Your Vegas Golden Knights Season 2 primer
7 Must Watch Games
October 4 vs. Philadelphia FlyersThe season opener is special for every team, but it’s extra special for the Golden Knights, who’ll be waving a Western Conference Championship banner. The game itself is important for Vegas as well, as it’s the Knights’ only home game in the first six games of the season. A loss to the Flyers could send VGK into an early tailspin (remember, the Golden Knights were 8-1-0 to start 2017-18); but a win, and they’re once again flying high.
October 10 at Washington CapitalsIt doesn’t get much better than an early rematch of the Stanley Cup Final. The Golden Knights won Game 1 of the final, but then dropped four straight — their only four-game losing streak of the season. Vegas will clearly be out for revenge with a Stanley Cup Champs banner taunting them from the rafters — and expect to see that thirst for revenge in energetic, aggressive play. Winning this one would be sweet revenge.
November 23 vs. Calgary FlamesIt's James Neal's return to T-Mobile Arena; after helping the Knights snag the Western Conference title and make it to the Stanley Cup final in their first season, Neal signed a five-year deal with the Calgary Flames. He and David Perron are really the only two significant Knights departures, so there won’t be many opportunities to welcome back — and attempt to destroy — old friends. Plus, the Flames have a chance to be much improved, and could certainly challenge the Golden Knights for a Pacific Division crown.
January 1 vs. L.A. KingsThere’s no better way to start the new year than with a grueling matchup against the hated L.A. Kings, who will be looking for some payback after Vegas obliterated them in four games in the playoffs a year ago. These games are usually brute physical wars, and that’s probably not going to change despite the holiday date. You never know, though, as both teams will be spending New Year’s Eve in Vegas. Hangover Part IV?
February 22 vs. Winnipeg JetsThe Jets and Golden Knights play nothing but thrilling, up-tempo, high-scoring hockey games. With a majority of both rosters returning, plus Paul Stastny switching sides (the former Jet signed a three-year deal with the Knights), you can expect the same this match. Winnipeg won’t soon forget the way their season came to a close in 2018, either, so expect a vigorous game.
March 17 vs. Edmonton OilersOne of the very few teams the Golden Knights couldn’t solve a year ago was the Oilers. Oilers center Connor McDavid’s dazzling speed was consistently a problem and, despite Edmonton’s struggles, they had Vegas’ number. The Oilers were one of just three teams to defeat the Golden Knights twice. This late-season affair could have major playoff implications … or the Oilers will suck again and it’ll be a nice easy two points for the Golden Knights.
April 6 at L.A. KingsThe final game of the regular season is either the most important — or the most meaningless. If this game has playoff meaning for either team, this game will be a treat. Imagine if it’s a winner-take-all-scenario between two rivals on the final day of the year. That’s the kind of stuff hockey dreams are made of.
Four Thoughts Heading in to the Season
Nate Schmidt Suspension Losing Nate Schmidt, arguably the Knights' best defenseman, for a quarter of the regular season (due to testing positive for a banned substance) is not an ideal way to open the year. However, unlike in other sports where a direct replacement is necessary when a player drops out, in hockey, it causes a more subtle shift in the depth chart. Rather than a player like Jon Merrill or Brad Hunt filling the skates left by Schmidt, instead it’ll be Deryk Engelland, Shea Theodore, Brayden McNabb, and Nick Holden to pick up the slack. Schmidt logged the most minutes of any Golden Knight last year, but also missed a four-game stretch in early March, so the Golden Knights at least have some experience playing without him. There are four probable additions to the lineup with Schmidt out: Hunt, Merrill, and youngsters Zach Whitecloud and Erik Brannstrom. Anticipating Schmidt’s absence gives the coaching staff plenty of time through training camp to figure out which of those four deserves the job.
The biggest challenge this presents the Golden Knights is that it takes away one of the few places on the roster they have some depth. They should be able to withstand the loss of a player like Schmidt for 20 games. But if they lose another body due to injury, things could get dicey in a hurry.
Max Pacioretty Trade The Golden Knights acquired a bonafide star in the NHL when they traded for former Montreal Canadiens Captain Max Pacioretty. Vegas did have to give up Tomas Tatar, star prospect and former 1st round pick Nick Suzuki, and a future 2nd round pick. The price was high, but the juice will be worth the squeeze. Pacioretty is a terrific scorer and defender. He's played previously with Paul Stastny, so there should be instant chemistry on the 2nd line. Adding Pacioretty does cause a bit of a logjam of forwards. Erik Haula and Alex Tuch are both considered top-six forwards, but only one spot remains open in the Golden Knights lineup. Haula, who played center last season, may be forced to move to right wing, or he'll be demoted to the 3rd line.
