State Your Case: Can Golden Knights make playoffs this season?

The Vegas Golden Knights missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in their five seasons in the NHL, finishing three points out of the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference last season.

The optimism the Golden Knights had for returning to the playoffs this season was dealt a serious blow Aug. 11 when it was announced that No. 1 goalie Robin Lehner would have hip surgery and likely miss the season.
Lehner was 23-17-2 with a 2.83 goals-against average and .907 save percentage last season. But, because of injuries, he played 12 of the final 37 games as the Golden Knights struggled down the stretch, going 17-15-5 while relying on rookie Logan Thompson.
Thompson, who was 10-5-3 with a 2.68 GAA and .914 save percentage in 19 games (17 starts) last season, is likely the No. 1 to start the 2022-23 season, backed up by Laurent Brossoit.
So with that goalie tandem, can Vegas make the playoffs this season?
That's the question before NHL.com writers Tracey Myers and Tom Gulitti in this installment of State Your Case.
Myers: On paper, it doesn't look good with Lehner out for the season. But here's the thing: Last season, the Golden Knights had more than 500 man-games lost due to injury, and they still almost made the playoffs. Lehner wasn't healthy through the second half of last season, either. He played on March 8 against the Philadelphia Flyers and then not again until April 3, then had surgery on his shoulder April 25. This is an opportunity for someone else in goal, likely Thompson. If the Golden Knights are healthier in front of their goalie this season, they can get to the playoffs.
Gulitti: Before the news of Lehner's hip surgery, I thought Vegas would rebound and qualify for the playoffs this season because it would be impossible for it to have worse luck with injuries than last season. Unfortunately, it's already continuing in the area that's most difficult to overcome -- goaltending. The Golden Knights' trouble keeping the puck out of their net after injuries to Lehner and Laurent Brossoit combined with scoring struggles proved to be their downfall in the second half of last season. With Lehner in and out of the lineup and Brossoit not playing after March 15, Vegas was 19th in the NHL in allowing 3.09 goals per game and 23rd in scoring 2.97 goals per game to fall from first in the Pacific Division to fourth. Now the 25-year-old Thompson will have to prove he can handle an NHL starter's workload for the first time during a full season with Broissoit likely to miss the start of the season after also having offseason surgery for an undisclosed injury and Michael Hutchinson as the lone other roster option with NHL experience.
Myers: And that's where I'm coming from regarding Thompson: I think he is ready to take the workload. He's been brought along through the system well. Signed as a free agent by Vegas on July 13, 2020, Thompson was outstanding for Henderson of the American Hockey League the past two seasons. In 2020-21 he was 16-6-2 with a 1.96 GAA, .943 save percentage and two shutouts in 23 games. Last season he was 13-9-5 with a 2.77 GAA, .920 save percentage and two shutouts. Getting thrown into the fire late last season with the Golden Knights should have him prepared to play in the NHL. The Golden Knights also need to help him and I think they will. Sure, their offense and defense struggled last season but again, they were as unhealthy as you could get. With better health, perhaps Vegas can be closer to 2020-21, when they were top five in goals for (3.39) and goals against (2.18).
Gulitti: I agree with Tracey that the Golden Knights should be a better team in front of their goalies with a healthier lineup and, given Thompson's progression, he might be ready to take the next step. But the most games he has played in a season professionally is the 45 combined he played last season with Henderson (26) and Vegas (19). If Thompson increases that number to 50-plus this season, the Golden Knights will still need a goalie (or goalies) to competently fill their approximately 30 other regular-season games. Hutchinson hasn't played that many in the NHL since he played 30 with the Winnipeg Jets in 2015-16. Brossoit's 24 games last season (21 starts) were his NHL career high. It will be asking a lot for them to team with Thompson to give Vegas playoff-quality goaltending for the full season. So, acquiring a goalie who has done it before will be the Golden Knights' best path back to the postseason. Otherwise, qualifying for the playoffs will be a challenge.