Vegas Golden Knights First Half Report Cards: Forwards

A plethora of forwards stepped up and surprised many in the first-half for the Vegas Golden Knights.

The unbelievable story of the Vegas Golden Knights scoring depth is without a doubt one of the biggest strengths on the team. Golden Knights Head Coach Gerard Gallant rolls all four of his lines with no problems. When you have four complete lines that play that “hard work” style of play that Gallant preaches, you’re going to give teams fits. It’s one of the best luxuries to have in hockey.

Before the season started, Gallant emphasized they need a lot from their forward group to be competitive this year. Let’s just say they’re doing just that and more. Most of the forwards on the Golden Knights have already achieved their expectations for the year. The Knights are one of the best scoring groups in the entire NHL and who doesn’t love scoring?

Here’s how I’ll grade: Player performance, expectations coming into the season and the role the player serves. So without further ado, here are my grades for the forwards of the Vegas Golden Knights. Stefan Matteau and Ryan Carpenter get incomplete grades due to not reaching the minimum amount of games.

Jonathan Marchessault

Coming into the new season, I expected a down year from Jonathan Marchessault. I thought when he reached the 30-goal plateau in 2016-17, that it was just aberration. Instead, I was dead wrong about Marchessault, and I love the way he’s playing.

The Cap-Rouge, Quebec native is tearing it up for the expansion franchise. In 38 games played, he’s registered 16 goals, 24 assists, and 40 points which leads the team.  The significant improvement from last years stats is his plus/minus rating.

Last year, Marchessault played for a horrible Florida team, and he was a -21 while this year in Vegas he’s now a +17. A lot of that has to do with playing with linemates Reilly Smith and William Karlsson. The difference is night and day for the 27-year old forward.

Marchessault is locked in with the Golden Knights for the next six years following this season, and that should make any Vegas fan excited. He’s a special player for smaller forward, and he had a fantastic first half. There’s no reason to believe he can’t keep this up.

Grade: A+

William Karlsson

In a team full of surprises, I don’t think anyone expected this one was coming at all. William Karlsson came over from the Columbus Blue Jackets in the expansion draft. He was labeled as a reliable bottom six forward, and he takes care of the puck. Come to find out he’s much more than just that.

After some line juggling early in the year, Karlsson found some chemistry with Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith. It turns out that line is one of the most dangerous lines in the NHL and it’s all thanks to Head Coach Gerard Gallant for putting that line together. When they’re on the ice, they’re an efficient unit in all phases of the game which is rare to find on any team.

The Marsta, Sweden native leads the team in goals with 22, to go along with 14 assists, 36 points, and a +20 rating in 41 games played. Not even the biggest Golden Knights advocate could’ve predicted this player to put up this type of production. He’s been a machine at even strength and on both special teams units for Vegas.

You know the Columbus Blue Jackets are kicking themselves for leaving Karlsson exposed. He deserves every amount of praise for his first-half performance. He’s done everything right since he moved on a line with Smith and Marchessault.

Grade: A+

Reilly Smith

The third piece of the line that makes the Golden Knights go. Reilly Smith flashes in all areas of the game and is the Golden Knights best all-around player. He always makes the smart play time and time again, and coach Gallant loves his style of play.

The Toronto, Ontario native is one of the most critical players on this team, and his teammates love him. He proudly wears the “A” on his jersey, but he’s one of those players I potentially see wearing the “C” in the future. I think a lot of fans would gladly accept Smith as the captain of the Vegas Golden Knights some day.

Thanks to playing with Karlsson and Marchessault, Smith is on pace to have the best season in his career. Smith scored 11 goals, 24 assists, 35 points and owns a +19 rating in 41 games played. He’s been the leader of that line, and there’s no chance Gallant will break that line up anytime soon.

Giving up Smith and Marchessault in the expansion draft has Panthers fans still shaking their heads. Smith should be able to continue at the pace he’s on, but he’s been known to go in a cold spell or two during the season. Another great first-half from a new first line star.

Grade: A+

James Neal

When the expansion draft was all set and done, and the Knights acquired James Neal, people didn’t know how well he would do as the star of a team. Tha answer to that question is just fine. Neal has been an excellent fit for the Vegas Golden Knights.

