People don't think about the seventh defenseman too much. They look at the six defensemen that flank a hockey team and think that they're the de facto group. They see the guy who signed the seven-year, $8.5 million AAV deal or the guys who've been there since "Day F*****g One."
Yet, they don't think about the seventh defenseman. It's like the guy doesn't even exist, leaving him relegated to being in the press box. Boy, it's a cruel life for the seventh defenseman, especially since people aren't thinking about you.
But for Dylan Coghlan, that doesn't have to be the case. The Golden Knights defenseman only played three games last season and only amassed 0.1 point shares. That doesn't mean too much on the surface, especially when you didn't garner too much exposure.
Still, he plays a vital role on the Golden Knights, particularly on the defensive side. The Golden Knights saw that in last season's Western Conference Final, when he was a sneaky reason for Vegas winning the Western Conference. It's time to hop into the taxi and see what else Coghlan brings to the table.
Why Dylan Coghlan matters for the 2026-27 season for the Vegas Golden Knights
Ben Hutton held down the role of seventh defenseman for the Golden Knights last season and excelled in it. He scored six goals and nine assists in 55 games, providing an offensive edge for Vegas. He also had 3.2 point shares and 55 blocked shots to boot, making him crucial for the Golden Knights' blue line.
2.2 of those point shares came defensively, adding a backbone to Vegas's defensive structure. Without Hutton, who would've stepped up in the absences of Brayden McNabb (or anybody else)? Believe it or not, Coghlan provided a similar stat line at one point. Let's look back at 2021-22 as the primary example.
Player | Goals | Assists | Blocked Shots | Hits | Defensive Point Shares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dylan Coghlan | 3 | 10 | 61 | 62 | 1.3 |
Give Coghlan enough games in the seventh defenseman role and he'll block shots and clog lanes. He'll also administer hits, something that Hutton didn't do too much of with the Golden Knights. Adding a physical bite will make him vital to the team's back end, leaving his opponents weakened.
That's good news for the Golden Knights, who haven't been able to avoid the injury bug in recent years. Think of players like McNabb or Shea Theodore as primary examples. Who steps up in their absences when the team is missing the stay-at-home element?
That's where Coghlan comes into play. Sure, he might not score often (except for the occasional hat trick). But the Golden Knights need more guys to suffocate opposing attacks through space being taken away. Who else can do the job in the backup role better than the softball hero?
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