ROSTER RUNDOWN
Making the cut
Tanner Pearson is attending training camp on a professional tryout contract. He has played in 644 NHL regular-season games and won the Stanley Cup with the Los Angeles Kings in 2014. He played in 54 games with the Montreal Canadiens last season and had 13 points (five goals, eight assists). Injuries have derailed Pearson the past two seasons, limiting him to 68 games, but he told reporters early in training camp that all of that is behind him. He is competing for what is likely a spot on Vegas' fourth line as a replacement to William Carrier, who signed with the Carolina Hurricanes. Brendan Brisson, Jonas Rondbjerg and Zach Aston-Reese are also competing for roster spots, though they're limited.
Most intriguing addition
Holtz was traded by the New Jersey Devils before he had a chance to live up to the potential he came with as the No. 7 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. Vegas acquired the 22-year-old forward and goalie Akira Schmid, who is likely the No. 3, for forward Paul Cotter and a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft on June 29. Holtz scored 16 goals and had 28 points in 82 games with New Jersey last season. He is likely ticketed for a third-line role with the Golden Knights, but that means he'll get a chance to play with either Hertl or William Karlsson as his center. There is optimism that Holtz's big shot with the quick release will pay dividends for Vegas.
Biggest potential surprise
Olofsson comes to Vegas on a one-year contract after a down season with the Buffalo Sabres. He had 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in 51 games last season. But Olofsson scored 28 goals in 75 games in 2022-23. More importantly, he is reunited with Eichel. They played together with the Sabres and Eichel was Olofsson's regular center during the 2019-20 season and part of the 2020-21 season. Olofsson scored 20 goals in 54 games in 2019-20, when Eichel had 36 goals in 68 games. The Golden Knights are hoping their chemistry returns.
Ready to contribute
It certainly appears that Brisson has done everything asked of him since turning pro late in the 2021-22 season, when he had eight points (three goals, five assists) in seven games with the Henderson Silver Knights of the American Hockey League. Brisson has 83 points (40 goals, 43 assists) in 117 AHL games, including 38 (19 goals, 19 assists) in 52 games last season. He also had eight points (two goals, six assists) in 15 games with Vegas last season. But Brisson is waiver-exempt, which means he will have to outplay an NHL veteran to earn a roster spot out of training camp. In fact, his waiver status bodes well for Pearson's chances of making the team. Regardless if he's on the opening night roster or in the AHL, Brisson figures to get his chance with the Golden Knights this season, and if he performs well enough he could force them to keep him in the NHL.
Fantasy sleeper
Hanifin, D (average draft position: 111.4) -- After being acquired from the Calgary Flames prior to the NHL Trade Deadline last season, Hanifin had 17 points (four goals, 13 assists), eight on the power play, in 26 games with the Golden Knights during the regular season and playoffs combined. Hanifin scored an NHL career-high 13 goals last season and was productive on the first power-play unit in the postseason with high-scoring forwards Eichel, Hertl and Mark Stone, giving the defenseman a high fantasy ceiling over a full season. -- Pete Jensen
