Daily Nuggets: Golden Knights Targets; Oilers Trade, Nelson’s Goodbye?

The Vegas Golden Knights are back in action on Wednesday. It’s a TNT broadcast, and they take on the Toronto Maple Leafs, which means that NHL media personality Paul Bissonnette will be in rare form. 

Two injured Golden Knights players take significant steps toward playing again, and another might be out for the rest of the regular season. Elsewhere in the Daily Nuggets, Vegas Hockey Now has you covered for everything you might have missed– and there was quite a bit! Tuesday saw a trade, an extension, and lots of chatter around the league.

The trade deadline is in t-minus three days. Buckle up.

Golden Knights News

Injury update time: William Karlsson and Cole Schwindt have been out since mid-January with lower-body injuries. They both practiced with the team on Tuesday wearing red no-contact jerseys. Karlsson left after about a few drills, which was by design, per head coach Bruce Cassidy. It sure seems like he could return to action soon— or at least before the postseason.

There is no timetable for Shea Theodore’s return. Kelly McCrimmon has said he isn’t making a big move at the deadline, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to try and fill the Theodore-shaped hole in the lineup. Here are some possible trade targets.

The Edmonton Oilers don’t look like they’ll be competing with the Golden Knights for the Pacific Division title. In fact, if their recent play is any indication, the Oilers don’t look like they’ll be competing for anything at all. They’ve lost six of their last seven games. They gave up six goals at 5-on-5 to the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday. The Golden Knights lead the Pacific Division by four points and have a game in hand.

NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now

Boston Hockey Now: The Edmonton Oilers got a little harder to play against on Tuesday when they traded for Bruins forward Trent Frederic.

New York Islanders Hockey Now: There has been smoke surrounding the Islanders and Brock Nelson for almost the entire season, and it all came to a head on Tuesday. Nothing is certain in this league, but Nelson’s postgame interview sureseemed like a goodbye.

Montreal Hockey Now: Well, there goes one of the more popular trade targets this deadline– the Canadiens extended Jake Evans.

Philly Hockey Now: The Oilers traded for Trent Frederic, and the Canadiens extended Jake Evans. This spells good news for the Flyers as they look to trade Scott Laughton. 

New Jersey Hockey Now: The injury bug is descending upon the Devils like Biblical plagues. First, Jonas Siegenthaler, then Jack Hughes, and now Dougie Hamilton; that team can’t catch a break this year.

NHL History: On March 5th, 1991, Wayne Gretzky became the first player to reach 1,400 career assists.