Golden Knights Burning Qs: Lines Patchwork or Potential? Replacing the Lost

Goodbye Jonathan Marchessault and Chandler Stephenson. The loss of Marchessault from the Vegas Golden Knights lineup is especially impactful when tallying the projected Golden Knights’ expected goals, and Stephenson’s departure exposes even more patchwork that might keep coach Bruce Cassidy up at night.

Two key members of the top six are gone, replaced with several players long on hope but short on results.

Will free agent signee Victor Olofsson discover his long-lost 30-goal form from …well, never. In 2022-23, he set a career-high with 28 goals but registered only 40 points on that resurgent Buffalo Sabres squad. Last season, he cratered to only seven goals and 15 points in 51 games. Olofsson shuffled throughout the lineup and in and out of the press box.

On July 2, Olofsson signed a one-year bargain deal with a salary cap hit of $1.075 million. By many projections, Cassidy will have to use him on the top line with Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev. That seems less than ideal.

Read More: Golden Knights Blog: Eichel ‘Give (Him) the Damn Puck’

Pavel Dorofeyev will finally ply his craft in the NHL full-time, taking Marchessault’s left-wing spot in the top-six, or the spot could go to Brendan Brisson, who was between solid and acceptable in his 15-game NHL debut last season, noting two goals and eight points.

Last season, Dorofeyev played in 47 games and notched a solid 13 goals with 11 assists. The 6-foot-1, 194-pound 2019 third-round pick should provide an ample bit of offense in the Golden Knights middle-six, but is it enough to offset the sinkhole created by the departures?

Also, add to the reclamation list Alexander Holtz, a blue-chip prospect with the New Jersey Devils who didn’t cash in his chips. Holtz is only 22 but has seen more time on the bench than the ice due to work ethic issues. In other words, he likes to shoot but hasn’t shown much willingness to engage in puck battles or make sound decisions with the puck.

Former New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff, who was fired in March, had no shame publicly ripping Holtz on multiple occasions. Travis Green, who succeeded Ruff, wasn’t as terse but didn’t disagree, either. Even GM Tom Fitzgerald took a good poke in March.

“If he changes as a player, then there will be a change in his ice time,” Fitzgerald said. “He has not had a good year. The core values you have as a player, strong on walls, puck play, puck management–are you turning pucks over? It’s not about goals.”

Holtz scored 16 goals in very limited opportunities last season, but that also includes some power play time, too. He has talent, but does he have the willingness to play anything resembling a responsible, complete game? The Golden Knights gave up Paul Cotter and a third to find out.

Are all of the hopes and reclimations enough to overcome the substantial losses to the core of the team?

On paper, it’s a firm no.

Golden Knights Lines

Ivan Barbashev-Jack Eichel-Victor Olofsson

Pavel Dorofeyev-Tomas Hertl-Mark Stone

Brendan Brisson-William Karlsson-Alexander Holtz

Brett Howden-Nicholas Roy-Keegan Kolesar

We’re not sure how to extrapolate Olofsson. Will the Golden Knights get the hot side of the streaky scorer who popped 28 two years ago or the cold side who bounced in and out of the lineup with seven goals last year?

Replacing Marchessault’s 42 goals was never going to be easy, but general manager Kelly McCrimmon used the very limited salary cap resources on a quartet of hopefuls. Extrapolating more ice time and more games to Dorofeyev, Brisson, and Holtz, we come to just about 45 goals but spread over three players and situations also means the all-important second-line will take a significant dip.

It also means the top line most likely takes a significant dive with Olofsson, too.

Ace in the Hole

The Golden Knights’ saving grace might just be their third line. William Karlsson is a 60-point, 30-goal center. If he and Holtz can find chemistry, the line could explode for significant numbers. As a third-line center behind Eichel and Hertl, Karlsson probably won’t get as many offensive zone starts as in years past, but the obvious hope is that he can create them.

Perhaps Mark Stone will skate beside Karlsson to create a more responsible third line, and Holtz–if he shows a bit of maturity–can elevate to the second line to benefit from Hertl’s playmaking ability. Chemistry and Cassidy will make those decisions, but there is some hope for the Golden Knights.

However, you’ve probably heard the expression, “Hope is not a strategy.” As much could go wrong as could go right for the Golden Knights. With training camp set to begin in a few days, the outlook is as murky as the inaugural season. Perhaps young talent will embrace the same Misfit label and flourish in the land of bright lights, showgirls, and buffets, just as Stephenson, Karlsson, and Marchessault did seven years ago.

But it’s not a good bet, either.