Golden Knights forward ‘knows what he is’

LAS VEGAS – For the better part of the past four seasons, Vegas Golden Knights forward Jonas Rondbjerg has found himself doing a little bit of a yo-yo.

He was sent down in the American Hockey League with the Henderson Silver Knights; then was called up for a spell before settling with Henderson.

It doesn’t bother him. Rondbjerg focuses on the aspect he can control and leaves the decision of where he will play up to those who make those decisions.

“I try to play the same game, and now it’s about establishing yourself,” Rondbjerg said. “That’s the next step to be a regular, so I try to prove myself that I’m able to do that.”

Road to becoming a Golden Knights regular

So what must Rondbjerg do to become a Golden Knights “regular?”

Let’s start with what he does well. Rondbjerg is a steady player. He doesn’t make a lot of mistakes, but he plays well on the forecheck, can retrieve pucks, and kills penalties.

“He knows what he is and what he isn’t,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “It’s very predictable for a guy coming up from the American Hockey. You’re not wondering what you’re going to get. So that’s what we like most about it.”

The area where Rondbjerg can improve is on offense. The 25-year old has 10 points in 64 career NHL games. He has 97 points in 187 games in the American Hockey League, so something can be unlocked in Rondbjerg’s offensive game, particularly in the net-front area.

“For him, I’m guessing, goes back to his youth,” Cassidy said. “He’s a really good skater, so a lot of his offense when he’s younger probably came with foot speed, outside drive, and bringing up the puck. Then, you’ve got to learn to add another skill to find a different way to score. The guys that are the Mark Stones of the world probably spent their whole life trying to get to the front of the net, having to use their hockey IQ because they’re probably not going to be able to skate past some of their defensemen. So they will they’ve learned that part of it that’s why they’re good at it.”

While there is a chance Rondbjerg will end up in the American Hockey League at some point again this season, he’ll continue to work on his offensive game to become a player who won’t have to do the yo-yo between leagues anymore.

Paul Delos Santos is the Las Vegas sports insider for Dice City Sports. Follow him on X at @PaulDelos_.