Can Adin Hill Prove He’s Number One Goalie Material With Vegas?
The Vegas Golden Knights need another goalie. Robin Lehner was already out for the season. Rookie sensation Logan Thompson is now also on the shelf and is expected to be out week to week. Who knows how long that will be with the way NHL teams hide injuries? It’s Adin Hill and the recent call up Laurent Brossoit until further notice for the VGK. Can Adin Hill prove he’s number one goalie material during the stretch run for the VGK?
It’s a fair question to ask. As we near the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline, it’s fair to wonder if the Knights need another goalie. Personally, I’d lean towards yes being the correct answer. Hill has filled in admirably when called upon but what’s the real ceiling here? To be called upon as the number one goalie for a playoff run, I’m not sure he’s quite good enough.
The eyeball test on Hill for me is pretty easy to come up with a comp for. Hill reminds me of just a worse version of Robin Lehner. Both are big bodies (Hill is 6-foot-6) that take up a large portion of the net. The only problem is they’re not the most athletic guys in the world and can be slow to react to spots. Also, give up their fair share of cookies. Hill is just the worse version which is why the Knights decided to trade for him this year.
Hill has done his part as the secondary option behind Thompson. The former Sharks and Coyotes netminder is 12-5-1 on the season with a .911 SV% and +2.8 GSAA. It’s just fair to wonder what those numbers are going to look like now that Hill is entrenched as the starter. We already know Laurent Brossoit is terrible and wasn’t even performing in the AHL.
Bruce Cassidy is a great coach. They’re going to do their best to work magic with Hill. Cassidy’s m.o. is forcing shots to the outside and limiting the space Hill will have to cover. Vegas also has a great blue line when healthy. We’re also talking about a team that’s leading the Pacific division and has no margin for error. Asking Hill to be the guy for the rest of the regular season is a TALL, TALL task.
MoneyPuck.com Hill’s saves are above expected are down to 73rd in the league. He’s also played the weaker opponents on the schedule with Thompson being asked to tackle the games against contenders. If Vegas isn’t worried, they’re lying to themselves.
This is going to be a huge next few weeks for Adin Hill. He’s in the final year of his contract and has an opportunity for lots of playing time down the stretch. If Hill fails to perform, don’t be surprised to see a trade come to fruition. If Vegas can’t count on Hill, they’re going to have to find someone who can at least split duties with Thompson when he returns. Goaltending has been a strength for the VGK all season but we’re entering the point of no return. Dropping in the standings and missing the playoffs because Hill failed can’t be an option.
