Daily Nuggets: Golden Knights Almost Healthy; International Play

Good morning, everyone. The Vegas Golden Knights return to action on Thursday. The rest has been nice, but all play and no work makes Hannah a very unhappy hockey writer. 

Everyone can breathe a sigh of relief– there are some positive injury updates. The Golden Knights practiced on Tuesday, and two familiar faces joined them on the ice. William Karlsson was a full participant, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he suited up against the Boston Bruins on Thursday. Shea Theodore isn’t as close to a return, but skating was a step in the right direction.

Elsewhere in the Daily Nuggets, Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald plans on introducing a very smart mandate to his players; personally, I’d like to see the other 31 teams follow suit. I hope you like international hockey because we’ll be getting it in spades. It sounds like there will be a Men’s Championship in May, and the NHL Global Series returns to Sweden next season.

Golden Knights News

Aaaaaaand… exhale. William Karlsson and Shea Theodore were on the ice for practice on Tuesday. Theodore donned a red no-contact jersey, but Karlsson was a full participant. He took part in line rushes, centering his old linemate Reilly Smith. His other linemate is where it gets really interesting; full practice recap here.

Well, the Edmonton Oilers’ offense woke up. They stomped the Utah Hockey Club 7-1 without Leon Draisaitl recording a single point. They’re two points behind the Golden Knights in the standings, but the Golden Knights have a game in hand. The Oilers have a three-point lead over the Los Angeles Kings for second in the Pacific Division; the Kings have two games in hand.

The Golden Knights are in a bit of a slump, but Colby Cohen and Tyler Yaremchuk of Daily Faceoff aren’t worried about them. There are still 15 games in the regular season, and it’s not time to panic. Very few teams can flip the switch and find a new gear like the Golden Knights can.

NHL Rumors, News, & National Hockey Now

TSN: Chris Johnston said on Insider Trading that while it’s not official, it sounds like Kyle Dubas will be named GM of Team Canada for the men’s World Championship in May.

New Jersey Hockey Now: Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald plans on introducing a new mandate to his players. His son suffered a dangerous cut to the throat, and Fitzgerald will push for players to wear neck guards.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The NHL Global Series returns to Sweden in the 2025-26 season. The Penguins will take on the Nashville Predators in Stockholm on November 14th and 16th. To have two of the worst teams in the league represent the NHL internationally is quite the choice.

Colorado Hockey Now: Defenseman Josh Manson ends the Avalanche’s uncharacteristically long stretch of health. He’s out for an unknown amount of time, but it doesn’t sound good.

New York Islanders Hockey Now: Remember a few days ago when the Pittsburgh Penguins were a playoff hopeful? Fuhgeddaboudit. The Islanders routed the Penguins in their barn on Tuesday night, all but ending the Penguins’ slim hopes of making the postseason.

NHL History: On March 19th, 1972, Ed Giacomin of the New York Rangers became the first goaltender to record two assists in a single game.