Vegas Golden Knights Missing 5 Olympic Stars in NHL Return Game

The Vegas Golden Knights returned to NHL action Wednesday night without five key players who competed in the Olympic gold medal game. The team faced the Los Angeles Kings while missing top scorers and defensemen who helped Team USA and Canada battle for Olympic gold.

LOS ANGELES — The Vegas Golden Knights faced a significant roster challenge Wednesday evening as they returned to NHL action against the Los Angeles Kings, playing without five key players who participated in the Olympic championship game.

The team had previously announced that center Jack Eichel and defenseman Noah Hanifin from the victorious United States squad would be unavailable. Additionally, the Golden Knights made the trip to Los Angeles without Canadian players Mark Stone, Mitch Marner (both forwards), and defenseman Shea Theodore.

“Well, it’s a challenge to the group, and it’s an opportunity for others, so we still got 20 NHL players in our lineup,” Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. “Obviously, less room for error when you’re missing some real difference-makers.”

Team USA claimed Olympic gold by defeating Canada 2-1 in overtime during Sunday’s final in Milan. The absent players represent significant offensive power for Vegas, with Eichel, Stone, and Marner serving as the team’s top three point scorers this season. On defense, Theodore and Hanifin lead all Vegas blue-liners in both playing time and scoring.

The coaching staff expects Eichel and Hanifin to rejoin the squad in Washington and suit up for Friday’s matchup against the Capitals. Cassidy remained hopeful that Stone, Marner, and Theodore would travel from Las Vegas to the East Coast and also be ready for Friday’s contest.

The Golden Knights received some positive news regarding player availability, as forwards Brandon Saad (undisclosed injury) and Colton Sissions (upper-body injury) along with defenseman Brayden McNabb (upper-body injury) were all cleared from injured reserve on Tuesday.

Currently, Vegas maintains a four-point advantage over the Edmonton Oilers for first place in the Pacific Division. The team faces a demanding schedule ahead, with 18 games scheduled over the next 35 days following the three-week Olympic break.