Neal was putting up superstar numbers in the first few games of the season, and he carried them to more than a couple of wins. When the team was still trying to find their identity, Neal was there to back the team up and bail them out. However, he has cooled off as of late.

The Whitby, Ontario native notched 18 goals, 11 assists and 29 points in 41 games played this year.  And thanks to the fan vote, Neal will join Marc-Andre Fleury in the NHL All-Star Game in Tampa Bay. After seeing his production at the age of 30, I think the Knights should keep him around for awhile.

Neal has been terrific in the first half this season but in spurts. A strong start to the year, went cold for a little while, then caught fire again and now he’s in a cold stretch. All in all, he deserves a high grade for going beyond expectations.

Grade: B+

Erik Haula

Erik Haula has impressed me all year long and had adapted to becoming a more than serviceable second line center. He brings a ton of speed, skill and loves playing under Coach Gallant. But no one expected him to come in the clutch seemingly every time.

Out of Erik Haula’s 15 goals, ten of them have come in the third period. That’s a fascinating number for a player who was an unknown on the bottom six for the Minnesota Wild. It also helps when he always centers a line that has James Neal and David Perron.

However, there have been kinks in his game as of late. Sometimes he could look lost in his defensive zone and turns pucks over. But I’ll take the good with the bad from the Pori, Finland native any day.

He comes up huge in crucial situations, and that’s an essential component to have for a hungry playoff team. He’s one of the most exciting players to watch going forward. If Haula takes off and keeps playing well as the number two center, the Golden Knights will be in excellent shape come playoff time.

Grade: B

David Perron

I’m a big fan of watching David Perron play hockey. His quickness and his ability to dish the puck from the wing has been a sight to see in a Golden Knights uniform. He’s created a lot of big plays during the year, and that will continue as long as he stays healthy.

Obviously playing with a heavy offensive unit like Neal and Haula will only help. He’s also a great locker room guy, and his teammates love him. If you have a moment, read his post in the players’ tribune, you won’t regret it.

The Sherbrooke, Quebec native net nine goals, a team-leading 25 assists, and 34 points in 35 games played. His ability to set up players like Neal and Marchessault on the power play has been a beneficial factor in the Golden Knights success. He does have some lapses without the puck, but its nothing compared to Neal and Haula.

Overall, Perron has been the best second line player on the Knights. Not to discount what Haula and Neal have done, but Perron’s work on the PP makes him have the edge over those two. Another high grade for a top-six forward.

Grade: B+

Brendan Leipsic

Here’s when the grades start getting tough. I think Brendan Leipsic is a nice little player on the Golden Knights squad. Gallant likes to use him, and he gives it his all 100%. The only problem is the production.

Leipsic frankly hasn’t done very well finding the back of the net. He’s able to create plays with linemates Cody Eakin and Alex Tuch, but he hasn’t been able to finish them himself. He’s fun to watch, yet he’s also the most frustrating player on the Golden Knights.

The Winnipeg, Manitoba native only has one goal with 11 assists and 12 points in 33 games played. We have to keep in mind that this is his first full year at the NHL level. Perhaps we may finally see him bust out in the second half.

Leipsic has shown a rare ability to keep moving forward when things aren’t going his way. He gives an honest effort every night, but the production isn’t there enough on a consistent basis. This is without a doubt the hardest grade to give a player on the entire roster.

Grade: C-

+

Alex Tuch

I didn’t expect Alex Tuch to have such an impact in his rookie year for the Golden Knights. This player has been sensational to watch. He’s single handily taken over games due to his 6’4 220-pound stature and his surprising speed.

He’s one of my favorite Golden Knights players to watch. He creates scoring chances from all areas of the ice, and he’s not afraid to use his size for physicality. He also logs some power play time and usually stands right in front of the opposing goaltender to take away the netminders eyes.

Despite not having the most offensive linemates at even strength in Brendan Leipsic and Cody Eakin, Tuch has more than respectable numbers for a third line player. The Syracuse, New York native totaled nine goals, 12 assists and 21 points in 37 games played. Let’s remember he’s a rookie, and he is just getting warmed up.

