Vegas Golden Knights fans got a scare on Sunday afternoon. They watched Ivan Barbashev get tangled up with Marcus Foligno in the second period. This prompted Keegan Kolesar to avenge his teammate and go after Foligno. The Russian winger didn't return for the rest of the game with an upper-body injury, with his future status uncertain.
Fans were happy to see their team return to full health, only to have one of the top-line members get carted off. It's one step forward and two steps back for the Golden Knights health-wise. That's especially true when it comes to an incredible finisher like Barbashev (6.9 GAx this season).
Granted, December is a time when the injuries skyrocket and the team relies on Henderson Silver Knights to fill the void. Therefore, it's expected that some lineup reshuffling will be done by Bruce Cassidy to remedy the issue. However, seeing Barbashev go down isn't something Golden Knights fans wanted to see on Sunday.
Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to explore who deserves a bump in the lineup. Two names come to mind regarding filling the void for the fallen Russian. If it's worse than initially thought, expect the pair of players to take care of business and hold the fort down. After all, you have Jack Eichel at the center, which makes matters easier. Here are the two players who should make life easier if Barbashev is gone for a long time.
Pavel Dorofeyev
If you lose a Russian winger to an upper-body injury, what's the best solution to the problem? Why, you get another Russian winger to step in for him! That's where Pavel Dorofeyev comes in, for he's another viable offensive mastermind who can come in and play.
The 24-year-old has 12 goals this season (second on the Vegas Golden Knights), with five on the power play. He's also improving his defensive game by blocking shots (18 in 31 games). Dorofeyev carries incredible speed like Ivan Barbashev, making him a seamless fit with Mark Stone and Jack Eichel.
His power play expertise will also provide him with that necessary experience, making him a goal-scoring threat. Fans will see how the forward's puck-handling skills work on the top unit, where he fools defenders with his various moves. With Eichel as his center, he should get more scoring opportunities, especially in transition.
Victor Olofsson
Before the season started, some rumors speculated that Victor Olofsson would hop on the top line with Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev. However, the decision ultimately came down to who was more familiar with the four-time All-Star. That led to Mark Stone being on Eichel's right wing, where he's seen unburdened success (six goals, 18 assists).
However, the Swedish forward has seven goals in 11 games, with four goals coming on the power play. Olofsson would provide a sniper-style winger for the top line, similar to what Jonathan Marchessault gave last season. The only difference is the 29-year-old is bigger and isn't confined to a niche.
As long as he improves his 200-ft. game and builds consistency, Olofsson should fill in nicely for Ivan Barbashev if there's a long-term injury. He could finally get the top-line spot he was picked to get, reuniting with Eichel from his days in Buffalo. Sunday's game against the Minnesota Wild could indicate things to come.