3 questions facing Vegas Golden Knights

NHL.com is providing in-depth analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, three important questions facing the Vegas Golden Knights.

1. Can Mark Stone stay healthy?

Stone, the Vegas captain, was limited to 43 games in 2022-23. He didn’t play from Jan. 12, 2023, until the Stanley Cup Playoffs began.

He was limited to 56 games last season. This time, he didn’t play from Feb. 20 until the playoffs began.

But here is the good news for the Golden Knights: In 2022-23, Stone had back issues that required surgery. He recovered so well that he didn’t miss a game last season -- and was leading the team with 53 points (16 goals, 37 assists) -- until he sustained a freak injury: a lacerated spleen.

All that is behind the 32-year-old forward now.

“His spleen has recovered,” general manager Kelly McCrimmon said. “He’s had a normal offseason in terms of training. … He’s in a very good spot physically.”

2. What can Tomas Hertl do?

Hertl was recovering from knee surgery when the Golden Knights acquired him in a trade with the San Jose Sharks on March 8.

Getting over the injury, joining a new NHL team for the first time and jumping into the hardest hockey of the season, he had four points (two goals, two assists) in six regular-season games and one goal in seven playoff games.

The 30-year-old should look more like himself after a normal offseason and a training camp to build more chemistry with his teammates.

“I’m really excited,” Hertl said. “I have great summer. Ready to go.”

3. Who will seize opportunities on the wing?

The Golden Knights are set in goal, on defense and at center. The intrigue entering training camp is on the wing.

Vegas added forwards Victor Olofsson and Alexander Holtz in the offseason. Olofsson had 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in 51 games for the Buffalo Sabres last season, but he has scored 20 goals or more three times in the NHL and once played with center Jack Eichel in Buffalo. Holtz had 28 points (16 goals, 12 assists) in 82 games for the New Jersey Devils last season.

Other forwards to watch include Pavel Dorofeyev and Brendan Brisson, who split time between Vegas and Henderson of the American Hockey League last season. Dorofeyev, a third-round pick (No. 79) in the 2019 NHL Draft, had 24 points (13 goals, 11 assists) in 47 games for Vegas last season. Brisson, the No. 29 pick of the 2020 NHL Draft, had eight points (two goals, six assists) for Vegas last season.

“Anybody that’s a winger, they’re going to have an opportunity if they’re ready to take it,” McCrimmon said.