In Los Angeles, on Wednesday evening, five athletes from the Vegas Golden Knights, who had participated in the Olympic gold-medal final, were absent from the game against the Los Angeles Kings as the NHL resumed play after a three-week hiatus.
After previously declaring center Jack Eichel and defenseman Noah Hanifin, both from the victorious United States team, unavailable, the Golden Knights made their journey without Canadian forwards Mark Stone and Mitch Marner, along with defenseman Shea Theodore.
Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy commented, “Indeed, this presents a hurdle for the squad, yet it also opens doors for other players, as we still field 20 NHL-level talents. Clearly, there’s reduced leeway for mistakes when pivotal playmakers are sidelined.”
On Sunday in Milan, the United States triumphed over Canada with a 2-1 overtime victory. For Vegas, Eichel, Stone, and Marner rank as the leading three scorers, while Theodore and Hanifin are the top defensemen in terms of minutes played and offensive contributions.
Eichel and Hanifin are scheduled to rendezvous with the Golden Knights in Washington, with their participation against the Capitals anticipated for Friday evening. Cassidy conveyed confidence that Stone, Marner, and Theodore would travel from Las Vegas to the East Coast and likewise be ready for Friday’s game.
However, Vegas will see reinforcements join their roster, as forwards Brandon Saad (injury not specified) and Colton Sissions (upper body injury), along with defenseman Brayden McNabb (upper body injury), were all removed from injured reserve on Tuesday.
The Golden Knights currently hold a four-point advantage over the Edmonton Oilers, who are in second place in the Pacific Division. Over the coming 35-day period, Vegas is scheduled to compete in 18 matches.
