Knights excited to see how new additions fit in during training camp
Bruce Cassidy has thought plenty about how the Golden Knights are going to line up this season, just like everyone else.
The coach has worked on that since the end of an eventful free agency period that involved the Knights acquiring right wing Mitch Marner in a sign-and-trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs and losing defenseman Alex Pietrangelo to a hip injury.
Cassidy will get a chance to test out his ideas on the ice when the team begins its training camp Thursday at City National Arena.
“We got some new players, and I think that’s a good thing,” Cassidy said Monday at the Knights’ annual charity golf event at TPC Summerlin. “Every year, you need some level of turnover with guys coming in. We have that this year.”
Marner and Eichel
Marner is the Knights’ star newcomer after signing an eight-year, $96 million contract July 1. The 28-year-old is one of the top two-way forwards in the NHL and scored 741 points in 657 games with the Maple Leafs.
“It’ll be cool,” goaltender Adin Hill said. “Especially adding a guy like Mitch Marner, it’ll be exciting to see what that translates to on the ice.”
Now it’s up to Cassidy to find the right place for Marner in the lineup. The default answer would be putting him on the top line with center Jack Eichel, but the Knights will need to see how the two work together.
“Yes, he’s going to play with Eichel at some point,” Cassidy said. “Will he play all year with Eichel? I don’t know. That’ll be depending on chemistry.”
The Knights could try out different looks throughout the preseason given their forward depth. They know Eichel and centers Tomas Hertl and William Karlsson will be anchoring their top three lines, and their options at right wing include Marner, captain Mark Stone and Pavel Dorofeyev.
“I like where everyone’s slotted,” Cassidy said.
Replacing Pietrangelo
Another question the Knights will have to answer is who steps up on the blue line with Pietrangelo on long-term injured reserve.
Cassidy likes the seven defensemen he has, but someone will need to emerge as the blue line’s leader.
“Petro was a great leader for us and it allows some other guys in the back end to step up a little bit that are maybe not as vocal, but take charge of that group,” Cassidy said.
Cassidy said defenseman Zach Whitecloud, who is moving into the top four, is a player that could take that leap. Defenseman Kaedan Korczak should settle in as a regular after signing a four-year extension in July.
Veteran Ben Hutton could get more of an opportunity as well. He appeared in only 11 games last season, but he should battle for a spot on the third pair after the Knights traded Nic Hague to the Nashville Predators. Hutton’s primary competition for the role will be Jeremy Lauzon, who was part of the return package for Hague.
“Last year, not as happy with as many games as I played, but I’m excited to get in and battle for a spot and turn it into more ice time,” Hutton said. “Petro, we all know who he was. He was a workhorse. He’s a Hall of Famer. Missing him, it’s going to hurt. But with that, all the guys are going to have to step up.”
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.