Golden Knights Add Two More Black Aces

Last week, the Golden Knights recalled several players as their Black Ace recalls.  Earlier this week, they decided to bring up two more to give them more depth up front.  Per the AHL’s transactions log, Vegas recently promoted wingers Alexander Holtz and Trevor Connelly from AHL Henderson.

Holtz broke camp with Vegas this season and spent most of the year on the NHL roster.  However, a lot of that time was spent as a healthy scratch.  He got into 28 games with the Golden Knights overall, collecting three goals and six assists in 11:29 of playing time per night.  It’s the second straight year that his usage and production have dropped, leading to him hitting waivers in early March.

After clearing, the 24-year-old was sent down to the Silver Knights and played a regular role down the stretch, notching nine points in 13 games.  However, he wasn’t particularly productive in the postseason, being limited to one goal in six contests.  Holtz has one year left on his contract with an AAV below the league minimum next season which could help his chances of staying on an NHL roster.

As for Connelly, he received a recall earlier in the postseason but didn’t wind up playing and is still looking to make his NHL debut.  The 20-year-old is a rare first-round pick that Vegas has held onto and he had an impressive rookie year that saw him collect 49 points in 46 games during the season and six more in six playoff contests.  He likely won’t be making his NHL debut in the playoffs but he and Holtz will get a chance to keep practicing for a little while longer.