Golden Knights name Cassidy coach after missing playoffs for first time

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After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com takes a look at where each team stands in preparation for the 2022-23 regular season, which begins Oct. 7. Today, the Vegas Golden Knights:

Season 2021-22: 43-31-8, fourth in Pacific Division. did not qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs

Key arrivals

Sakari Manninen, F: The 30-year-old signed a one-year contract on July 14 after playing four seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League. He had 32 points, including a team-high 19 goals, in 38 regular-season games for Salavat Yulaev Ufa last season and scored the game-winning goal for Finland in the 2022 IIHF World Championship final against Canada. … Bruce Cassidy, Coach: He was hired on June 14 to replace Peter DeBoer, the 57-year-old head coach of the Boston Bruins for six seasons until he was fired on June 6. He was 245-108-46 with Boston, winning the 2020 Jack Adams Award and being voted NHL Coach of the Year. The Bruins have made the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each season, including a seven-game loss to the St. Louis Blues in the 2019 Finals.

Basic departures

Max PaciorettyF: Exchanged with Dylan Coughlan to the Carolina Hurricanes on July 13 for future thoughts on making room under the NHL salary cap. he has one season remaining on a four-year, $28 million contract ($7 million average annual value). Pacioretty was limited to 39 games due to a lower-body injury and wrist surgery. He had 37 points (19 goals, 18 assists) in 39 regular season games last season. … Evgenii DadonovPhi: Traded to the Montreal Canadiens on June 16 for a defenseman Shea Weber, whose career could be over after sitting out 2021-22 with a foot/ankle injury. Dandonov had 43 points (20 goals, 23 assists) in 78 games last season. … Matthias JanmarkF: He signed a one-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers on July 17 as an unrestricted free agent. He had 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in 67 regular season games last season. … Dylan Coghlan, D: He had 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 59 games last season. … Peter DeBoer, Coach: He was fired on May 16 after the Golden Knights missed the playoffs for the first time since entering the NHL in 2017-18. Vegas was 98-50-12 under DeBoer, who was named the Dallas Stars coach on June 21.

On the doorstep

Logan ThompsonG: The 25-year-old was 10-5-3 with a 2.68 goals-against average, .914 save percentage and one shutout in 19 games (17 starts) and 13-9-4 with a 2.77 GAA, .920 save percentage and two shutouts for the Henderson of the American Hockey League last season. With Robin Lehner shoulder surgery on May 4 and Laurent Brossoit a medical procedure for an undisclosed injury after last season, Thompson could see significant playing time this season. … Kaedan Korczak, D: The 21-year-old, a second-round pick (No. 41) in the 2019 NHL Draft, made his NHL debut on Feb. 1 against the Buffalo Sabres. Had 14 points (two goals, 12 assists) in 47 AHL games last season. … Pavel Dorofeyev, F: The 21-year-old was held scoreless in two NHL games last season. Selected in the third round (No. 79) of the 2019 draft, Dorofeyev led Henderson with 52 points (27 goals, 25 assists) in 63 games last season. … Brendan Brisson, F: The 20-year-old was the No. 29 pick of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and signed a tryout agreement with Henderson on April 12 following his sophomore season at the University of Michigan. Brisson had eight points (three goals, five assists) in seven AHL games and signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Golden Knights on April 30.

What they still need

Vegas has yet to re-sign restricted free agents Nicholas Roy and Keegan Kolesar (arbitration hearing scheduled for August 10) and defense counsel Nicholas Hague. Vegas could create some cap space when Weber is placed on long-term injured reserve early in the season, but questions remain over the availability of Lehner, Brossoit and forwards. Mark Stone (back) after any off-season surgery.

Video: SJS@VGK: Roy hits the feed from Karlsson

They said it

“We want to put teams on their heels. We want to score goals, but not at the expense of firewagon hockey. So we have to control well, control as a team, connect to get back bolts so we can go from other side and Use our skill. There’s a lot of skill up and down our line-up so we want to make sure we take advantage of that and the players know that.” — coach Bruce Cassidy

Imagination focus

The Golden Knights have a void at left wing following the trade of Pacioretty and Dadonov. They signed again Riley Smitha consistent fantasy producer over the years, and has Roy as a potential deep sleeper if he makes the top unit with elite forwards Stone and Jack Eichel. But the safest option for this point could be lifting Jonathan Marchessault, who was one of the most underrated fantasy cover players in the NHL playing primarily on the second line. Marchessault leads the Golden Knights in goals (122), assists (169), points (291), even-strength points (221), power-play points (70) and shots on goal (1,208) since starting play 2017-18 and has more than one hit per game (401 in 356 games) in that span. — Pete Jensen