Injury Woes Mount for Vegas Golden Knights as Forward Brett Howden Lands on Injured Reserve

The Vegas Golden Knights are facing a string of injuries with forward Brett Howden being the latest casualty, landing on injured reserve due to an upper-body injury on Friday. This setback has prompted the team to call up forward Jakub Demek from their AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights.

Reports indicate that head coach Bruce Cassidy had labeled the 25-year-old Howden as ‘day-to-day’ on Thursday, following his last game against the Nashville Predators on Feb. 20. However, specifics regarding the nature and timing of Howden’s injury remain undisclosed.

Brett Howden has had his fair share of injury struggles in the past, including a fractured foot towards the end of the 2020-21 season while playing for the New York Rangers. Since his trade to the Golden Knights in July 2021, he has been plagued by various lower-body concerns.

The Golden Knights currently have a substantial number of key players on the injury list, with Howden now joining Jack Eichel and William Carrier on the injured reserve list. Howden is eligible to make a return next Tuesday in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Throughout his 54 games this season, Howden, a native of Calgary, has tallied five goals and eight assists. He is on track to potentially surpass his career-high points total of 23, set during his rookie season in 2018-19 with the Rangers.

Meanwhile, Jakub Demek, who is in his rookie season in professional hockey, has earned his first NHL call-up after showcasing his skills in 44 games with the Henderson Silver Knights. The Slovakian forward has recorded five goals and eight assists in his AHL campaign.

Demek transitioned to the pro ranks after playing two seasons in the Western Hockey League with the Edmonton Oil Kings and Kamloops Blazers, where he competed in the Memorial Cup last year with the Blazers.

With a record of 32-19-6, the Vegas Golden Knights are gearing up to square off against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, currently holding the second spot in the Pacific Division, trailing the league-leading Vancouver Canucks by 10 points.