Did you say his name? Did he appear so he could make things better? That's the magic of Joe Hendry (*CLAP* *CLAP*), one of the biggest stars in professional wrestling. The fact everyone sings along to his theme song every time he shows up proves how over he is. Imagine if a Vegas Golden Knights star entered T-Mobile Arena and had a theme song everyone started singing along to.
Not many hockey fans believe the Golden Knights will achieve anything for the upcoming 2024-25 season. When you lose a chunk of your starting lineup from the year before, that will happen. That includes a Conn Smythe winner and a former All-Star, making the lineup look weaker on paper. Names like Nicolas Roy, Nicolas Hague, and Keegan Kolesar aren't inspiring confidence in hockey fans, leaving them wondering if the franchise finally drops off. However, that doesn't mean fans should stop believing in the team.
Some players could stand out for Vegas in the upcoming season. That includes Noah Hanifin, who should make the power play much better than years prior. However, fans will say this player's name, prompting him to appear and save the day. No, it isn't Joe Hendry (*CLAP* *CLAP*). However, this star is underrated and adds more defensively, making him important for the upcoming year. Here's the Hendry of the Golden Knights for 2024-25.
Nicolas Hague is the Joe Hendry of the Vegas Golden Knights this season
Of course, fans aren't going to see Nicolas Hague put up monster numbers for the Vegas Golden Knights this season. His purpose is playing defense and acting as a big defender, similar to what Zdeno Chara did. However, there are good reasons to believe the tall blue-liner will be Vegas's hockey version of Joe Hendry this season.
First, he got paired with Noah Hanifin as training camp started. It's a solid pairing that could pay dividends if it carries over to the regular season. Both blue-liners balance each other out, overriding their weaknesses with their strengths. While Hanifin isn't a large player like Hague and doesn't play physically, he's more offensively skilled and can act as a complimentary piece in the Golden Knights attack.
It's not to say Hague doesn't compliment an offensive rush himself. The Kitchener native has posted double-digit numbers in assists in all five NHL seasons, making him a reliable asset. Take October 12, 2023 against the San Jose Sharks as a perfect example.
The defenseman had a second-period goal that was the game-winner, firing a slapshot from an Alex Pietrangelo feed from the line. He can score goals with good setups and use his large frame as a deterrent, making him a threat to score.
That's something that could help Vegas in the upcoming season. Having more blue-liners who score is never bad, especially if you already have prominent names like Shea Theodore and Noah Hanifin. That's why the Golden Knights will say his name plenty of times this season. If he appears, opponents are running from the 6'6", 240 lb. man (*CLAP* *CLAP*).