A new head coach and the same winning standard. That’s what the Henderson Silver Knights are looking for with Joel Ward taking over for Ryan Craig and coaching a team with an established winning culture.
The Henderson Silver Knights are one of the most fascinating teams out west and in the American Hockey League altogether. They had the league’s best offense last season and only got stronger as the year went on. Usually, that means a regression is on the way. Yet, they don’t show any signs of slowing down.
The other fascinating layer to this team is that they are the AHL affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights. The Golden Knights are known for going all in and moving prospects to win a Cup, and they might do the same this time around as well.
Stats from 2025-26:
Record: 39-21-7-5 (3rd in the Pacific Division, 4th in the Western Conference & 7th in the AHL)
Offense: 3.65 goals per game (1st in the AHL)
Defense: 3.12 goals per game (15th in the AHL)
The Burning Question: What Will The Silver Knights Look Like Under Joel Ward?
Among all the head coaching hires, the one that impressed most people around the league was the Joel Ward hire. It was years in the making, since Ward has been in the Vegas organization for years and has been an assistant at both the AHL and NHL levels. The only thing left on his checklist before he becomes a head coach in the NHL is the head coaching experience in the first place.
While most coaches see the move from the AHL to the NHL as a step down, Ward sees this as a move closer to becoming an NHL head coach. It's one more box to check and removes any doubt that he can coach at any level.
What type of coach will he be? He’s known as a well-liked, player-friendly coach, a reputation he established even during his playing days with his teammates. He’s had that leadership instinct, and it will translate behind the bench.
That said, Ward also has an edge to him. It was noticeable during his playing days and allowed him to battle through tough times and fight to stay in the league. He’ll be a player-friendly coach but will also hold the Silver Knights accountable.
How will the team change from a systems standpoint, if at all? There’s a good chance that not much changes under Ward. They’ll play a similar style that they did under Craig and lean into their strengths. The only difference might be more structure on the defensive end, where Ward will want the Silver Knights to defend better to look like a well-rounded group.
Why The Silver Knights Are Optimistic
The same core that led the Silver Knights last season is back. Tanner Laczynski, who had 22 goals and 42 assists last season, is the veteran setting the tone, while Raphael Lavoie and Kai Uchacz, two tweeners (not prospects but still young by NHL standards), round out the top six.
This group allows prospects like Ben Hemmerling and Trevor Connelly to take steps forward in their development. Both rookies had plenty of scoring chances last season and will once again look great in the Silver Knights' offense.
While the offense will pick up where it left off, the Silver Knights also addressed the defense with their free agency class. Antti Tuomisto, Adam Ginning, and Ville Heinola are three veteran defensemen who were brought in to add stability to the defense and serve as a quick call-up when needed. Speaking of free agency, the Golden Knights signed Marc Gatcomb, who can play the fourth line on the NHL team but also bring a physical edge to the Silver Knights.
Then there’s the goaltending, which is led by 22-year-old prospect Carl Lindbom. Last season, he carried the Silver Knights in the net, with 35 starts, a .926 save percentage (SV%) & a 2.16 goals-against average (GAA). It’s why he might be on the Golden Knights, especially since their goaltending is far from a strength.
Prospects To Watch
The Golden Knights don’t have a lot of prospects in their system. It comes with the territory as they constantly move them for star players, and it leaves the Silver Knights with a handful of players but not a surplus.
That said, the few who are in Henderson stand out. Specifically, Hemmerling and Connelly, who combined for 35 goals and 64 assists last season as rookies. They will be staples of the top six, assuming the Golden Knights don’t call them up (or trade them).
The X-Factor is Lindbom, who is their best prospect and their number one goaltender. Lindbom might regress but there’s a good chance he takes another step forward and pushes for a full-time role on the NHL team.
It might surprise the typical hockey fan that the Golden Knights had a first-round pick in the 2026 draft (they didn’t trade it, if you can believe that). They used it to select Juho Piiparinen out of Finland. The Finnish prospect can play in the AHL but he isn’t ready yet, and he’ll spend this season in Europe before coming over to North America.
