The Vegas Golden Knights have made a change up front as they prepare for Game 4 against the Washington Capitals. The team will insert Tomas Tatar into the lineup likely in place of David Perron, while moving Alex Tuch up to the second line. Tatar hasn’t played since the third game against the Winnipeg Jets back on May 16th, but will get a chance to prove himself in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Perron stayed out late after the team’s morning skate and didn’t take line rushes with his usual group. If he’s fully healthy, that’s a tough decision to swallow after putting up 66 points in 70 games this season. Perron was one of the Golden Knights’ most consistent offensive threats prior to the playoffs, but has been held without a goal through 14 contests. Amazingly, that makes it 27-straight playoff games without a goal for Perron, a streak that stretches all the way back to his days with the Anaheim Ducks. He has just three in his entire 56-game playoff career, an improbable stat for a three-time 20-goal man. Perron set a new career-high in assists and points this season and the Golden Knights will need him to be a factor if he gets back into the lineup this series.
For Tatar, a chance is all that he can ask for. After being acquired by the Golden Knights at the trade deadline for a package of draft picks, he was able to score just six points for them in 20 games and has just one in the six playoff contests he’s been a part of. That’s not a good enough return for the assets that Vegas used to get him, especially given their still relatively thin minor league system that needs every pick it can get the next few years. If he wants to put all that behind him, a big performance in a near must-win game for the Golden Knights is a good way to start.
What’s wrong with Perron?
Technically nothing, just underperforming. But Gallant has never said Perron out. That’s just the speculation everywhere. (I do think it’s him too, right now. But until Gallant says officially you never know.)
A 1st, 2nd and 3rd rounder for a healthy scratch most of the time. Ouch
That trade honestly was not made for this season. Tatar will be Neal’s replacement the next 2 seasons. A 20 goal scorer for a 20 goal scorer.
The first is this draft, the second in 2019 and the third in 2020. So it is completely spread out. Not sure if it’s their 2/3 or another teams since they had a few.
Oh yeah long term he is definitely going to be an asset for them. Right now Tatar has the skillset to easily crack some line on any playoff team. Maybe Vegas has a certain brotherhood with this group that Tatar just was not a fit for