Adin Hill has seen plenty of action in recent weeks. He's started in net for the Vegas Golden Knights in the last five games. In that span, he has a GAA of 2.37 and a save percentage of .898. That's what happens when you're in a playoff stretch run.
Those last five starts have been a mixed bag for Hill and the Golden Knights. They've gone 3-2 in those five games, watching the Pacific Division tighten up before their very eyes. Life's not getting easier with the upcoming three-game road trip, either. Two desperate teams, along with a Western Conference juggernaut, await Vegas.
Ideally, Bruce Cassidy would love to roll out his reliable netminder for those games. After all, he's done well for himself throughout the season, posting a GAA of 2.50 (ninth in the NHL) and a save percentage of .907 (13th in the NHL).
That's especially true with your backup goaltender out on a day-to-day basis. Ilya Samsonov's absence is surprisingly bad for the Golden Knights here. Instead of a proven veteran backing up the Calgary native, you have Akira Schmid stepping in his place. It's no disrespect to the Swiss netminder. It's just he only has 45 career appearances in his NHL career.
But there's a case that resting him is a viable option. Running the risk of overworking your starting goaltender before the playoffs start is something that could haunt Bruce Cassidy. What happens if he suddenly breaks down? What if he's not the same postseason netminder he's been in the past? What if he's different from the guy who got a six-year extension?
Why Adin Hill should sit at least one game of the Vegas Golden Knights road trip
Now, this isn't calling for Adin Hill to sit every game of the three-game road trip. That would be regular season suicide. You'd essentially concede the Pacific Division title to the Los Angeles Kings or Edmonton Oilers with that. Therefore, stay away from having the 28-year-old riding the pine for the whole trip.
However, one game doesn't hurt. In his last two outings, he's had a GAA of 3.67 and a save percentage of .846. He was even pulled in the third period of Thursday's loss. In came Akira Schmid, who was surprisingly effective in the 4-0 defeat. Why not give the Henderson Silver Knights star a game or two to get his feet wet?
Schmid is a sizable netminder (6'5"), after all. The Swiss goaltender might've been lost in the shadows in Henderson (3.58 GAA, .886 save percentage in 30 games). That's what happens when you play behind an electric prospect in Carl Lindbom (2.64 GAA, save percentage of .913 in 31 games). However, Bruce Cassidy has shown that nearly every goaltender can fit within a constrictive defensive system with bigger players putting out their sticks.
What if Ilya Samsonov returns?
But what if Ilya Samsonov returns? Well, that's good, too. It's always good to have a veteran netminder over an unproven AHL goalie. You know what you're getting with Samsonov, even if he's a little sporadic at times (2.79 GAA, .892 save percentage). The Russian goaltender even has two shutouts this season.
Vegas wouldn't obviously go with him for the Stanley Cup run. However, having him take the load off helps. Even Samsonov has shown to fit in nicely, making another goaltender into an unstoppable force in the system.
Hill's a perfect example of this, too. He went from being an anonymous backup in San Jose and Arizona to becoming the Golden Knights' de facto Stanley Cup (and postseason) hero. But the system isn't solely responsible for his uprising. Hill's game has grown as he's tended the net for Vegas. In turn, the team is standing atop the Pacific Division with their seventh playoff appearance in eight seasons.