Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy indicated Tuesday that goaltender Laurent Brossoit is unlikely to be available for the upcoming Western Conference Final series against the Dallas Stars. Brossoit has not played or practiced since sustaining a lower-body injury in Game 3 of the second-round win against the Edmonton Oilers.
Brossoit performed spectacularly down the stretch for Vegas, posting a 7-0-3 record and .927 save percentage in 10 starts after an early-season injury slipped him down the depth chart and earned him an extended stay in the minors for the first time in years. He carried that over into the postseason, and while his .894 save percentage in eight playoff starts isn’t exactly flattering, he did provide some needed big saves and played a key role in guiding Vegas to the NHL’s final four.
The team’s backup to start the season, Adin Hill, came in and finished the job in Brossoit’s absence, currently leading all playoff netminders with a .934 save percentage. In Game 6, he allowed Edmonton’s first two shots on goal in but saved the next 38 en route to a series-clinching win. Even if Brossoit was available, the team would’ve likely kept Hill in the starter’s crease.
One option that could become available, though, is Logan Thompson, who led all Vegas netminders this year with 36 starts and 21 wins. Thompson has missed much of the last three months with a lower-body injury that was aggravated in March, but Cassidy’s comments alluded to the possibility of Thompson becoming an option during this series. He didn’t explicitly state Thompson had returned to practice, however.
Thompson did perform well in his first season as an NHL starter and could’ve outlasted Edmonton counterpart Stuart Skinner for a Calder Trophy nomination had he not faced injury issues down the stretch. If his regular-season performance with the Golden Knights during this season and last is any indication, he’s a better backup option at this point in time than veteran Jonathan Quick, whom Vegas has dressed on the bench in Brossoit’s absence.
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