The Knights Aren’t Looking So Golden

[SaltySkywalker]

It's still early but none of this surprises me. I think most people expected a major regression. Even with the additions to the roster. If anything, that might have screwed with their chemistry.

It sucks to get so close to the Cup and not win but I really don't think they win a Cup for a long time now. Sucks for their fans but we'll see if they actually stick around. The buzz in Vegas last year was unreal but I really don't get the impression the fans were/are anymore than fair weather fans who were stoked they got a professional sports team that had ended up having a miracle year.

 

[zeke]

Missing Nate Schmidt, one of the elite tough usage dmen in hockey last year, is a huge blow.

 

[MasterDecoy]

You mean to tell me unsustainable numbers are unsustainable?

 

[Asheville]

Pacioretty + Stastny

1 pt

 

[BrockLobster]

Thats a shame

 

[Puckstop40]

You mean to tell unsustainable numbers are unsustainable?

What is sustainable in hockey? Besides Nick Holden being awful.

 

[Rebels57]

They get to play a Flyers team missing 3 of their top 6 forwards tomorrow night.

JVR, Patrick, and Konecny are all injured.

They dont win, that should be alarming.

 

[JohnRoss92]

They get to play a Flyers team missing 3 of their top 6 forwards tomorrow night.

JVR, Patrick, and Konecny are all injured.

They dont win, that should be alarming.

Taking your word. Betting my wife’s size 7 ski boots on a Vegas win!

 

[Little Psycho]

It's early, but their defense is terrible.

Engelland, McNabb, Holden and Merrill are not particularly good hockey players. Theodore isn't good in his own zone, and they miss the steroid guy.

They had luck on their side for sure last season. For f***s sake McNabb was on their top paring.

 

[Crede777]

They'll be fine.

The biggest threat to Vegas is wasting their cap space by overpaying marginal players and wasting their futures in pursuit of a Cup in the next year or two.

Basically, the biggest threat is George McPhee.

 

[Halak Ness Monster]

This is so weird.

I've only known the Golden Knights as Cup contenders.

 

[ottomaddox]

I am already waiving goodbye to the people pushing each other out of the way to jump off the bandwagon.

"I am a huge VGK fan".

LOL.

 

[Whalers Fan]

Everyone eventually busts in Vegas.

 

[Asheville]

I still don't understand how some think Pacioretty and Stastny fits into their culture.

 

[Sol]

I've seen fairer officiating with the Knights now. Probably has something to do with it.

 

[Voight]

They were extremely lucky last year. Did not really have the makings of a playoff team but they went on a crazy run, really wouldn't be shocked if they missed the playoffs this year and the next couple.

 

[Puckstop40]

I forgot the only reason the Knights did well last year was because of luck and the refs favoring them. There’s no way it could be that they were a team that had good depth with players playing an excellent system under Gallant in which the forwards were strongly attacking the puck, utilizing speed, played very well in supporting the defensive cast with great two-way play, kept winning after being down to a 4th string goalie at one point, had big chips on their shoulders to prove people wrong, or play in a city that has totally embraced them where the fan base has been waiting for a professional franchise to cheer for and also just went through a horrific tragedy.

Yeah I’m guess it was just the refs and luck last year.

 

[Anisimovs AK]

I forgot the only reason the Knights did well last year was because of luck and the refs favoring them. There’s no way it could be that they were a team that had good depth with players playing an excellent system under Gallant in which the forwards were strongly attacking the puck, utilizing speed, played very well in supporting the defensive cast with great two-way play, kept winning after being down to a 4th string goalie at one point, had big chips on their shoulders to prove people wrong, or play in a city that has totally embraced them where the fan base has been waiting for a professional franchise to cheer for and also just went through a horrific tragedy.

Yeah I’m guess it was just the refs and luck last year.

Crapping the bed the very next year only proves that theory though, right? See, Edmonton in 07, Carolina in 2009, Colorado in 2015, Calgary in 2016, Ottawa last year etc

 

[Pia8988]

They have no one to step in for Nate Schmidt who was massive for Vegas. Going to be a rough first 20, but I think they figure it out after and still make the playoffs.

 

[M88K]

Pretty sure everyone expected a significant fall for them, so not sure why we have threads dedicated to it

 

[M.C.G. 31]

I mean call last year whatever you want, but you can't deny it was kind of ridiculous.

A bunch of castoffs on the same team with a great coach, their top three goalies were all injured at the same time at one point and they continued to win, a guy who was looking like a 3C tops turns into a 1C and scores 40 goals with a crazy unsustainable shooting % after the guy they initially brought in to be their 1C flamed out and couldn't stick in the NHL, and then they sweep the Kings, beat the Sharks in 6, and upset the Winnipeg Jets in 5 games to go to the Cup Finals where the story finally ended. Aside from them winning the Cup, you couldn't have written a more Hollywood story.

I think a lot of people expected Karlsson to regress, but maybe assumed the signings of Stastny and acquisition of Pacioretty would offset things.

We're still waaaaay too early into the season, but I think they're more of a bubble team than anything else this season. I'll be surprised if they're one of the worst teams in the league by the end of the season. They're missing Schmidt a lot, evidently.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Pretty sure everyone expected a significant fall for them, so not sure why we have threads dedicated to it

just the way this board goes

after two games we had "what is wrong with Laine" after two games

 

[Mr Hockey]

I thought last year was a fluke season even though they play hard every game I would have bet they couldn't come close to matching it this season, but you never know lol

 

[Mr Hockey]

just the way this board goes

after two games we had "what is wrong with Laine" after two games

5 minutes into the first game when the leafs were losing, there were leaf fans calling for Babcock/coaches firing, etc lol

 

[3074326]

Let's double the sample size.

Half those games were played in the NHL Finals.

It's too early to judge a team.