For the first two and a half years of the Vegas Golden Knights' existence, Malcolm Subban was Marc-Andre Fleury's backup, with plenty of ups and downs, and a not-so-great .397 quality start percentage. Vegas wanted to fortify its tandem, and traded for Chicago Blackhawks netminder Robin Lehner in February, 2020. Subban came back the other way, and many viewed him as a throw-in. For Subban, the trade meant that he could make a new first impression.
But Subban waited, and waited some more. In a March 3 game against the Ducks, Corey Crawford needed medical attention.