Shea Theodore Close To Returning For Vegas Golden Knights
Jesse Granger of The Athletic tweeted today that defenseman Shea Theodore has started skating with the team for the first time since his injury in late March. Theodore has missed seven games with the undisclosed injury and is travelling with the team according to Ben Gotz of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. While Theodore skating again is certainly encouraging, he did practice in a non-contact jersey leading one to believe that he has a few more hurdles to clear before he returns to game action.
Theodore is having another strong offensive season, albeit in limited action. The usually durable defenseman has missed 27 games this season but has still managed to put up 41 points in 54 games. Theodore hasn’t dealt with injuries often in his career and hasn’t missed significant time since joining Vegas for the 2017-18 season.
While Theodore’s powerplay time and production have dropped, the 27-year-old has never been better at even strength. Theodore has 28 points at five on five in 54 games, which is one off his career high that he set last year in 78 games. Despite his injuries this season, Theodore remains a strong offensive defenseman and would likely see significant time on the Golden Knights second unit when he does make his return.
Vegas appears to be getting healthy at exactly the right time as both Jack Eichel and Mark Stone also skated this morning. Stone was also in a blue non-contact jersey, while Eichel took the optional skate in a regular practice jersey. The Golden Knights have overcome an awful lot of injuries this season including long term injuries to Robin Lehner, Nolan Patrick, and Stone. Despite the man games lost the Golden Knights still find themselves as one of the favorites to come out of a wide-open Western Conference.
Vegas Golden Knights Sign Jesper Vikman
The Vegas Golden Knights are on the verge of possibly clinching first place in the Pacific Division as well as the Western Conference this week, but they have taken care of some off-ice business today as well. Per a team statement, the Golden Knights have signed prospect Jesper Vikman to a contract.
Vikman is a 21-year-old goaltender who just wrapped up his Junior career with the Vancouver Giants. He put up a 3.29 GAA and a .903 SV% in 45 games for a non-contending Giants squad. The Swedish goaltender was drafted in the fifth round of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Golden Knights and played one final season in Sweden before joining the Giants. He was called up to play five games in the SHL that season, getting some pro experience as a teenager in a difficult league.
There is a path to some pro playing time for Vikman next season. Logan Thompson has been solid for the Golden Knights each of the past two seasons, but Jonathan Quick, Adin Hill and Laurent Brossoit are all unrestricted free agents this summer and the organization is going to need some depth at the position. Robin Lehner is signed as well but missed the entire season with injury so his status will be in question entering next season as well.
Vikman is now eligible to join the Henderson Silver Knights of the AHL where Jiri Patera is the starting goalie. Patera has posted a 2.93 GAA and a .908 SV% and the Silver Knights have just three games remaining in the season before they are done. They sit 9th in the Pacific Division and will not make the Calder Cup Playoffs this season.
Vikman is on a tryout agreement with the Silver Knights for the rest of this season, and his three year entry-level contract will begin in 2023-24.
Henderson Silver Knights Sign Noah Carroll
- The Henderson Silver Knights, an affiliate of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, announced the signing of defenseman Noah Carroll to a professional tryout agreement. Carroll spent five seasons with the University of New Brunswick of the USports League, winning championships in 2019 and 2023. Included in his resume is another five-year stretch in the OHL, playing for the Soo Greyhounds and the Guelph Storm from 2014-2018. In 88 games played for Canada’s top collegiate league, Carroll scored one goal and 17 assists.
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- The Henderson Silver Knights, an affiliate of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, announced the signing of defenseman Noah Carroll to a professional tryout agreement. Carroll spent five seasons with the University of New Brunswick of the USports League, winning championships in 2019 and 2023. Included in his resume is another five-year stretch in the OHL, playing for the Soo Greyhounds and the Guelph Storm from 2014-2018. In 88 games played for Canada’s top collegiate league, Carroll scored one goal and 17 assists.
Mark Stone Returns To Vegas Golden Knights Practice
The Vegas Golden Knights have two games remaining in their season and, despite the Edmonton Oilers’ incredible recent run, still hold first place in the Pacific Division. As they try to lock up the division, they received a significant emotional boost as captain Mark Stone returned to practice in a non-contact jersey.
The team has also recalled Kaedan Korczak from the AHL and brought Adin Hill back from his conditioning stint.
Stone, 30, has been out since mid-January with a back injury that continues to limit his playing time. The veteran winger has managed 200 games over the past four seasons combined, including just 43 this season. That said, he was exceptional in those games, scoring 17 goals and 38 points while continuing to provide his elite defensive ability.
His season was cut short when he underwent another back surgery at the end of January. At the time, the team listed him out “indefinitely,” but has given positive reports in recent weeks.
The timing of his return will certainly raise some eyebrows, even if Stone’s injury is legitimate. The Golden Knights used most of the salary cap relief from moving Stone (and Robin Lehner and Nolan Patrick) to long-term injured reserve, adding players like Jonathan Quick, Ivan Barbashev, and Teddy Blueger at the deadline.
Vegas currently has a cap hit of over $96MM, using nearly $14MM in LTIR relief. When the playoffs start, they could activate Stone without any repercussions.
That’s not to say they’re without injuries now, though. Jack Eichel, Shea Theodore, and Zach Whitecloud were all absent from practice today. That’s why Korczak, one of the team’s top prospects, is up to help them with the last few games. The 22-year-old defenseman has 14 points in 50 games with the Henderson Silver Knights this season, and has appeared in 11 career games with Vegas.
