As the Vegas Golden Knights take the ice in Tampa tonight to square off with the Lightning, the team will be without a pair of players. Vegas has announced that forward Chandler Stephenson and defenseman Dylan Coghlan have been placed in the NHL’s COVID Protocol. The team has only indicated that Stephenson and Coghlan would miss Saturday’s game, but like any COVID situation the absences could last longer.
An immediate impact will be felt on the Knights’ top line, where Stephenson will be replaced by Nolan Patrick for the time being. Though Patrick was once a top prospect, the No. 2 overall pick in 2017, while Stephenson was a role player for much of his early career, this is a significant drop-off for Vegas. Stephenson currently leads the team in scoring with 38 points and is tied for second with a dozen goals. He leads all forwards in ice time, plays on the top power play and penalty kill units, and is the go-to faceoff man. Patrick, on the other hand, is still trying to find his footing in Vegas (and the NHL overall). He has played in just 14 games and served in a limited role. There is hope though, should Stephenson miss extended time; Patrick’s underlying possession numbers are very strong – the best in Vegas – and he has managed five points and a team-best face-off mark despite his minor role. With more ice time and supporting talent, this could be the jolt that Patrick needs to get back on track.
As for the versatile Coghlan, Vegas will be missing a key cog in the wheel. Coghlan has played in 35 games and has recorded 11 points as well as some impressive possession numbers. The Golden Knights will miss their plug-and-play specialist, who can make a difference anywhere in the lineup and anywhere on the ice.
Though Vegas technically sits second in the Pacific Division, they in fact hold the best record in the division with a .602 points percentage. That is not to say that the Knights are comfortable though. Just .038 percentage points separate the top five teams in the Pacific, with the Flames, Ducks, Kings, and Oilers right behind the Knights. If the playoffs started today, only four teams would come out of the Pacific, so Vegas is that close to being outside the postseason picture entirely. The hope is that Stephenson and Coghlan, as well as Alec Martinez and Jack Eichel, can return sooner rather than later. Following match-ups with Tampa and the Buffalo Sabres, the Knights have a long break. However, that is followed by a critical stretch of games against Edmonton, Calgary, Colorado, and Los Angeles. It’s crunch time for Vegas.