3 surprising names that could impact the Vegas Golden Knights

Zach Aston-Reese

Zach Aston-Reese doesn't have the scoring pedigree as the previous two candidates mentioned. However, he does bring physicality, which would be a perfect fit on the fourth line. That would especially helpful if one of the fourth line players gets injured or bumped up because of an injury elsewhere.

How so? He's amassed 821 hits throughout his seven-year career. In fact, his highest total came in 2021-22, where he totaled 231 with both the Pittsburgh Penguins and Anaheim Ducks. The former Red Wing could be a good replacement for Paul Cotter's outgoing production, although fans shouldn't expect as much offensive output.

The Vegas Golden Knights love having a strong forecheck that takes away scoring opportunities. That's done through various means, including laying out opponents and closing gaps quickly. Aston-Reese could be a nice fill-in when there's an injury, giving more strength to a solid defensive unit. He could mesh into Bruce Cassidy's system without trouble and wear down the opposition without any problems.