He does make errors just like any other rookie 21-year old would. However, the good outweighs the bad when it comes to Tuch. He should become an excellent player for this organization for years to come.

Grade: B-

Oscar Lindberg

Now finally we come to our most underwhelming player on the Vegas Golden Knights roster. It’s not like Oscar Lindberg has been terrible, but I expected a lot more out of him than most. He’s still a pretty useful bottom-six forward and could provide some scoring punch when needed.

The Knights tried him out as a top-six forward to start the year, and it just didn’t pan out. He mostly skates on the fourth line with Tomas Nosek and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. Those three make a solid unit. However, it’s been William Carrier getting ice time over Lindberg.

In 38 games played, the Skelleftea, Sweden native notched seven goals, one assist and eight points with a -7 rating. It’s not a guarantee that Lindberg comes back next year if he continues to look subpar. But perhaps this may be what Oscar Lindberg is throughout his NHL career.

I’m disappointed with the production and overall play from Lindberg. He still does some things well such as penalty killing. But overall, just not good enough for the 26-year old forward.

Grade: D

William Carrier

I didn’ really know what to expect out of William Carrier. I knew he was an agitator and a young fourth line grinder, but some things have surprised me with his techniques. He serves an entirely different element than what Tomas Nosek, Pierre- Edouard Bellemare and even Oscar Lindberg bring.

To go along with his role a pest, he brings tons of speed and boy is he fast. He loves the quick pace of play and thrives under when it’s a physical battle. His linemates Bellemare and Nosek make his life a lot easier than it should be.

The LaSalle, Quebec native isn’t offensively gifted at all; he only has one goal and one assist on the season with 23 games played. But the Knights can afford to have a few players who aren’t offensively gifted. I will say he’s a nice little addition to the fourth line, and he draws penalties, but he also takes a lot of dumb ones.

All in all, I like Carrier. He fits the role of a fourth liner better than Lindberg does at the moment. Health forced him off the roster for a portion of the first half; however, if he cuts the penalties down, I don’t see him coming out of the lineup anytime soon.

Grade: C

Pierre Edouard Bellemare

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare exemplifies the role of a fourth line center in every way imaginable. Great locker room guy, leader, a reliable defensive forward and tough as nails. What more could you want from Bellemare?

He’s the pilot of the fourth line that consists of William Carrier and Tomas Nosek. When he’s in the lineup, the Knights are a much better team. It’s incredible how much offensive zone pressure this line inflicts. When he did miss time to see the birth of his child, the Knights were a hot mess even though they went 1-1-0 on that stretch.

The Le Blanc-Mesnil, France native registered four goals, two assists and six points in 39 games played. He doesn’t need to have an offensive role on the team as his job is to penalty kill, take key faceoffs and win one on one puck battles.

Some say Bellemare is one of the most valuable players moving forward. In a way, I somewhat agree with that statement. If Gallant ever takes him out of the lineup for whatever reason, the Knights aren’t nearly as good of a team. He deserves only one grade and one grade only.

Grade: A

Tomas Nosek

Tomas Nosek will forever be known as the answer to a Vegas Golden Knights trivia question as he scored the first goal in franchise history at T-Mobile Arena. But seriously Nosek is a wonderful option for the fourth line. He penalty kills, brings a small bit of scoring skill, size at 6’3 210-pounds, and he’s trustworthy.

He’s the player with the least amount of NHL experience on the fourth line, but he’s a quick learner. Playing with Pierre-Edouard Bellemare has a lot to do with the development of Nosek. He’s become a much better player since the beginning of the year.

The Pardubice, Czechoslovakia native is limited with offensive upside since he’s on the fourth line. His three goals, five assists, and eight points have done the job. The team had so many moments, but Nosek owns the best one with the emotional first goal at T-Mobile Arena.

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All in all, he deserves a good grade despite the limited offense. But it doesn’t mean he can’t move up in the lineup and show what he can do with different linemates. That would bring some much-needed versatility to the Vegas Golden Knights roster.

Grade: B-