Vegas Golden Knights Remain Undefeated In Preseason

The Vegas Golden Knights have steamrolled the competition through the first four games of the 2018 preseason.

I know what you’re thinking, “it’s only the preseason.” “Why does it matter what the Vegas Golden Knights are doing in the preseason?” And while both statements may be true to some degree, the fact that this Golden Knights team has stepped on the gas and put away their opponents early is an excellent sign.

It’s all sunshine and rainbows thus far for Vegas as the team defeated the San Jose Sharks in a shootout on Saturday night to improve to 4-0-0 in the preseason. While the results are definitely encouraging, I tend to look at individual performances more during the preseason. There are so many players vying for NHL jobs; it’s pushing the team to be that much better come the regular season.

The Golden Knights know Nate Schmidt and Shea Theodore are not walking through the door anytime soon. Its players like Erik Brannstrom who are pushing for one of those empty spots in the Golden Knights defensive core.  The 19-year old is making it awfully tough for the team to send their most prized prospect down to the American Hockey League.

Brannstrom has played in all four of the Golden Knights preseason games. The Eksjö, Sweden native has stood out and asserted himself into a potential NHL roster spot with his recent play. Head Coach Gerard Gallant clearly likes what he has seen from Brannstrom after giving him a ton of reps early on this preseason.

The 19-year old collected two goals, two assists, and four points through his first four contests. He also scored the game-winning shootout goal against the Sharks late Saturday night. Brannstrom is doing everything in his power to make the Golden Knights final roster, and due to his performance, he may have already forced the coaching staff and the front office’s hand.

Meanwhile, veteran Jonathan Marchessault is off to a fantastic start totaling four goals, two assists and six points in just two games. He appears to be more than ready for the NHL regular season to begin. I expect another big year from the Golden Knights leading point scorer from last season.

Another player that’s getting off to an incredible start to the year is forward Alex Tuch. The sophomore is looking to improve on last years rookie campaign, and it certainly seems like he’s made strides over the offseason. In four games, the Syracuse, New York native averaged a point per game and notched one goal and three assists. If he gets placed on a line with newcomers Paul Stastny and Max Pacioretty, he could be a sure bet for a breakout season.

Oscar Lindberg is one of the outsiders that’s also making an impact during the “fake” season. Lindberg struggled mightily to find his way in the lineup during the Golden Knights inaugural season, and he’s looking to make his way back with a strong training camp. The Skelleftea, Sweden native scored two goals last night and continued to push for a fourth line spot if Tomas Nosek’s lower-body injury is anything serious.

All in all, the Vegas Golden Knights are in a great place heading into the second season of their existence. With more than a few players pushing for NHL jobs, the Golden Knights have set a foundation of how competitive future training camps and preseasons will be for years to come. October 4th is fastly approaching Golden Knights nation, and this team looks, focused, locked and loaded for another long run.