- Mitch Marner is out Thursday in St. Louis with his wife expecting their second child
- Alexander Holtz draws in for his first NHL game of the season
- Read below for how Vegas is handling the absence
Mitch Marner won’t play Thursday night against the Blues.
The Golden Knights forward is away from the team because he and his wife, Stephanie, are expecting their second child, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. Vegas announced before puck drop that Marner was unavailable for a family matter:
Alexander Holtz takes Marner’s spot in the lineup and will play his first NHL game of the season. The 24-year-old Stockholm native appeared in 28 games for Vegas last year, scoring three goals and six assists. He’s started this season in the AHL with Henderson, putting up four goals and four assists in eight games.
This isn’t the first time a baby has landed in the middle of a Marner hockey week. His first child was born in May 2025, right before Game 1 of the second round against the Panthers, back when he was still a Maple Leaf.
Marner is in his second year with Vegas after putting up 24 goals and 80 points last season, and he already has a game-winning overtime goal this season against the Kings.
The Golden Knights come into Thursday atop the Pacific Division at 8-3-0. They play at Columbus on Saturday before heading home for games against the Senators and Devils next week.
