Remember when Adin Hill was bad last season? I'm talking about suffering from lower-body injuries and posting terrible stats. You're looking at a save percentage of .871 and a GAA of 3.04. Don't forget the goals saved above expected of -14.2! Can't forget how bad that number was!
Okay, so he's not that kind of "bad." But Hill was extremely awful and Vegas Golden Knights fan essentially turned on him. This was the same guy who signed a six-year deal in March 2025, locking him in as the team's then-starting goaltender. It took one season for all of that goodwill to be thrown straight out of the window.
Now, there were shades of 2025-26 Hill on display on Tuesday. The first goal of the game was his to stop, only for Ryan O'Reilly to bury home the goal. But after that? It was the 2024-25 Hill that showed up.
Overall, he had 25 saves on 27 shots. He has a save percentage of .901 and a GAA of 2.27 this season. On top of that, he stymied the Toronto Maple Leafs and their myriad of offensive weapons in a shootout!
It's almost like the guy never left (probably because of a lower-body injury). But does that mean that Chillin' and Hillin' are back in full swing? How is he back to being old-school Hill?
What is causing the resurgence of Adin Hill this season?
One thing that you'll notice with Hill is that he's back to using his 6'4" frame once again. The Golden Knights netminder isn't afraid to gravitate towards the shot and swallow it whole. That type of play is much-needed if the Golden Knights wish to compete for the Stanley Cup. But it isn't just Hill moving to the play that is helping his game.
It's also how he rebounds after allowing a bad goal. Looking back at Tuesday's game against the Predators, he composed himself after allowing the Ryan O'Reilly goal. The Stanley Cup hero took a step back and locked in, preventing the game from becoming an absolute barnburner. His stats also reflect a swing in the right direction.
Adin Hill Season | Goals Saved Above Expected | Save % Above Expected | GAA Better Than Expected | Wins Above Replacement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2025-26 | -14.2 | -0.0108 | -0.57 | -2.36 |
2026-27 | -0.3 | -0.0017 | -0.08 | -0.04 |
Yes, these numbers are still in the negatives. Yes, there are certain shots that the netminder should've stopped. Yes, it's only three starts in the season for the fallen goaltender. However, Hill is making progress and is trending in the right direction.
That bodes well for the Golden Knights in the 2026-27 season. They needed their goaltenders to step up in a big way after a disastrous 2025-26 season. Having two injured goaltenders wasn't getting the job done. But one who pooped the bed consistently? Nope, that definitely isn't the answer for the Golden Knights this season.
That's why it's imperative that Hill goes back to the basics of swallowing shots and being a mountain. Playing to his strengths is what got him to the dance in the first place. Why not bank on that and continue to take up the entire net for Vegas?
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