury buy spares no one, even if they happen to be bona fide Olympians.
Fortunately, these big names are returning to the ice, helping the Golden Knights thrive in many ways. That was apparent on Thursday night, when Vegas blew out Pittsburgh, 6-2. When your best players start filling out the lineup card, panic stops becoming a thing.
Who would've thought, eh?
That's especially the case for this round-up edition, where the topic of injuries is brought to the forefront. Let's look at who returned to the ice this week and who's moving one step closer for Vegas. Don't forget your apple, dear reader!
Brett Howden joins the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday against the Edmonton Oilers
It's been a while since Brett Howden last stepped on the ice for the Golden Knights. In fact, it had been over two months since his last appearance on January 10 against the St. Louis Blues. However, fans were greeted by Justin Bieber's hockey-playing brother, who stepped back onto the ice on Sunday against the Edmonton Oilers.
While he hasn't had a point since his return, the Golden Knights forward adds speed and youth to the lineup. It's desperately needed to keep the team from becoming overly reliant on the top lines, specifically against playoff-position teams. Speaking of much-needed players...
Mark Stone makes his long-awaited return against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday
Fans were quite excited to see their Captain return to the mix on Thursday. Mark Stone has had an incredible showing for the Golden Knights this season, scoring 21 goals and 39 assists. He might've not had a point against the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, his mere presence was enough to will a 6-2 blowout of Pittsburgh, building some confidence in the process.
Ironically enough, he was injured on March 1st against those same Penguins. Stone endured a hit from Kris Letang that knocked him out of commission for a week. Still, the Golden Knights are thankful to have their Canadian Olympian back to lead the way. The offensive front needs its leader back if they want to make noise.
Carter Hart isn't back in the mix... yet
The Vegas Golden Knights have had all sorts of problems with netminding this season. Adin Hill got off to a forgettable start before suffering a lower-body injury, only to start slow again upon returning. Carter Hart was supposed to be a band-aid on the solution, which worked... for a little bit.
But fans were also greeted with some pleasant news here, with Hart skating again. While he's not practicing with the Golden Knights yet, it's a promising sign that Vegas has more reinforcements coming. Maybe Hart can thrive with the new guys in tow?