The Vegas Golden Knights lost a valuable defenseman in Nicolas Hague. What does it mean and who will step in?
The Vegas Golden Knights will have their depth tested for a stretch, losing defenseman Nicolas Hague to the injured reserve. The cause? Possibly a lower-body injury sustained against the Ottawa Senators. The large blue-liner missed the third period of that game, returning for the home game on November 2nd against the Utah Hockey Club.
He was scratched on Wednesday against the Edmonton Oilers, where Ben Hutton took his spot in the lineup. The 25-year-old defenseman was replaced by a mixture of Hutton and Kaedan Korczak during his stretches off and will continue in the next seven days or three games minimum.
Speaking of Hutton and Korczak, Bruce Cassidy has a good problem on his hands with the injury. That’s not to say that losing Hague is a good thing. It isn’t. You’re losing a pure defenseman who brings size and physicality to an offensive-minded unit. But these questions would pop up with Hague’s absence for Cassidy.
Who does he play?
Which defenseman works best for the upcoming matchup?
These questions pose a healthy problem for Cassidy in that he can call up one and add another in case of injury. If Hutton or Korczak goes down, in comes the other. The Golden Knights can bank on utilizing their seventh (or eighth) defenseman without fail, keeping their lineup fresh.
What losing Nicolas Hague means for the Vegas Golden Knights
Nicolas Hauge is the prototypical classic defenseman. He’s a large body (6’6″, 230 lbs.) who uses that body to create havoc for opposing attackers. In the past two seasons, he’s blocked 244 shots and created 270 hits. The 25-year-old blue-liner plays a similar style to Zdeno Chara. The legendary Czech player was a bigger body (6’9″, 250 lbs.) and laid people out.
Suddenly, the Vegas Golden Knights get smaller at the defenseman position. They also become slanted towards offense, losing their defensive edge in the process. The Golden Knights don’t look as physical without Hague, specifically with the lower pairings.
While there will be more speed and skating, the unit doesn’t have the physical bite that they did with Hague. That could come into play within the next week, when they’ll deal with more physical teams. Sure, saying the Carolina Hurricanes (191, fewest in the NHL) and Seattle Kraken (316, tied for 15th) aren’t playing like the Nashville Predators. That much is true, which could cushion the blow.
However, the Golden Knights aren’t lighting people up on the ice. They’ve totaled 235 hits, the seventh-fewest in the NHL. Teams like the Hurricanes will try to outpace the Golden Knights on the ice when they play. That’ll cause trouble with the transition defense, which hasn’t been the best this season.
What about Ben Hutton and Kaeden Korczak?
One thing Ben Hutton brings to the table is a strong forechecking acumen. As mentioned, he knows how to create turnovers and generate pressure. Being a veteran defenseman also helps, for he can tackle tougher situations without a sweat. Hutton even adds an offensive kick to his game, making him more valuable than people realize.
Kaeden Korczak is smoother and more reliable. He’s suitable for countering faster teams like the Hurricanes by keeping up with oncoming rushes. The 23-year-old defenseman also acts well as a complimentary player, keeping up with an offensive-minded defenseman (i.e. Shea Theodore or Noah Hanifin).
That goes back to the good problem Bruce Cassidy has on his hands. If he needs more speed and fluid defensive play, Korczak is the guy. If Cassidy wants a veteran defenseman who forechecks, Ben Hutton is the go-to choice.
Losing Nicolas Hague to a lower-body injury hurts. That’s especially true when he’s the classic defenseman the Golden Knights need. However, it could be something Cassidy can navigate, creating his lineup accordingly. In fact, it could make the Golden Knights deadlier, countering their opponents easier.