Can William Karlsson continue to dominate? William Karlsson, aka Wild Bill, had a season for the ages in 2017-18, scoring 43 goals, racking up a plus-49 rating, winning the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (on-ice sportsmanship award), and finishing in the top 10 for the Hart Memorial (MVP) and the Frank J. Selke (top defensive forward) trophies. He’s not going to have the same numbers statistically, but he can still have a massive impact on his team. Karlsson is the engine of a Golden Knights top line that went from unknowns to one of the league’s best in about two months’ time. He’s going to be excellent defensively, he’s going to score some goals, but will he and linemates Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault be able to keep dominating games? They better continue scoring, keeping possession of the puck, and stifling opponents’ best players, or the Golden Knights could be in trouble.
The double-edged sword of expectations One of the main reasons many attributed to the Golden Knights’ success was a lack of expectations. Everyone was free to play without a fear of repercussions if they made a mistake, or lost a few games in a row. Things are different now. As the defending Pacific Division and Western Conference Champions, the Knights essentially have to make it to the playoffs. A tough start or a rough patch of games could send panic through the new fan base — which could, in turn, impact the Knights’ collective psyche in a vicious circle, something they didn’t even come close to experiencing a year ago.
The Knights to Watch this Season
Tomas Nosek #92 Nosek was a stalwart on the Golden Knights’ excellent fourth line last year — that’s the tough group of “pests” and enforcers whose tussling, physical play gives offensive teammates a chance to rest. This year, he has a chance to take a huge step up in responsibility. If he performs well in training camp, he might find himself playing as high as the offensive, goal-focused second line. Nosek was one of Vegas’ best players in the Stanley Cup final, and has shown an ability to score as well as play sound defense. Last year was full of “Golden Misfits.” This year, they need to find misfits among the misfits, and Nosek might be that guy.
Daniel Carr #43 Carr has a similar story as many Golden Knights, except he’s coming to the team one year later than everyone else. A free-agent acquisition from the Montreal Canadiens, Carr has shown an excellent scoring instinct when given a chance. In every league leading up to the NHL, he’s scored nearly a point (goal or assist) per game. In the NHL he started out hot, but cooled off as he settled in with the Canadiens. He has high-end offensive upside, and it may have just never shown due to his lineup placement in Montreal. There’s a spot open on the defensive third line for the Golden Knights, and Carr could fill it in a big way.
Erik Brannstrom #26 The diminutive defenseman whom the Golden Knights selected in the first round of the 2017 draft is one of the few Vegas draft picks with a legitimate shot of playing in the NHL this season. He’s unlikely to make it on the big club out of training camp, but if he can prove himself enough to head to the AHL, he’ll likely make an appearance in the NHL soon after. Brannstrom is a joy to watch, and keeps fans on the edge of their seats. He might make an incredible pass to set up an amazing goal — or he might turn the puck over in his own end. Don’t expect to see #26 on the ice in Vegas early on, but he could be a late-season addition who could change the makeup of an already good team.
William Carrier (#28) vs. Ryan Reaves (#75) There probably isn’t room on the roster for both of these bruisers in 2018-19. They’ll battle it out in training camp to see who’ll make the team — and who will head either to the AHL, or out of town completely. Reaves is the much more experienced player and just signed a pretty strong contract, but Carrier has a bit more speed and possibly more upside. Odds are that Reaves wins the job, but if Carrier has a great camp season, there could be a very tough decision for Knights GM George McPhee.
Backup Goalie Spot The Golden Knights' starter is about as locked in as can be with Marc-Andre Fleury, but the backup goalie position is wide open. Malcolm Subban held the spot for the majority of last season, but multiple injuries leave some room for worry. It should be a two-horse race with Oscar Dansk and Subban, but Max Lagace took strides a year ago, and got the call as the backup in the Stanley Cup final. Subban remains the most athletic of the three; Dansk has all the tools but has never really gotten an opportunity; and Lagace leads the bunch in experience. The craziest part of this battle: The two who don’t make the team will both be subject to waivers — which means they could be stolen from VGK for absolutely nothing in return.
Ken Boehlke is the founder of sinbin.vegas, a website that covers the Vegas Golden Knights