Vegas Golden Knights Mailbag: Stanley Cup Playoffs, Free Agency, Cody Glass

We answer questions relating to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, free agency and the first Vegas Golden Knights draft pick to crack the lineup in 2019.

With the Vegas Golden Knights season still in full swing, there’s a lot of hockey to talk about in Las Vegas. A matchup with the Winnipeg Jets will decide who represents the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals. Additionally, we”ll take a look more in-depth into the Eastern Conference Finals.

Some fans are already concerned about how the offseason will shake out. Free agency presents some huge question marks for next seasons roster. The Golden Knights will have to make some tough decisions ahead of July 1st.

Vegas doesn’t have a deep prospect pool at the moment, but they have some players that can challenge for a spot in the lineup next season.  Who are those prospects? I’ll answer that and more on the first edition of Vegas Hockey Knight’s first mailbag!

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves Nancy. We have a tall task in defeating the Winnipeg Jets in the Western Conference Finals. Their team is loaded with talent, skill, and youth.

That said, if the Vegas Golden Knights were to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals, the team I would love to see and play against Vegas is Tampa. The Lightning have a ton of proven winners, but they haven’t won the Stanley Cup since the 2003-04 season.

The games against the Lightning this season were fantastic and highly fast-paced. I think the fans would be in for a real treat if that were the Stanley Cup Finals. On the other hand, Washington would pose a massive problem in my opinion.

The Capitals exercised their demons and finally defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins to move on to the Conference Finals. A highly motivated Alex Ovechkin is hungry for a Stanley Cup, and he has been on a tear in these Stanley Cup Playoffs. Vegas would even have home ice against Washington, but the thought of playing the Capitals is scary.

The Golden Knights went a combined 4-0 against both Eastern Conference finalists. Based on those numbers, you would have to feel pretty good about the Golden Knights chances in the Cup Finals. But the reality is these teams are much different now from when the Golden Knights last played them.

Which player on the Winnipeg Jets poses the biggest threat to Vegas? – Laura from Henderson, Nevada

That’s a good question because there are so many players on this team that have a ton of skill. I’m a big fan of Mark Scheifele and how he plays the game. Blake Wheeler is one of the most underrated captains in the NHL and leads by example.

But the player that could give the most problems to Vegas is Dustin Byfuglien. Byfuglien is a big man that hits hard at 6’5 and 265 pounds. He’s one of the largest towers on the blue line in the entire NHL, and he’s a dual threat.

Not only can he defend well and knock players off the puck with ease, but he has a bomb of a shot and moves the puck well. He’s not on the level of Drew Doughty defensive-wise and not on the level of Brent Burns offensive-wise, but he’s a good mix of both.

The Golden Knights are a much smaller team than the Jets, so it’s essential for Vegas to move the puck quick and use their team speed on the forecheck. One area where you can beat Byfuglien is outracing him. Byfuglien has also shown signs before of undisciplined play. So if the Golden Knights can get him off his game, that could be beneficial for the expansion franchise.

Who will have a big series if the Vegas Golden Knights go on to beat the Jets? – Mitch from Las Vegas, Nevada

That’s an easy one; it has to be Marc-Andre Fleury. If he doesn’t have a great series, then the season is likely over. That’s how much the Golden Knights have to respect the offensive prowess of the Winnipeg Jets.

But let’s face it, if Fleury is on his game and makes timely stops,  I like the Golden Knights chances. We all know the Sorel, Quebec native is a Conn Smythe Trophy favorite at the moment. The 33-year old veteran is 8-2 with a 1.53 GAA, and a save percentage of .951%.

If he continues to stop pucks in traffic and make highlight reel saves, those numbers will keep replicating. The Golden Knights defense will also play a vital role in this series against the Jets as they need to limit the high danger scoring chances from Paul Stastny, Patrik Laine, Scheifele, Wheeler, Kyle Connor, etc.

Which UFA would you rather resign, David Perron or James Neal? – Andrew from Boston, Massachusetts

This is the million dollar question of the offseason in my opinion. I would love to see David Perron and James Neal back in Golden Knights jerseys next fall. Both players bring so many qualities, but I believe the Golden Knights will only sign one.

The player I think comes back to Vegas is Perron and here’s why: Perron is looking for a place for his family to stay long-term. The Sherbrooke, Quebec native has already been on five NHL teams, and he’s looking to settle in.

He brings a ton of leadership to the table as he’s one of the true leaders in the locker room. It’s also hard to ignore that he racked up 66 points in 70 games played. Not to mention he’s not doing too shabby in the playoffs either with seven assists in eight postseason games.

The red flag with Perron is his injury history. He has already been through multiple concussions in just ten seasons. One more major head injury and that could be it for his career.

James Neal is also a tremendous leader in the locker room, and he’s a bonafide goal scorer on any team. However, I think he will command a lot more money and term than Perron based on his reputation of being one of the most consistent players in hockey.

The Whitby, Ontario native has scored at least 20 goals in all ten years of his NHL career. Not many players can say they have accomplished that milestone. Neal has also put together a decent postseason with three goals, four assists and seven points in ten games.

I’m glad I’m not general manager George McPhee in this situation.