Jesper Vikman Signed To AHL Tryout Agreement
- The Golden Knights have given prospect Jesper Vikman his first pro contract but it’s only of the AHL variety as their farm team in Henderson announced they’ve signed the goaltender to a tryout agreement. The 21-year-old had a 3.29 GAA along with a .903 SV% with Vancouver of the WHL this season. Vikman was a fifth-round pick by Vegas in 2020 (125th overall) and the Golden Knights have until June 1st to give him an entry-level deal or lose his rights.
Jack Eichel Day-To-Day With Lower-Body Injury
The Golden Knights have a chance to clinch the Pacific Division for the third time in their six-year history today but had to try to do so without their top center in the lineup. The team announced (Twitter link) that Jack Eichel is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury which kept him out of the lineup against Dallas. The 26-year-old has had a good first full season with Vegas, notching 27 goals and 38 assists in 66 games to lead the team in scoring but this will be the third separate instance that he’ll miss time due to injury after dealing with a pair of lower-body issues earlier in the year.
Golden Knights Notes: Hill, Stone, Theodore
The Golden Knights should be getting some help soon between the pipes as they announced (Twitter link) that they’ve assigned goaltender Adin Hill to AHL Henderson on a conditioning stint. The 26-year-old has missed the last month with a lower-body injury but the fact he’s going to the Silver Knights means that he should at least be ready to suit up if needed for Vegas in the playoffs. Hill has an impressive 2.45 GAA along with a .915 SV% in 27 games this season, a nice platform year as he gets set to test unrestricted free agency for the first time this summer. While Jonathan Quick and Laurent Brossoit have helped keep Vegas atop the battle for first in the Pacific Division, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them turn to Hill for the postseason if he’s fully recovered.
More from Vegas:
- Speaking with reporters today (video link), head coach Bruce Cassidy provided a small update on winger Mark Stone. The veteran has been “progressing well and there have been no setbacks, so that’s encouraging. I don’t know if that’s optimistic, it’s just he’s progressing well. No news is good news in terms of bad news.” Stone has missed nearly three months with a back injury but there is clearly no timetable for a return. That said, the fact things aren’t getting any worse is at least a positive sign. The 30-year-old was in the middle of a productive campaign with 38 points in 43 games prior to the injury.
- Also in Cassidy’s presser, he indicated that defenseman Shea Theodore won’t accompany the team for Saturday’s game in Dallas. The blueliner has missed five straight games since being injured against Edmonton late last month. Theodore sits second on the team in points by a defender with 41 in just 54 contests while his 21:31 ATOI also ranks second on Vegas. Cassidy won’t be able to provide an update on Theodore until he’s cleared to practice and wasn’t sure if he’ll be able to skate next week.
Penguins Notes: Blomqvist, Krannila, Ortiz, DiLiberatore
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have announced that they’ve signed goaltender Joel Blomqvist to an amateur tryout agreement. For Blomqvist, this is his second stint playing for the baby Penguins under an ATO as he played one game last season with the club.
The Pittsburgh Penguins selected the Finnish netminder in the second round of the 2020 NHL entry draft and he is one of their top prospects. The 21-year-old has yet to sign an NHL contract with the Penguins, but they do retain his rights for another two years.
Blomqvist was hoping to take the next step this season back in Finland with Karpat of the Liiga, but two concussions limited his playing time to just 21 games. Despite the setback he did post a .907 save percentage and 2.29 goals against average.
In other Penguins news:
- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton also signed undrafted Finnish forward Jami Krannila to an ATO. The St. Cloud State product had 21 goals and 19 assists this season in 41 NCAA games and has 107 points in his college career in 143 games. The undersized winger will be a long shot to make it to the NHL as he stands just 5’10” and is listed at 163 pounds, but with teams putting a premium on speed and skill he could get a look with the Penguins. Their prospect cupboard is bare, meaning Krannila should get plenty of ice time in the AHL.
- With these two signings Wilkes-Barre/Scranton made a series of corresponding moves by sending defensemen Peter DiLiberatore and Chris Ortiz to Wheeling of the ECHL. DiLiberatore was acquired by the Penguins organization in the Teddy Blueger trade with the Vegas Golden Knights. The Quinnipiac University product dressed in eight games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and scored two goals. Ortiz on the other hand has dressed in 39 contests with the Wheeling Nailers and has four goals and 24 assists for 28 points. He has also played 15 AHL games, producing just three assists.
Chandler Stephenson Out Tonight With An Illness
Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Sun is reporting that the Vegas Golden Knights will be without the services of Chandler Stephenson this evening when they take on the Minnesota Wild. Stephenson was a late scratch with what is being described as an illness. He remains questionable for tomorrow night’s game against the Nashville Predators.
The 28-year-old Stephenson has 59 points in 76 games this season for the Golden Knights and should top 60 points for the second straight year. The Saskatoon native emerged last season as an offensive threat for Vegas and has carried his point production into this season as he currently sits second on Vegas in scoring. Stephenson came over to the Golden Knights in a trade with the Washington Capitals back in 2019 and quickly morphed his game from a defensive bottom six center into a play driving offensive player who is part of an effective power play unit.
Stephenson’s absence likely means that Teddy Blueger will be elevated from the fourth line to play alongside Phil Kessel on the third line. Blueger came over from the Pittsburgh Penguins at the trade deadline and hasn’t shown much offense this season. He has five points in 14 games with Vegas since the trade and just 15 points in 59 games on the season.
Vegas has already clinched a playoff spot in what has been a bounce back season for the team after missing the postseason last year. The Golden Knights have a good chance to win the Pacific Division as they currently sit one point up on the Los Angeles Kings with a game in hand.
Reilly Smith On Track To Return To Lineup Tonight
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.