Vegas Golden Knights adds depth at NHL trade deadline

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The NHL trade deadline has come and gone. Compared to past seasons, this year was a relatively quiet one for the Vegas Golden Knights.

The team added forward Nic Dowd from the Washington Capitals and forward Cole Smith from the Nashville Predators.

"These are the types of adds that sometimes, at the trade deadline, would be less glamorous than some of the other moves that took place today and would be less glamorous than moves we've made, perhaps, in the past on this day," VGK General Manager Kelly McCrimmon told reporters on Friday. "I think these guys are going to help our team."

McCrimmon added that if you include forward Colton Sissons, that gives head coach Bruce Cassidy a strong fourth line.

"I've always felt that fourth line, if constructed properly with the right people, has a chance to really drag you into the fight and win, swing momentum, get the puck to the other end of that rink, play in the other team's end, before you hand it off to your other three lines," McCrimmon said. "That, to me, is what I expect to see from that line."

WATCH: VGK General Manager Kelly McCrimmon discusses trade deadline

"I would think you'd see a harder to play against fourth line," head coach Bruce Cassidy said last week. "[They are] veteran guys that have done it for a living in this league. Dowd, Smith, and Sizzons, they know the responsibility that comes with it. It's not a glamorous job but if you're a good team, you need people to do that."

For Dowd, he's happy to be in Vegas but said it was a quick turnaround.

"I'm staying at the hotel next door [to City National Arena] so I have about three bags, a backpack, and some beef jerky in my backpack," he said on Friday. "It looks like U-Hauls, PODS, and a massive amount of moving. I think moving an entirely full house in a week is interesting. We've moved a lot in our lives. ... I'm trying to keep everything a little bit compartmentalized with kids and family, but my wife is stellar. We're going to make sure the family gets together here, and Vegas is now home."

For Smith, he said he played a three-second shift for the Predators against the Columbus Blue Jackets before he was taken out of the game. He didn't know until after the game was over that he had been traded to Vegas.

"It's weird. There's no way to sugarcoat it. It's definitely weird and odd. You're sitting on a bench with a bunch of teammates you've had all year, and there's really nothing you can do, and you're moving on," Smith said. "I didn't know where I was going the whole time, either, so that adds a little bit more to the wonder there. And so, it was a weird day, but we're taking it day by day right now, and I'm happy to be here."

WATCH: Sports reporter Taylor Rocha breaks down Cole Smith acquisition

When you add Mitch Marner, Jeremy Lauzon, Rasmus Andersson, Carter Hart, and Braden Bowman, that's eight players who are new to the team this year.

"It addresses a lot of the areas that we wanted to address when we went into last offseason," McCrimmon said. "This [the trade deadline] is your opportunity to hand off the team and head into the stretch drive in the playoffs."

WATCH: Rasmus Andersson embraces fast start in Vegas debut at The Fortress

That will be a challenge for the Golden Knights, who continue to battle injuries.

"We've had issues with our health that we think are going to be improving. Brett Howden should return to our lineup Sunday. He looks real close. Mark Stone remains day-to-day, so he'll be out of our lineup here for a little bit. Carter Hart remains week to week," McCrimmon said. "You need to assume some level of health. You're never, perhaps, going to be perfectly healthy, but when you build your roster, you want to be able to feel that you've got what you need to win, and I like the makeup of our team."

He also hasn't completely ruled out William Karlsson returning to the lineup this season.

"[He] is on LTIR [Long-Term Injured Reserve] and he will be kept alive," McCrimmon said. "We're not putting him on season-ending LTIR. He'll return at some point in the playoffs. We'll have to have some success or some level of success in the playoffs for him to play again."

The Vegas Golden Knights are fighting for first place in the Pacific Division and are only one point out from the Anaheim Ducks after VGK's loss to the Edmonton Oilers and the Ducks lost to St. Louis.

VGK is hitting the road to take on the Dallas Stars on Tuesday, which you can watch on Vegas 34. Pre-game coverage starts at 4:30 p.m. with puck drop set for 5 p.m.