The NHL hopes to resume the 2019-20 regular season in July and, if that’s the case, the Vegas Golden Knights will return a dangerous beast.
Although things can change on a daily basis due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the latest reports suggests that the Vegas Golden Knights could be back on the ice as early as July.
The NHL hopes to use four centralized sites in order to finish the regular season, before jumping into the playoffs and awarding a Stanley Cup Champion.
That would be the best case scenario for everyone concerned, although there is a plethora of issues to be thrashed and ironed out before we can get too excited.
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But, if we all get our wish and hockey does return this year, then the rest of the NHL better watch out for the Golden Knights.
Because, and although there will be the small matter of blowing off any rust and getting back into a groove, the Knights were peaking at just the right time prior to the sporting world going on lockdown due to COVID-19.
Going an impressive 15-5-2 under Head Coach Peter DeBoer, the Golden Knights were really beginning to hit their stride despite losing some key cogs due to injury.
And that’s the main point here.
Due to the current hiatus, the likes of Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty and Alex Tuch have been able to fully recover and heal.
While those who were carrying small knocks and, let’s be honest, most if not all NHL’ers carry some kind of injury at this stage of the year, will also have been able to rehab and recharge the batteries.
As a result, the Golden Knights will be 100 percent and raring to go should hockey return this summer.
And, although most teams will be in the same boat, there is no denying that the Knights boast one of the talented rosters in the NHL when everyone is healthy.
Able to call upon a lethal one-two punch between the pipes between Marc-Andre Fleury and Robin Lehner, a solid blueline led by rising star Shea Theodore and a hugely productive forward group headlined by an explosive top-six, the Golden Knights are absolutely loaded.
Having Stone, Pacioretty and even Tuch, although he’s endured a down year, back healthy will be instrumental to any success the Knights enjoy in the postseason.
With the NHL hellbent on finishing the regular season too, that will only benefit the Golden Knights in terms of getting back into the swing of things before getting down to the all-important business of battling for the Stanley Cup.
And, with all their pieces in place and healthy, the rest of the NHL should really fear the Vegas Golden Knights and the damage they could cause during the most important time of the year should hockey return as hoped.
Because, at the peak of their powers, there is no doubt that the Golden Knights have all the weapons in their arsenal needed to go on a deep run and maybe even the greatest prize in all of sports.