Reinforcements Are Coming for the Vegas Golden Knights

Logan Thompson did everything he could, keeping the Vegas Golden Knights afloat as the No. 1 goalie. That led to a Third Star earned for his hard work, regaining his confidence in the process. Adin Hill returned and took it from there.

Nicolas Roy did everything he could, earning himself heavy consideration for being on the Golden Knights' top line. The native of Amos, Quebec, tallied 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 13 games in January, showcasing his evolution as a hockey player. William Karlsson just got activated from LTIR and should return on February 6 against Edmonton.

Jonathan Marchessault did everything he could, leading Vegas out of its fiery depths. The Conn Smythe winner has 16 goals and 10 assists in his last 26 games, making him the hot hand for the Knights. Jack Eichel had successful lower-body surgery a couple of weeks ago and should be back before the season's end.

About a month ago, all seemed lost with the Vegas Golden Knights. Injuries were piling up and the Pacific Division was tightening up. It seemed like it would be time before Vegas would fall out of a playoff spot, a la 2021-2022... or so it seemed.

1. Fortune Favored the Vegas Golden Knights

The aforementioned three players held their ground and kept the Vegas Golden Knights afloat. Whether it was raising the power play or going mano-e-mano with teams like the Boston Bruins, this trio contributed in major ways. As a result, the Golden Knights are still holding second place down in a chaotic Pacific Division.

Yes, you'd rather be first than second. However, that's not always a bad thing, specifically with this veteran group. When you've been battle-tested with players dropping like flies, you know how to handle adversity. That results in going 6-3-1 before the All-Star Break, leaving Vegas firm in the standings.

And guess what? You're getting those key players back soon. Aside from Karlsson returning, Eichel is only expected to miss between four and six weeks. He'll be back before the home stretch gets more difficult. You're getting your franchise player back, which is always good for business.

There's also Shea Theodore waiting in the wings along with Michael Amadio being activated off injured reserve. The Golden Knights are FINALLY getting reinforcements at the right time. Here's why it will matter and here's why it won't.

2. Why the Vegas Golden Knights Healing Up Matters

The Edmonton Oilers are coming in red-hot, rattling off 16 straight victories before the All-Star Break. What's more, Edmonton has played five fewer games than the Vegas Golden Knights. Now it isn't expected that the Oilers will win the rest of their games. After all, that'd be an impossible feat. However, winning with a depleted roster has given Vegas some wiggle room in the standings.

It also helps that the Los Angeles Kings COMPLETELY fell off the face of the earth. I'm talking about only winning two of your last 16 games. That sort of catastrophic collapse has given the Knights more breathing room in the playoff standings. It's also given teams like the Seattle Kraken new life, leaving them only two points back.

With Vegas getting the most out of their hodge-podge squad, keeping the team standing has worked wonders for them in the playoff hunt. Now, they can focus on getting home-ice advantage for the Western Conference Quarterfinals. Believe me when I say T-Mobile Arena isn't a friendly place to be this year: The Golden Knights have a home record of 18-5-2 in 2023-2024.