The Vegas Golden Knights moved closer to finalizing their season-opening roster on Sunday. They placed Zach Aston-Reese, Tanner Laczynski, and Jonas Rondbjerg on waivers, clearing the way for getting the forward group set for October 9. The moves came after Tanner Pearson got a new contract with the Golden Knights.
VGK waiving all three of the forwards on the edge of the roster. Will be interesting to see if they all clear. https://t.co/oVlEnLlxzc
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) October 6, 2024
The former Kings first-round pick is expected to be a fourth-line player, alongside Keegan Kolesar. Brisson could get into the starting lineup, depending on what happens with William Karlsson. How did the other three do during the preseason?
Laczynski scored two goals and three assists during the preseason, including a goal and assist in Vegas's 6-1 blowout against the Colorado Avalanche. Aston-Reese scored two goals in that same contest, adding an assist to his preseason total. Rondjberg didn't have any points during the preseason, letting his play away from the puck keep him in the conversation.
As for Brisson? It took him a little bit to pick up the pace. However, he found his bearings later in the preseason, with his two-point performance (one goal, one assist) on October 1st being a shining example. Here, he had five shots on goal, giving the front office personnel hope for a turnaround.
What the fourth line will look like with Zach Aston-Reese, Tanner Laczynski, and Jonas Rondbjerg on waivers
Tanner Pearson should spend time with Keegan Kolesar on the fourth line, giving the group a veteran presence. He showed his worth by displaying excellent offensive knowledge and positional awareness. That led to some excellent goals and Bruce Cassidy showing faith in his work.
"We liked his camp, and he earned his way onto the roster."Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy
A mixture of hockey smarts and scoring acumen should give Pearson a place to succeed in Cassidy's lineup.
As for Laczynski, he had an excellent shot that provided a scoring spark for the Vegas Golden Knights. That shot improved, adding another dimension to Vegas's attack. Aston-Reese also showed some offensive flair, putting up points when needed. Rondbjerg showed you can impact the game without scoring too much, with a nice (but silent) showing.
What will happen to all three forwards? It remains to be seen that all three will clear, meaning their future whereabouts are unknown. However, the Golden Knights will have options in case of an emergency. Given the team's bad luck with injuries in the past few seasons, it will help fill some voids in the forward position.