There have been numerous question marks surrounding the Vegas Golden Knights. After the first time the team has missed the playoffs, many are wondering how they can get back there. The team has seen some big names such as Max Pacioretty being shipped off to the Carolina Hurricanes but also starting goalie Robin Lehner being out for the season with an injury. Going into the season with Logan Thompson and Laurent Brossoit was questionable at best. But the team addressed the goalie needs as Adin Hill has been traded. The Golden Knights acquired the goalie from the San Jose Sharks for a 2024 fourth-round pick.
Adin Hill Traded To Division Rival
The Vegas Golden Knights have acquired goaltender Adin Hill from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a 2024 fourth-round pick. 🔁 pic.twitter.com/n3sL2mgJpS
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) August 30, 2022
It was only a matter of time before the upgrade in net happened. The Golden Knights have found their solution by trading for Adin Hill. It did not cost much, but it gives the team balance in the net. Thompson has shown he could handle the heavy workload, but adding Hill gives the Golden Knights an extra goalie in the room and a goalie they can count on in the crease. Given the cap space the team has to work with, a cheaper yet effective option was always going to be the outcome.
Why This Trade Makes Sense
Adin Hill has been traded and enters a good situation. Not that he was not in one in San Jose, but Vegas is a deeper team than the Sharks and Hill has the opportunity to take the crease. Hill is coming off one of his better seasons as a goaltender. In 22 games played with the Sharks, he finished with a 10-11-1 record and posted a .906 save percentage and a 2.66 goals against average (best on the team). He also finished with -4.1 goals saved above expected. Hill has only been in the league for five seasons but has shown some promise with his playing ability. He owns a career save percentage of .908 and a goals against average of 2.74. Hill saw his best numbers come with the Arizona Coyotes in 2019-20 where he posted a save percentage (.913) and goals against average (2.62).
Adin Hill, traded to VGK, is a backup goalie who wasn't quite the answer SJ thought he was going to be. Last summer he was traded for an upcoming 2nd, now traded for a 4th in two years. #VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/ugc0VVXHPO
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) August 30, 2022
The Sharks are entering a new regime and getting anything for him was better than nothing. As shown above his work in the high danger areas (.625 save percentage) needs to improve, but overall for a backup goalie, he performed well.
Why This Trade Benefits Vegas
Making this type was a no-brainer for the Vegas Golden Knights. A team that has cup aspirations could not afford to go into the year with question marks in the net. The likely outcome is that Thompson and Hill form a 1A-1B tandem which would be more than exceptional for the team. With the core they have in place, this team’s return to the playoffs should not be a tall task. The question has been answered. Now it is time to see how effective it is on the ice.
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