Goaltending
It turns out getting to start your franchise with a likable, future Hall of Famer in the net helps a franchise. Marc-Andre Fleury is the beloved anchor of the Knights and has been steady as a rock for the team, outside of a few outlier losses. Through 52 games this season, Fleury has 45 starts and carries a 27-14-4 record. While his leadership can’t be discounted, Fleury is far from a statistical darling.
While he’s second in the NHL in saves (1245), he’s also dead last in goals allowed (111). His goals against average is in the middle of the pack (14th) and Fleury is tied for 12th in the league with Louis Domingue and Linus Ullmark in shootout save percentage. More than anything, he’s a reliable, day-in-day-out goaltender that the city and team can rally behind.
The student and the teacher. #VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/17t1aHIwZe
— Jesse Granger (@JesseGranger_) January 23, 2019
Behind Fleury on the depth chart has been the regular rotation of familiar faces for Vegas. The only other goalie to start a game for the team has been Malcolm Subban, the primary backup. Subban struggled early in the season, losing his first five starts on the season by a combined score of 20-6. Yes 20.
Most notably the 7-2 beatdown by the Flames in Calgary. On Dec. 29, Subban picked up his first win of the season, on the road against the Los Angeles Kings. Subban and company beat the New Jersey Devils on Jan. 6.
He earned rave reviews from his teammates for the win with Alex Tuch saying, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal, “His ability to respond and have some really big saves down the stretch were huge. (Subban) played really, really well.”
He hasn’t started since and on Jan. 19 the team placed him on Injured Reserve with an illness.
Malcolm Subban has been placed on IR (retroactive to 1/8).
At the moment Colin Miller remains on IR but the roster sits at 22.
Miller is expected to play tonight.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) January 19, 2019
In the almost two weeks since he was put on IR, the backup spot has been held by both of the Chicago Wolves’ goalies. Max Lagace was recalled first as the immediate replacement. Without logging any time on the ice, Lagace was sent back to Chicago on Jan. 24 and was replaced by Oscar Dansk.
Dansk, who has not logged ice time for the Knights since he suffered an injury against the New York Islanders on Oct. 30 — of 2017. Dansk did not play a game in his time with the team and was sent back down for Lagace on Jan. 31.
Golden Knights have recalled Max Lagace and Jake Bischoff. They have optioned Oscar Dansk to the AHL.
The roster currently sits at 23 with Smith, Carrier, and Subban on IR.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) January 31, 2019
Both Subban and Lagace will be restricted free agents after this season while Dansk will be an RFA in 2020. If the Knights want to surpass last season’s team and win the Stanley Cup Finals, they’ll need to lean on one of their backups in the latter half of the season.
No Cup winner since the 2011-12 Los Angeles Kings has had a goalie start more than 60 games (Jonathan Quick) and none since the 2002-03 New Jersey Devils had a goalie play more than 70 games (Martin Brodeur). Andre-Fleury is on pace to start 70 games this season.
