This is not a prediction, it’s a spoiler. Do not read this article if you do not want to learn who the playoff game one starter in the net will be for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Coach Bruce Cassidy is in a different spot heading into this year’s NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. Cassidy has a choice to make. Laurent Brossoit started game one of last year’s playoffs by virtue of being the last healthy goaltender available.
Logan Thompson and Adin Hill have had pockets of success. Thompson and Hill have also had pockets of extremely poor play.
Hill missed multiple pockets of the season with a lower-body injury.
Neither goalie has made a strong case, from a stats perspective, to be the playoff starter.
Thompson: 24-14-5, 2.74 GA, and .907 SV%
Hill: 19-11-2, 2.70 GA, and .910 SV%.
Both goalies have made a habit of allowing goals from poor angles. Hill struggles playing the puck and making glove saves. Thompson is having a hard time fighting through screens and stringing stretches of quality starts.
Let’s go back to last season. Thompson was pacing Hill at nearly a two-to-one ratio when both goalies were healthy. It was clear that it was Thompson’s net last season until injuries ended his season on Mar. 23.
Hill has appeared in 45 games this season compared to Hill’s 34 due to injuries. Thompson has yet to make consecutive starts when Hill has been healthy. Hill made five consecutive starts in March which forced Thompson to go 15 days without a start.
Here is how the Golden Knights fanbase feels about the situation.
It is worth noting that this pole went live just before the game vs. the Avalanche started. Hill gave up a bad goal during the first period that could have influenced the voting.
9.9% of those that participated in the pole are going with Hill starting game one. 90.1% believe the playoff net belongs to Thompson or that Cassidy is still deciding.
The Golden Knights have two home game remaining in the 2023-24 regular season. Thompson and Hill alternated starting the last three games and it is fair to assume Thompson will start Tuesday vs. the Chicago Blackhawks and Hill will start the season finale against the Anaheim Ducks.
The Golden Knights can improve to wild card one or third in the Pacific Division standings depending how the Los Angeles Kings and Nashville Predators finish the season.
Why the Playoff Starter Will be Adin Hill
It is pretty simple. There is a higher trust in the goalie that hoisted the Stanley Cup, made that incredible stick save in the Stanley Cup Final, and got a pay raise over the summer. Thompson has had a solid season with great spirts. But he has not done enough to separate himself from Hill.
It is Hill’s net and Thompson has not done enough to force himself into a playoff starting role.
There is a reasonable chance that the only time we see Thompson in the playoffs is for mop-up duties.
No one in Vegas would be upset if Hill got 16 more wins in this year’s NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs than Thompson.
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