The Vegas honeymoon may be over.
After going 3-1-0 to begin their inaugural season, the Golden Knights announced starting goalie and face of the franchise Marc-Andre Fleury has been placed on injured reserve with a concussion.
The timetable is murky for this type of injury, but we know Fleury will be out at least a week, meaning he'll miss a minimum of three games.
General manager George McPhee appeared to have a contingency plan in place after selecting a fairly proven commodity in Calvin Pickard from Colorado at the expansion draft, but after trading the apparent backup to the Maple Leafs, head coach Gerard Gallant is left to choose between a goalie with two games of NHL experience, and another with none.
So who exactly are Vegas' goalies with Fleury out of the lineup?
1. Malcolm Subban
Prior to the start of the regular season, McPhee nabbed Subban off waivers from Boston and subsequently sent Pickard packing to Toronto, thereby installing the former as Fleury's understudy.
Drafted 24th overall in 2012, Subban spent the majority of his pro career with the AHL's Providence Bruins, for whom he posted a 56-45-14 record with a .918 save percentage.
His two starts for the Bruins were the stuff of goalie nightmares:
| Date | Opponent | Shots Against | Goals Allowed | Save % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2/20/2015 | St. Louis | 6 | 3 | .500 |
| 10/25/2016 | Minnesota | 16 | 3 | .813 |
Now he finds himself thrust into the starting role for an expansion team, and will likely play his first game for the Golden Knights on Sunday against his old club.
No pressure.
Maxime Lagace
Ready to answer the call should Subban falter, Lagace is an undrafted netminder who was signed to a one-year, $650,000 contract by Vegas on July 1.
Lagace began his pro career in the Dallas Stars' organization, recording a .907 save percentage in 69 games over three seasons with AHL Texas. In two games with the Chicago Wolves to start 2017-18, however, he managed only a .873 save percentage.
All this after an underwhelming junior career resulted in Lagace getting passed by in the entry draft process, pointing to a certain unreadiness for the NHL level.
Should all of the above fail, 2012 second-round pick Oscar Dansk can be called up from the AHL in the event Fleury is out long term.
The Golden Knights have been a success story so far this season, but the loss of Fleury could quickly derail Vegas' winning ways.
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