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Vegas Golden Knights: Three glaring flaws DeBoer must correct

By Andrew Steele-Davis

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 08: Vegas Golden Knights head coach Peter DeBoer addresses the media after a shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes at T-Mobile Arena on February 08, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 08: Vegas Golden Knights head coach Peter DeBoer addresses the media after a shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes at T-Mobile Arena on February 08, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 7: Reilly Smith #19 of the Vegas Golden Knights works on a penalty kill against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on November 7, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Golden Knights 2-1 in overtime. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 7: Reilly Smith #19 of the Vegas Golden Knights works on a penalty kill against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on November 7, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Golden Knights 2-1 in overtime. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

1. Fix the Penalty Kill

Always a strength under previous Head Coach Gerard Gallant, the Vegas Golden Knights have always prided themselves on their strong penalty kill.

They have nine shorthanded goals this year, tied for third in the NHL, and the PK did rank as one of the best in the league at one point this season.

However, it started to regress under Gallant and, while it peaked somewhat under Peter DeBoer’s guidance, the penalty kill has now completely fallen off the cliff.

From killing off power plays at a clip of 88 percent at one point under DeBoer, the Knights have allowed six power play goals in the last three games.

The penalty kill is currently ranked 22nd in the NHL (78.0), and that isn’t going to get the job done either down the stretch or in the postseason.

This obviously has to be a priority for DeBoer.

It is good news then that DeBoer is known for getting the best out of his defense and, under his guidance, the San Jose Sharks had the best penalty kill in the NHL in the first two months of this year before DeBoer was canned.

With trusted lieutenant Steve Spott now by his side in Vegas, DeBoer must get to work on the penalty kill and translate what worked in San Jose on the PK to the Knights.

Because, and as I always say, you live and die by your special teams and the Golden Knights will fall on their sword if they don’t drastically improve their penalty kill.

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