The Vegas Golden Knights got some good news today as forward Reilly Smith practiced in a full-contact jersey, with head coach Bruce Cassidy indicating he’s on track to play in tonight’s game against the Minnesota Wild. Smith had been sidelined with a lower-body injury since March 24, but he has been making progress in his recovery and is now ready to return to action.
Smith, 32, has again been one of the Golden Knights’ top offensive contributors, with 24 goals and 27 assists in 72 games played. His return to the lineup should give the team a boost as they try to maintain their position atop the Pacific Division standings. He’s projected to make his return alongside William Karlsson, his center for the better part of six seasons in Vegas, and Nicolas Roy, who will see an increased role as youngsters Paul Cotter and Pavel Dorofeyev are scratched.
- While his recovery has been slightly slower than expected, Minnesota Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov skated for the first time today since sustaining a leg injury in early March, according to The Athletic’s Joe Smith. He’s been sidelined for 11 games already and was originally expected to only miss four weeks. With that deadline looming this weekend, however, it’s unlikely he’ll make an on-time return to the lineup. The team has been able to find consistency in his absence, however, going 7-2-2 without Kaprizov in the lineup.
- The Los Angeles Kings suffered a setback in their game against the Vancouver Canucks last night as defenseman Alex Edler left the game due to an upper-body injury, per the team. Edler, who was acquired by the Kings as a free agent in 2021, has provided an experienced presence to the team’s bottom pairing. There is no word yet on the severity of Edler’s injury or how long he may be out of the lineup, and he’ll likely be replaced in the lineup by 21-year-old Tobias Bjornfot for the time being.