As an expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights will need some time to create a team that can compete in the playoffs.
The Vegas Golden Knights will have to draft and make some big trades in order to make the playoffs. Looking back at old expansion teams and how long it took them to make the playoffs, five years is not totally unreasonable.
1993: Anaheim Ducks (4 Years)
The Ducks joined the NHL during the 1993-94 season. In their first season in the league, they finished in 21st (out of 26 teams). While that is not amazing considering their best player was Terry Yake, it is not a shock.
The next season they dropped down to 24th in the league. This was during a lockout season and the Ducks had a star in the making, Paul Kariya. His 39 points in 47 games gave Ducks fans hope for the upcoming seasons.
In the 1995-96 season, the Ducks moved up to 17th in the league and missed the playoffs by one point. Kariya jumped up to 108 points in 82 games and Teemu Selanne joined the team with 36 points in 28 games.
The Ducks made the playoffs during the 1996-97, led by Kariya and Selanne. They jumped up to ninth in the NHL and were still a relatively young team. It took them only four seasons to make it to the playoffs. This is because of two superstar players in Kariya and Selanne, good depth and a decent goaltender in Guy Hebert.
1998: Nashville Predators (6 Years)
The Predators joined the NHL during the 1998-99 season. They finished near the bottom of the standings at 24th (out of 27 teams). Their best player was Cliff Ronning, who had 53 points in 72 games.
The following season they dropped to 25th, this time out of 28 teams. Ronning still led the team with 62 points in 82 games, but they had young players like Kimmo Timonen and David Legwand working their way up the roster.
In 2000-01, the Preds were able to move up into 19th in the NHL. For the third straight season, Ronning led the team in points with 62 points in 80 games, but Legwand had a breakout season with 41 points in 81 games.
The 2001-02 saw the Preds drop back down to 24th in the league (out of 30 teams). While they dropped, the team saw a youth takeover. Denis Arkhipov, Scott Hartnell and Martin Erat all had good season and each were 22 years old or younger.
The Preds moved up one spot, into 23rd, during the 2002-03 season. They showed improvements and their youth were starting to lead the team. Their goalie, Tomas Vokoun was also showing the ability to be a starter in the NHL.
They finally made the playoffs in 2003-04. With their youth leading the team and strong seasons from Scott Walker and Marek Zidlicky, Nashville finished the season in 15th place. While they were eliminated in the first round, making the playoffs was a huge accomplishment for the team.
Atlanta Thrashers, Columbus Blue Jackets & Minnesota Wild
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The Thrashers joined the NHL in 1999 with the Jackets and the Wild joining the league in 2000. It took Atlanta seven seasons before they made the playoffs. With superstars Marian Hossa and Ilya Kovalchuk, they were finally able to make the playoffs. They also had a mix of veterans with Vyacheslav Kozlov and Keith Tkachuk helping lead the team.
It took the Jackets eight seasons before they made their playoffs debut. Led by their young star, Rick Nash, the Jackets were able to finish 15th in the league. While they were swept in the first round by the Detroit Red Wings, this was still a proud moment for the team.
The Wild made it to the playoffs relatively quick compared to other expansion teams. It only took them three years before they made the playoffs. Led by their young stars, Marian Gaborik and Pascal Dupuis, they were able to finish in 10th. They also made it all the way to the Conference Finals before being swept by the Anaheim Ducks.
Conclusion
Taking all of the above information into consideration, I believe that it will take the Knights at least five years before they make the playoffs. They will need to draft wisely and make smart trades. They could get lucky like Anaheim and Atlanta and get superstar players or they can get elite players and strong depth.
Next: Expansion Draft Detroit Red Wings (11/30)
Overall, Vegas will need to rely on their youth and will need their prospects to develop before they can compete for a playoff spot. They will need to rely on prospects like Cody Glass and Nick Suzuki to help their team win.
*Stats from hockey-reference.com