Knights down one preseason game this year, but they’re not complaining
The Golden Knights are playing one fewer preseason game than they normally would.
That might be a problem for most teams. The Knights are happy to take that in stride.
The team’s preseason schedule was reduced from seven to six games this year. Their seventh game was supposed to take place in Salt Lake City, but things changed when the Arizona Coyotes franchise relocated there and became the Utah Hockey Club.
That gave the Knights and the Kings, who were supposed to meet at Salt Lake City’s Delta Center, one fewer exhibition game to prepare for the upcoming campaign.
There are positives and negatives that come with that. The Knights have one fewer game to evaluate their roster and settle position battles. But 18 periods of preseason hockey should still be plenty.
“I think it really benefits some teams to have that extra game that are kind of really looking at a lot of guys and (have) new coaches instilling new systems,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “For our situation, I think it’s a perfect amount. We do have some newer players to look at, but they’ve played in the league.”
The Knights’ second preseason game will be against the Kings at 7 p.m. Wednesday at T-Mobile Arena. They opened their exhibition schedule with a 4-2 road win over the San Jose Sharks on Sunday.
The Knights returned to practice Tuesday with 57 players still at camp after six were assigned to their junior hockey teams Monday. That means the team still has plenty of cuts to make before getting down to the NHL’s roster limit of 23.
The Knights do have two players — defenseman Lukas Cormier and forward Sloan Stanick — out due to injury. Center William Karlsson was also given a maintenance day Tuesday, but isn’t expected to miss extended time. Cassidy said he’s grateful Karlsson is the only member of the NHL roster that’s hurt so far.
Cassidy said the plan for Wednesday’s game is to have a mix of regulars and roster hopefuls. That was the plan of attack Sunday, with the Knights rolling out their fourth line of center Brett Howden, right wing Keegan Kolesar and former Stanley Cup champion Tanner Pearson, who is in camp on a professional tryout agreement.
“(Pearson) is a predictable player. He’s playing with two guys that are going to play hard minutes for us,” Cassidy said. “He did a good job on the walls. Forecheck, he complemented those guys well.”
Forward Nicolas Roy said he needs about three exhibition games to feel like he’s ready to go for the regular season. This year in particular he could use a few more reps than normal.
Roy, who has spent much of his Knights’ tenure at fourth-line center, opened camp at third-line right wing. Preseason games will give him a chance to adjust to his new role and build chemistry with center Tomas Hertl and left wing Alexander Holtz.
“With three games, I have time to get ready for the season,” Roy said. “I think the game slows down. You play those scrimmages (in practice), it’s kind of fast but not as fast as those (preseason games).”
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.