4 takeaways from Knights preseason: Offense still a work in progress

Preseason is done. The light at the end of the tunnel has been reached. It’s time to start the fun.

Every team finds benefits somewhere in the seven-game exhibiton slate. There’s no need to fully downplay it.

But the Golden Knights are one of a handful of teams whose goal it is to get through the preseason unscathed and prepare for the 82-game marathon ahead.

“Did you stay healthy? That’s always important in preseason,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “So, we accomplished that.”

For the most part, with the exception of some bumps along the way. Leading goal scorer Pavel Dorofeyev missed the last two weeks of camp with a lower-body injury, but took part in the morning skate Friday and is on track to play Wednesday in the season opener against the Los Angeles Kings.

Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon also overcame a lower-body injury to make his preseason debut Friday night in a 4-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks.

The Knights head into one of the most anticipated seasons in history at full strength with expectations as high as they’ve ever been.

Don’t blame them if they’re itching to go.

“Enough’s enough with the preseason,” center Colton Sissons said.

Enough, indeed. Here are four things we learned:

1. Defensive attention

The Knights started last season 7-3-1 on the heels of a roughshod offense that averaged 4.55 goals per game.

That’s because they had to. They gave up nearly 3.1 over that stretch and allowed at least four goals six times.

It wasn’t just the Knights. Two-thirds of the league was looking for answers defensively. They were one of 21 teams that allowed 30 goals through October.

“I can’t remember how October was defensively,” Cassidy said Thursday, admitting he was stumped when trying to think back. “I thought we started well in terms of wins and losses.”

Coincidence or not, the Knights put an emphasis on team defense in the preseason. They gave up four goals twice, but that fourth goal in both games was an empty-netter at the end.

It needs to be taken with a grain of salt. The Knights weren’t facing the best lineups every night, but they still gave up 2.71 goals over seven games.

“So far in camp, I think our defensive game has been the strength of our team,” Cassidy said.

2. Where did the goals go?

On the flip side, goals were at a premium.

The Knights scored 11 total goals and were shut out once — the preseason opener against the Sharks on Sept. 21.

“A little surprised we didn’t score more. I’ll say that with our group of forwards,” Cassidy said. “Is that a training camp thing or a style thing? We’ll find out quick enough because we play a lot of games early.”

Keep in mind, the Knights didn’t use their full lineup until Friday. Each line had only two or three games to find their footing.

“We played pretty good defensively for the most part, but offense needs to start coming,” captain Mark Stone said.

It should come for a team that finished fifth in scoring last year and added a 102-point scorer in right wing Mitch Marner.

There were flashes when Marner and center Jack Eichel skated together, such as that backhand assist to set up Eichel for a one-timer on Sept. 25 against the Utah Mammoth.

Cassidy said line combinations are still being sorted out, and it might even take into the start of the season for them to be figured out.

“I said this at the start of camp: We’re not gonna have them figured out on opening night,” Cassidy said. “Even though we’re in camp for … seven games, the lines have only played together a game or two. And even that’s not enough. We need to see it against NHL lineups consistently.”

3. Shutdown line shines

Offensive questions aside, the Knights knew what their best line was.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that it was the one with Stone, center William Karlsson and left wing Reilly Smith.

The Knights’ new shutdown line outshot teams 25-13, had a 23-7 edge in scoring chances and 1-1 in goals in 32:47 together, according to the website Natural Stat Trick.

“For the most part, we’ve been pretty solid,” Stone said.

It’s no surprise the Original Misfits blend well. Karlsson and Smith picked up where they left off when Smith was traded back to the Knights in March. The chemistry was there from the start.

Stone and Karlsson is a pair Cassidy has wanted to see going back to last season, but never did because of Karlsson’s nagging injuries.

“(Stone) reads the game super well,” Karlsson said. “You got to get used to the long stick because that thing has abilities that I’ve never played with before.”

Stone has said he does well with speed down the middle. Just look at skating with Eichel last season and Chandler Stephenson the four years before that.

This line will be thrown out against other teams’ top lines while also contributing offensively. It’s the perfect formula for what Cassidy is looking for in a shutdown unit.

4. Did Holtz do enough?

Right wing Alex Holtz is still in need of a contract. The restricted free agent, who spent all camp on a professional tryout deal, did enough to earn one.

The little things that have been asked of the seventh overall pick from the 2020 draft, Holtz has done them. He looks better along the walls. He’s making smart defensive plays with his stick.

Holtz even added his first goal of the preseason Friday night, the only goal the Knights scored.

He also seemingly got a vote of confidence when center Cole Schwindt, who came into camp as the projected 13th forward, was claimed off waivers by the Florida Panthers on Friday.

“We’ll have that discussion,” Cassidy said. “He’s had a good camp. We’ll see where he lands on whenever the roster has to be in. Those discussions will be had.”

Holtz is better suited in a top-nine role, which is harder to crack the lineup given how stacked the Knights’ forward group is. He had 12 points in 53 games before being sent down to Henderson late in the season.

There’s also the matter of how much the Knights can pay him. They have $1.17 million in cap space. He won’t break the bank, but if the Knights have to address other needs, they’ll be hard-pressed to do so.

Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.