Daily Nuggets: Golden Knights Goaltending Problem?; Rantanen Responds

The Vegas Golden Knights sit atop the Pacific Division and hold a significant lead in the standings, but the Edmonton Oilers and the Los Angeles Kings are close behind. Every point matters, and the Golden Knights can’t afford to let the Division slip away. So, they will have to play their best hockey down the stretch, and they’ll have to do it consistently. 

The Golden Knights have struggled with consistency this season, particularly at the goaltending position. Is their goaltending enough, or do they have a real problem?

Elsewhere in the Daily Nuggets, we’ve got a feel-good story in Seattle. The Mikko Rantanen saga continues to escalate, and the man himself finally speaks out. 

Golden Knights News

Adin Hill and Ilya Samsonov have been inconsistent at times this season, which raises the question: do the Golden Knights have a goaltending problem? Eh… yes and no; they do, but not in the way that you think. Let’s put it this way: the Golden Knights don’t not have a goaltending problem.

Today could prove to be a big one in the standings. The Golden Knights are in Columbus to take on the Blue Jackets; the Los Angeles Kings are home against Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. It’s difficult for the Kings to catch up to the Golden Knights in the Pacific Division standings, but not impossible. Whether it’s in November or March, a win is worth two points, but from now until Wednesday, April 16th, it feels a bit heavier.

NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now

Sportsnet: My, oh, my. This just keeps getting better and better. On Monday, Rod Brind’Amour announced on a talk show that Mikko Rantanen demanded a trade to one of four teams; on Tuesday, Rantanen’s agent refuted this.

Sportsnet: Hear it from the man himself. Mikko Rantanen kept an open mind when he was traded from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes. But it wasn’t a fit, and now he’s a Dallas Star.

New Jersey Hockey Now: Take a look at them now– against all odds, the Devils are winning hockey games without their best player and two of their best defensemen. They’re doing it by committee, but a few players are stepping up in Jack Hughes’ absence to shoulder the load.

New York Islanders Hockey Now: The Islanders, once in contention for an Eastern Conference wildcard spot, are spiraling. How low can they go? How bad can it get? Could the Islanders win the draft lottery?

Montreal Hockey Now: On Wednesday night, Lane Hutson became the fifth defenseman since 1992 to record 50 points in his rookie season.

Gotta See It: Jani Nyman– 2022 second-round pick of the Seattle Kraken– made his NHL debut on Wednesday night, and his parents flew from Finland to Seattle to watch him. And wouldn’t you know it, he scored his first NHL goal with his parents in the audience.

NHL History: On March 13th, 1948, Larry Kwong broke the color barrier and became the first non-White player to appear in the NHL. He skated just one shift and never played in the majors again despite dominating at the AHL level.