Quarter season in, Vegas is leading the Pacific

[Emanresu Wen]

Personally, I’m always waiting 20 games before judging any NHL team.

That being said, I’m delightfully surprised seeing VGK leading their division by 3 points with a game in hand. Their 4th string goalie was their starter for the majority of this season.

What else is the reason of their success? They don’t seem to have star players nor ironclad top 2 defensemen.

Click to read more...

 

[CraigsList]

Probably having no pressure helps. They are overachieving for sure because they are having fun.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Depth and relentlessness.

On a home PDO bender too. Something up when no visiting goalie can post over .900.

 

[MikeGrier99]

They'll eventually slip in the standings but probably make the playoffs.

 

[Field of Dreams]

I'm having a difficult time not being smug when looking at the standings

 

[DRW204]

imagine your team on ur 4th string goalie....then add ur an new expansion franchise. they are certainly impressive thus far

 

[PatrikBerglund]

Right now, Wild Bill is the best Karlsson in the NHL.

 

[Damisoph]

Hockey is a unique sport in the sense that hard work can often trump talent in a single game.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

To be honest i've been subconsciously trying to find reasons to not give them enough credit, but fact of the matter is, here we are about 20 games in, and they're sitting on top of the Pacific and haven't even needed goalies stealing games to win. They've been legitimately a good hockey team. Fast enough, good around the net, hard working and confident.

Huge props to them.

 

[Analyst365]

I'm having a difficult time not being smug when looking at the standings

Yeah, it's all about November standings isn't it.

 

[Canada4Gold]

Right now, Wild Bill is the best Karlsson in the NHL.

Didn't Columbus cut a deal so they wouldn't take Josh Anderson too? Obviously taking Clarkson was a huge part of that deal, but putting Anderson and not Karlsson off limits always seemed a bit odd to me. Yeah there's 2 sides of every deal and Vegas would have wanted more to not take Karlsson too, but I thought they were at a similar level. Wouldn't have bothered me too much if I were Columbus if I lost Anderson and kept Karlsson instead

 

[Cowumbus]

Didn't Columbus cut a deal so they wouldn't take Josh Anderson too? Obviously taking Clarkson was a huge part of that deal, but putting Anderson and not Karlsson off limits always seemed a bit odd to me. Yeah there's 2 sides of every deal and Vegas would have wanted more to not take Karlsson too, but I thought they were at a similar level. Wouldn't have bothered me too much if I were Columbus if I lost Anderson and kept Karlsson instead

We got good at the wrong time. Karlsson was a great 2/3 C here and Torts always said he had more offense in his game. He wouldn’t get the TOI here.

Also, Anderson leads our team in goals. We would make the deal again.

 

[General Disarray]

They get to feed off Arizona and Edmonton. Plus Vancouver will come down and Anaheim is easy. They don't have much competition really.

 

[Bounces R Way]

What a great story for the city. Especially after the summer they had.

Gallant must be a hell of a coach because their roster is a headscratcher and all the goalie injuries. They skate their ass off every time I'm watching, and they are doing a great job selling tickets. Every once in and a while a team comes together and proves to be greater than the sum of it's parts and go on a run.

It's just usually it's short lived and in the playoffs. Never been much of a second team guy but the 2017-18 Vegas Golden Knights are an easy team to root for. Tuch, Schmidt, and Theodore alone is a lot for their opponents to deal with. I really thought they'd be terrible, and maybe they are a bit of a statistical anomaly, but depth players that can move go a long way in this league.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Nice, keep James Neal off the trade market.

 

[Wo Yorfat]

I'm having a difficult time not being smug when looking at the standings

George?

 

[Refuse]

They're working harder for it. I just wish they wouldn't let their opponents back in the game so often.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

If tonight's game was any indication, they are receiving some extremely favorable refereeing.

 

[Wo Yorfat]

Funny thing about Vegas, sometimes things start out real nicely and 48 hrs/games later you've pawned your wedding ring and sold your car.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

Yes, but I've told, repeatedly, that Gallant is a mediocre coach.
And he's too old school, and the team's play is unsustainable, and throw some other catch phrases of the day in there...

 

[Stand Witness]

They will come back down to earth. 21 games really isn't that many, it's a good judge point but hardly enough games to really say yes for sure. A 6 game losing streak at this point of the season could drop you 5-10 spots in the overall standings.

Plus I am very suspect of the 9-1-0 home record and the 5-5-1 away record. That will even out. The 5-5-1 record is probably a more accurate representation of who they are as a team. And hey, as an expansion team they should be thrilled if they are a legitimate team who can finish 5-5-1.

I will say this to counter myself though. American Thanksgiving is usually a very good predictor of the playoff teams. Very fews teams out of the bubble come in after this point, like its crazy low. But if I had to pick a team to drop out I would easily pick the expansion team.

 

[Adonis Creed]

Great coachin do wonder.

 

[DickSmehlik]

I keep telling myself that there is no way they'll sustain this momentum but I also said that about 15 times regarding Donald Trump.

 

[Super Cake]

While they don't have as much skill as other teams do, they are a hardworking and relentless team that never gives up. That is why they are where they are.

Will they keep it up? Who knows. But as a Vegas fan, i am enjoying the ride.

 

[thesensguy]

A lot of their players were good players that were buried in lesser roles and now get the ice time/pp time needed to show their talent. William Karlsson, David Perron and to a lesser extent James Neal (compared to Nashville, not Pittsburgh days).