The Knights Aren’t Looking So Golden

[Ziggy Stardust]

19 goals given up in the first five games, and only 8 goals for.

It’s looking like reality has set in for a team that went on a Cinderella run.

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[Jetster231]

Let's see if the fans continue to show up. True test of sustaining an NHL franchise.

 

[HanSolo]

19 goals given up in the first five games, and only 8 goals for.

It’s looking like reality has set in for a team that went on a Cinderella run.

They haven't even played ten games yet. They haven't even finished playing a fifth yet. Their roster isn't healthy. This is a second game of a back to back. Like, sure, they haven't been great, and sure they were likely to regress, but the season isn't remotely over.

 

[Winnipeg Jets]

I hate the Knights as much as the next guy but the season just started

 

[jetsforever]

Sounds good

Too small of a sample size to say much, though

 

[Bizz]

Gee, who could have ever seen this coming?

Amazing what happens when they aren't the league's darlings anymore and they get zero help from the Refs every game.

 

[LeafChief]

Back in my day the Knights were a dominant force.

 

[Hughes86Hischier13]

first they play caps then a rested penguins team back to back

 

[HanSolo]

Gee, who could have ever seen this coming?

Amazing what happens when they aren't the league's darlings anymore and they get zero help from the Refs every game.

I don't know what's more shocking. That you are still on this narrative, or that you're actually saying the refs aren't helping them anymore when their PP/PK rates are still roughly the same.

 

[serp]

Their schedule to start the season is much tougher than last year . Thats also a factor . They had a very long homestand very early in the season against mostly non-playoff teams. Credit where credit is due they took the ball and ran it with almost into the endzone but there was no way Vegas was going to replicate last season. I still think they're at the very least a bubble team though.

 

[HockeyFan100]

It is still early but I'm not surprised on how they look so far. 90% of the team had career years last season. Everything went right for them. They were due for a regression

 

[CupInSIX]

The Knights are gonna look pretty good with Glass, Brannstrom Hague and Hughes next season.

 

[sharks9]

Bad start for sure, but lots of teams will have a stretch of winning 1 of 5. Pretty sure the Knights had one last year after their blazing hot start, lets see where they are by Thanksgiving

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

Marchessault and Karlsson are looking good though. If they don't find their way by December then I either declare them rigged or James Neal was a very valuable player for them they should've given more money to.

 

[HanSolo]

Marchessault and Karlsson are looking good though. If they don't find their way by December then I either declare them rigged or James Neal was a very valuable player for them they should've given more money to.

Neal was too often not a difference maker for that to be true. People are too quick to make snap judgments that ignore the whole picture.

I don't know what it is but the Knights look sluggish and unfocused. It started in the Finals, looked to have gotten better in preseason, but now it's back to the same issues.

I think a few things are at play

1.) The defenders are rusty, particularly Miller and McNabb and Merrill shouldn't still be on the team. I'm giving a little benefit of the doubt to Holden given his partner is Merrill but I'm running out of patience with him.

2.) I don't know what it is, but the team in general doesn't look as fast and well conditioned as they were last year. This needs to be addressed in season since training camp apparently wasn't good enough.

3.) I think a lot of teams spent a good amount of time watching video on this team because a lot of their tricks that worked last year are more easily anticipated. This is another thing I thought started in the Stanley Cup finals.

4.) The Knights are hitting the post A LOT. I know this seems like an easy excuse but through 4 2/3rd games, the Knights have hit a ton of posts and I wouldn't be surprised if they're gripping the sticks a little tighter as a result.

5.) Not having Schmidt, Tuch, and Stastny seems to be translating into rough going for Vegas.


In any event, it's way too early to count Vegas out. People don't seem to remember that Vegas wasn't exactly a well oiled machine in their first ten games. They got by through hard work and good goaltending but they were pretty sloppy in the early days. They should be more familiar with each other by now, but I believe Gallant can turn the ship around.

 

[LeafFever]

Everyone should have seen this coming. Too many guys had career years.

 

[izzy]

need schmidt

 

[member 298589]

Played over their heads last season, now under for a few games. It'll even out and they'll end up as a Minnesota-lite, nearly competetive but no gamebreakers.

 

[jetsfan91]

I don’t think anyone realistically expects them to go to the SC finals again. But some of these comments are crazy. The season just started. There will always be ups and downs. But no let’s continue to write off a team after 5 percent of the season is played.

 

[LeafFever]

I don’t think anyone realistically expects them to go to the SC finals again. But some of these comments are crazy. The season just started. There will always be ups and downs. But no let’s continue to write off a team after 5 percent of the season is played.

Understood, but the fact is they had so many guys have career years it's hard not to expect a big drop. No other team relied on that.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

I don’t think anyone realistically expects them to go to the SC finals again. But some of these comments are crazy. The season just started. There will always be ups and downs. But no let’s continue to write off a team after 5 percent of the season is played.

How many goals are they giving up per game? I get slow starts but they legit look AHL.

 

[Sky04]

Admit it, how long have you been waiting to use this line?

 

[stymie]

The thrill is gone.

 

[dratbunnies]

Neal was too often not a difference maker for that to be true. People are too quick to make snap judgments that ignore the whole picture.

I don't know what it is but the Knights look sluggish and unfocused. It started in the Finals, looked to have gotten better in preseason, but now it's back to the same issues.

I think a few things are at play

1.) The defenders are rusty, particularly Miller and McNabb and Merrill shouldn't still be on the team. I'm giving a little benefit of the doubt to Holden given his partner is Merrill but I'm running out of patience with him.

2.) I don't know what it is, but the team in general doesn't look as fast and well conditioned as they were last year. This needs to be addressed in season since training camp apparently wasn't good enough.

3.) I think a lot of teams spent a good amount of time watching video on this team because a lot of their tricks that worked last year are more easily anticipated. This is another thing I thought started in the Stanley Cup finals.

4.) The Knights are hitting the post A LOT. I know this seems like an easy excuse but through 4 2/3rd games, the Knights have hit a ton of posts and I wouldn't be surprised if they're gripping the sticks a little tighter as a result.

5.) Not having Schmidt, Tuch, and Stastny seems to be translating into rough going for Vegas.


In any event, it's way too early to count Vegas out. People don't seem to remember that Vegas wasn't exactly a well oiled machine in their first ten games. They got by through hard work and good goaltending but they were pretty sloppy in the early days. They should be more familiar with each other by now, but I believe Gallant can turn the ship around.

Just want to point out the HockeyViz has shot tides which mark down posts for either team (not sure how perfect it is, but it should be pretty reliable). That counts 6 posts for Vegas so far and 5 for their opponents. So that isn't likely to have too much of an impact either way

 

[Advanced stats]

1. We're not even 5 games in... This is a little reactionary.

2. Regression was bound to happen. Many people expected this team to drop, and potentially drop hard