The Silver Knights are playing their best hockey of the season at the right time, thanks to a mix of veterans and prospects.
The Henderson Silver Knight had quite the March. They went 10-2-1-2 with Trevor Connelly winning the Rookie of the Month while Rafael Lavioe won the Player of the Month. This is the time of the year when teams want to play their best hockey, and the Wilver Knights are doing just that as they sit in sixth place in the Pacific Division and are prepared for a playoff run.
Like any team in the American Hockey League, the Silver Knights are fueled by a mix of veterans and prospects that have built them into a great team in the Western Conference. It’s not an easy task when they are the Vegas Golden Knights' farm team, an NHL team known for trading prospects for NHLers and cutting the prospect pool from under its legs. Yet, they’ve put together a good team for the home stretch and have become a team to watch.
Connelly’s Emergence as a Prospect
The 20-year-old forward is standing out in his rookie season at the AHL level, notably as a playmaker. Connelly has 11 goals but 29 assists that allow his linemates to find open shots and scoring chances in the offensive zone.
Moreover, Connelly has established himself as a consistent threat to the offense. He recorded a point in every game in March, and in his last 21 games, he has 30 points. It’s numbers like these that move prospects to the NHL, and Connelly will have a good chance of joining the Golden Knights by the time next season rolls around.
Paired with Ben Hemmerling, another rookie with 21 goals and 25 assists, the Silver Knights have a prospect duo they can lean on for offense down the stretch. The two forwards have plenty of skill and are starting to show it at the right time.
Henderson is Led By A Veteran Presence
In the AHL, teams are only as good as the veterans who lead them. They are the players who both lead the team on the ice and are the mentors to the prospects, many of whom are just starting to learn the ropes of life on the road. The Silver Knights have a handful of veterans making that impact.
Tanner Laczynski is in the top five in the league in points, with 20 goals and 41 points. Kai Uchacz and Lavioe round out the top six with a combined 40 goals and 49 assists. With all the firepower, the Silver Knights are averaging 3.59 goals per game with a top offense in the league.
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While the defense is still a question mark, the Silver Knights have a goaltender they can rely on with Carl Lindbom stepping up in the net. At 22, Lindbom is young for a goaltender and still developing but having a great year in Henderson with a .924 save percentage (SV%) and 2.20 goals-against average (GAA). For the playoffs, they know they have a primary starter who will win them games in Lindbom, who has looked like one of the best goaltenders in the AHL this season.
Why Connelly’s Star Power Can Fuel a Calder Cup Run
The Calder Cup Playoffs are when top prospects can separate themselves, and teams shorten the bench. It’s when a star player can take over a game, and the coaching staff will put them in a situation to do so. For the Silver Knights, they can rely on Connelly to be that difference-maker.
Connelly is the playmaker that the Silver Knights will want to have the puck late in games. It will be hard to find offense, and he’s got the skill to create a goal or two in a big moment. Even with great defense and better goaltending, he can create that offense.
The Silver Knights aren’t the best team out west. They are a flawed group that will have their hands full against a top team like the Ontario Reign or the Colorado Eagles. However, they are heating up down the stretch and are looking like a team that can give anyone problems. So, watch out for the Silver Knights in the home stretch.