Golden Knights Must Make Goalie Trade Before Deadline

The mid-season slump is officially here for the Vegas Golden Knights. The Pacific Division leaders have lost seven of their last 10 games, and their lead has shrunk to a single point. It's been a tough stretch of late, but there is one area that feels particularly underwater for Vegas.

It's been a rough start to the 2025 portion of the calendar for both of the Golden Knights' net minders. Ilya Samsonov and Adin Hill are two seasoned veterans, with Hill being a crucial part of Vegas' 2023 Stanley Cup run. But this year, it's been a constant back and forth for whoever is in net. With the team's division lead eroding and their goalies struggling, the organization is now in the position of needing another NHL goaltender before this year's deadline.

Heading into this campaign, the team turned to the tandem of Samsonov and Hill to fill the net in 2024 and 2025, and while the first half of the season didn't present much issue, that has quickly changed for the worse. Both goalies have had some decent starts lately, but the standard they are setting is subpar. Their own head coach, Bruce Cassidy, recently called it out after a loss to the St. Louis Blues.

"We need better play out of the goaltending position right now," Cassidy said. "We can't expect to give up four and win."

Samsonov is 3-3 since the calendar flipped, while Hill is 2-3-1. Neither has looked exceptional in their victories, but they've both looked inadequate in defeat. The Golden Knights have a Stanley Cup roster in front of their goaltender, but it has to match in net.

Both current net minders are capable of flashes of excellence and carrying the load temporarily, but counting on either one to shoulder the majority of remaining starts is a gamble that Vegas may not be able to withstand. The trade market is already red hot and multiple moves will be made, so the Golden Knights must act to address their goaltending problems before it's too late.