Knights goaltenders look forward to ‘healthy competition’

Golden Knights goaltenders Adin Hill and Logan Thompson will compete for starts for the second straight season, but don’t expect things to get too heated.

The two Alberta natives stay teammates even when they’re away from the ice.

Hill and Thompson, who have known each other since elementary school, spend some of their free time playing the NHL video game series together. But they don’t often face each other. They team up, with Thompson playing forward and Hill on defense doing his best Bobby Orr impression.

“I’m pretty offensive,” Hill said. “I don’t stay back much.”

The tight bond should help the two push each other in a constructive way. They shined at different parts last season, and the Knights need them to be sharp again to make another run at the Stanley Cup.

“Me and Hillsy have a great relationship on and off the ice,” Thompson said. “We’re really excited for the year. Excited to work with each other and (have) that healthy competition. At the same time, (also) cheer each other on.”

Hill said his life hasn’t changed much since a year ago. Maybe he will get recognized and asked for a picture, but that’s about it.

But there’s no doubt his career looks completely different.

He was traded to the Knights in August 2022, his third team in five seasons. Now he’s back with them on a two-year, $9.8 million contract as a Stanley Cup-winning goaltender. His .932 save percentage in the playoffs was incredible, and he made a stop with his stick in Game 1 of the final against Florida that will go down in playoff lore.

Following all that up will be tricky, but Hill still has room to grow. His 25 starts last season were a career high. He needs to prove he can stay healthy throughout a season and handle a larger workload. He can also improve his consistency now that he’s used to the Knights’ defensive structure.

“You’re not learning a new system, new teammates, new rink, new everything, right?” Hill said. “It’s definitely been smoother.”

Thompson is looking to recapture the form that made him an All Star last season.

He performed well as a rookie, going 21-13-3 with a .915 save percentage, but injuries prevented him from being part of the playoff run. He suffered a lower-body injury Feb. 9 in Minnesota, then got hurt again his first game back March 23 in Calgary. He didn’t play the rest of the season.

“It’s a mental toll,” Thompson said. “You start to get frustrated and cranky just because you want to be out there so bad. The way my season ended was (awful), to say the least. But how the team ended was amazing.”

Thompson declared himself 100 percent at the start of training camp, so he should push Hill for starts.

The exact split between the two has yet to be determined. Coach Bruce Cassidy said it would depend on performance, but neither is likely to end up with 60 starts barring injury.

“I don’t think one will play a lot more than the other at the end of the day if they both play to their abilities,” Cassidy said. “It’s not necessary, and they’re both good goaltenders, so we don’t need to do that.”

The Knights won’t get many complaints from the two. They are used to propping each other up, on ice real and virtual.

“We’ve always had that mindset between each other,” Hill said. “We have a good relationship there. We’ll just keep pushing each other every day in practice and carry it into the games.”

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on X.