Dylan Coghlan may not be the name that jumps out when people talk about the Vegas Golden Knights’ blue line, but that’s exactly why he matters. The seventh defenseman rarely gets much attention. He’s the guy most fans barely notice, the one who can end up stuck in the press box while the top six get all the spotlight.
For Coghlan, though, that role can still be valuable. He played only three games last season and finished with 0.1 point shares, a line that doesn’t tell the whole story because he didn’t get much of a chance to show what he can do.
Even so, he still filled an important job for Vegas, especially on the defensive end. The Golden Knights saw that in last season’s Western Conference Final, where he was a sneaky reason they won the Western Conference.
Ben Hutton handled the seventh-defenseman spot last season and did it well. In 55 games, he put up six goals and nine assists, added 3.2 point shares, and blocked 55 shots. He also brought 2.2 of those point shares on the defensive side, giving Vegas a sturdy layer behind its regular group.
Coghlan has shown he can offer something similar if he gets enough run in that role. Back in 2021-22, he showed he can block shots, clog lanes and bring a physical edge.
That last part matters, because Hutton didn’t provide much of that bite. Coghlan can make life harder for opponents by taking away space and adding some heaviness on the back end.
That kind of depth becomes even more important for a team that has dealt with injuries in recent years. Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore are two clear examples, and when one of those stay-at-home pieces is out, somebody has to step in and keep the structure intact.
That’s where Coghlan fits. He may not score much, outside of the occasional hat trick, but the Golden Knights need players who can suffocate attacks and keep the ice crowded for the other team. In that backup role, Coghlan can still be a useful piece for Vegas.
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Mitch Marner And Darren Ferris Drag Maple Leafs Drama Back Again
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3 Goalies Golden Knights Fans Have Every Reason To Hate
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Brandon Bussi, Sergei Bobrovsky and Jake Oettinger each have a different kind of history against Vegas, which is part of what makes them worth watching whenever the matchup comes around again. Bobrovsky has been especially tough in regular-season meetings, while Oettinger has already logged more playoff games against the Golden Knights than any other goalie, with the series results splitting in a way that keeps the rivalry feeling unfinished. [Read more 🡒]