Ladies and gentlemen, the NHL trade deadline has come and gone. That means that the Vegas Golden Knights were busy beavers again, making some interesting pick-ups. That consisted of a winger and a center, filling out the lower lines.
I mean, c'mon. Is it even a trade deadline if Kelly McCrimmon isn't making moves? It's become a literal NHL tradition for Elliotte Friedman to cobble together some NHL trade rumors concerning the Golden Knights.
Alas, it's time for the home stretch. Time to put on those big boy pants and gear up for another Stanley Cup run. Sure the Golden Knights have been down-trodden this season with underwhelming play. But in this league, anything can happen.
With that, let's get a better overview of the busy week that was. Who's getting a new Las Vegas residency with the Golden Knights? Who's injured (again) and who's returning to the ice as we speak? Here's the round-up of everything happening within the realm.
No, Mark Stone isn't on LTIR... yet
As of Friday afternoon, Mark Stone has been placed on injured reserve. That means that he'll miss Sunday's game against the Edmonton Oilers based on merely being on injured reserve. And no, that doesn't mean that he's on long-term injured reserve.
I know what you're thinking. Stop it. That joke has run its course.
Still, the injury sets the Golden Knights back. They had to deal with losing a top offensive facilitator for superstars like Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev. Here's hoping that it's temporary.
The Vegas Golden Knights cap off a busy trade deadline
The Vegas Golden Knights made a couple of moves before the trade deadline. They acquired Nic Dowd from the Washington Capitals and got Cole Smith from the fire sale known as the Nashville Predators.
Now, I know what you're thinking. Who in the blue hell are these guys? Well, they're defensive zone guys, specializing in different facets. That includes faceoffs and exits, making them extremely valuable. Considering that the goaltending hasn't been the most spectacular, it helps Vegas more than, say, getting Jordan Binnington.
A familiar lower-line face returns to the Golden Knights ice
You might've noticed that City National Arena was packed on Friday. The Vegas Golden Knights were returning to practice for Friday's game against the Minnesota Wild. Were they coming to CNA to see Mark Stone on the ice?
You know the answer to that one. No. Instead, it was Brett Howden.
The former first-round pick has nine goals and six assists entering Friday's game. Fans should be excited about getting more lower-line depth to fill out the ranks. That should help the Golden Knights take on the tougher teams on their schedule, giving them new life.