ROSTER STATEMENT

Making the cut

Tanner Pearson heads to training camp on a professional tryout contract. He played in 644 NHL regular-season games and won the Stanley Cup with the Los Angeles Kings in 2014. He played in 54 games with the Montreal Canadiens last season and had 13 points (five goals, eight assists). Injuries have derailed Pearson the past two seasons, limiting him to 68 games, but he told reporters early in training camp that that’s all behind him. He is competing for what is likely a spot on Vegas’ fourth line as a replacement for William Carrier, who signed with the Carolina Hurricanes. Brendan Brisson, Jonas Rondbjerg and Zach Aston-Reese are also vying for roster spots, though they are limited.

Most intriguing addition

Holtz was traded by the New Jersey Devils before he had a chance to fulfill the potential he came with as the No. 7 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. Vegas acquired 22-year-old forward and goaltender Akira Schmid, likely the No. 3 pick, for forward Paul Cotter and a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft on June 29. Holtz scored 16 goals and had 28 points in 82 games with New Jersey last season. He’ll likely be ticketed to a third-line role with the Golden Knights, but that means he’ll get a chance to play with Hertl or William Karlsson as his center. There is optimism that Holtz’s big shot with the quick release will pay off for Vegas.

Biggest potential surprise

Olofsson comes to Vegas on a one-year deal after a down season with the Buffalo Sabres. Last season he scored 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in 51 games. But Olofsson scored 28 goals in 75 games in 2022-2023. More importantly, he is reunited with Eichel. They played together with the Sabers and Eichel was Olofsson’s regular center during the 2019-20 season and part of the 2020-21 season. Olofsson scored 20 goals in 54 games in 2019/20, while Eichel scored 36 goals in 68 games. The Golden Knights hope their chemistry returns.

Ready to contribute

It certainly seems like Brisson has done everything asked of him since turning pro late in the 2021-22 season, when he scored eight points (three goals, five assists) in seven games with the American’s Henderson Silver Knights Hockey League. Brisson has 83 points (40 goals, 43 assists) in 117 AHL games, including 38 (19 goals, 19 assists) in 52 games last season. He also had eight points (two goals, six assists) in 15 games with Vegas last season. But Brisson is off waivers, meaning he will have to beat out an NHL veteran to earn a roster spot outside of training camp. In fact, his waiver status bodes well for Pearson’s chances of making the team. Regardless of whether he’s on opening night or in the AHL, Brisson expects to get his chance with the Golden Knights this season, and if he performs well enough, he could force them to keep him in the NHL.

Fantasy sleeper

Hanifin, D (average draft position: 111.4) — After being acquired from the Calgary Flames prior to the NHL Trade Deadline last season, Hanifin had 17 points (four goals, 13 assists), eight on the power play, in 26 games with the Golden Knights during the regular season and the playoffs together. Hanifin scored a career-high 13 goals last season and was productive on the first power-play unit in the postseason with high-scoring forwards Eichel, Hertl and Mark Stone, giving the defenseman a high fantasy ceiling over a full season. –Pete Jensen