How Logan Thompson can improve

It's not easy being Logan Thompson right now. The Vegas Golden Knights goaltender is in the middle of some wild trade rumors, where he might go to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He and Shea Theodore have been rumored to be outgoing for Vegas in return for one particular superstar: Mitch Marner.

The speculation is fair, with the megastar bringing plenty of benefits to Vegas. The Maple Leafs forward is in the last year of his current deal and regularly comes close to scoring 100 points each season. He's also great on the forecheck, where he'll fit in with the current system. He has a cap hit of roughly $10.9 million this season, a hefty price tag for a team without much cap room.

Whether Mitch Marner waives his no-trade clause is something to watch. However, the young forward has made one thing clear. He's come a long way from his raw talent days when he seemed like he needed more time. Now, the Vegas Golden Knights could make a trade happen.

As for Logan Thompson, he's just along for the ride. But let's assume the young goaltender isn't traded. While the Calgary native is also in the last year of his current deal, he's one half of a good goaltending tandem in Las Vegas with Adin Hill. But there's more Thompson can do to improve his standing with the team. What aspects can the goaltender work on during his Vegas stay?

Logan Thompson must be consistent

Remember when Vegas Golden Knights fans couldn't stand Logan Thompson? He had a terrible month in December, allowing 3.14 GA/G with a save percentage of .887. Everyone wanted to burn Thompson at the stake for his poor performance.

Granted, such incidents happen from time to time. Not everyone is perfect and the 27-year-old goaltender is no different. That would take away from life's excitement if everyone were flawless like Mr. Perfect. However, there's one thing he can help the Vegas Golden Knights with: Consistency.

If he can toss in a few great games in net, the Golden Knights can rely on him more. That's especially true if Adin Hill is out with an injury, which can happen. Hill was absent for most of December last season, which hurt Vegas's goalie situation. Of course, that starts with making a particular change in his goaltending style...

The Vegas Golden Knights would appreciate a less chaotic style

Part of Logan Thompson's appeal has been his ability to make unreal stops, sprawling out to save any impossible shot. Let's look at his performance in game three against the Dallas Stars, where he nearly won the game for the Vegas Golden Knights.

This is what fans get when he's on his game. But what happens when he isn't?

Well, you get a disastrous performance against the Arizona Coyotes on April 8. He allowed three goals in the third period in under two minutes. In turn, a 4-1 lead suddenly became a tie. There were easy shots he let in, which didn't help his case to stay in the net.

This starts with using his large frame to his advantage, using his body to make easy shots. Thompson stands at 6'4", which is a great height for a goaltender. It allows him to cover more area in the net and make incoming shots easier.

Sticking to a more consistent style will help Thompson in the long run. It looks good for the Vegas Golden Knights to keep him and even make him more appealing in the Mitch Marner deal. In any case, the goaltender's improvement will benefit Vegas moving forward.