The Vegas Golden Knights have had a long road to get to the point in which they are at now. Making numerous off-season transactions to help increase depth at the forward position, and acquiring yet another superstar during this season, it’s hard to think this team hasn’t done everything right. However, I truly don’t think this team can win a Stanley cup this season and this is why.
When you take a look around the league, there are a lot of very good teams. I mean, in the Atlantic Division there are three teams with more points than the Knights. In the Metropolitan Division there are four teams with more points than the Knights. And there are two teams in the Central with more and the Minnesota Wild are tied with 59.
The reason I’m mentioning those teams to you is because the Knights aren’t going out there and performing like they should be. I mean, yes they’ve been without a lot of very good players this season, but so have some of these other teams.
Overcoming adversity is just something that is expected out of a NHL team. People get hurt. This is hockey, it happens. You have to learn to overcome those obstacles and still find ways to win.
However, getting back to the original point. The Golden Knights are currently in first place in the pacific division but that doesn’t tell the whole story. The Knights, although they are in first, don’t have a solidified lead by any stretch.
Right behind the Vegas Golden Knights is the Calgary Flames with 56 points in four less games. Right behind them are the Los Angeles Kings with 55 points and one less game. Then you have the Anaheim Ducks who have 55 points with one more game, and then the Edmonton Oilers with 51 points in three less games.
So, the Knights aren’t exactly pulling away from any team right now, and that doesn’t bode well given the Golden Knights current situation with Mark Stone, Alec Martinez, and Jack Eichel. By that I’m referring to the fact that Mark Stone could be heading to the LTIR, and with that the Golden Knights will likely have to find a way to compete for a playoff spot without their complete roster.
Furthermore, the Knights, when playing against the Flames, Oilers, Kings, and Ducks, have not played some of their best hockey. There have been loses to those teams that are simply put, not pretty. Yes, they do have a couple wins, but you need to have confidence you can beat these teams and right now, I’m not sure they have what it takes to beat a team as good as Calgary. Losing Stone doesn’t help that case any.
That situation is rather unfortunate for the Knights because they’ve done everything right. Kelly McCrimmon has made all the right moves in order to make this team a Stanley Cup Competitor. Which, should be every teams goal. Unlike most, McCrimmon has actually gone out and pulled the trigger to ensure that he’s putting the best possible team out there on the ice.
They have given up good assets like Cody Glass, Nick Suzuki, Alex Tuch, and Peyton Krebs in order to acquire stars like Stone, Pacioretty, and Eichel. They’ve also gone out to get good depth pieces like Evgenii Dadonov, and Nolan Patrick to ensure that their roster is filled out from the top to bottom.
Looking at the team they’d be putting out there for the rest of the season, it makes me wonder if this team actually has what it takes? I mean, how will Jack Eichel perform in a game as intense as the playoffs? No offense to Buffalo Sabres fans, but they don’t have any experience. So what if we put all of balls in the idea that he can lead this team to a Stanley Cup and he chokes under pressure?
There are a lot of unknowns right now, but if there is one thing that I do know is that the way this team has been up and down all season, I’m not confident this team could win the Stanley Cup if they are asked to take on a team like Colorado, Toronto, Calgary, Boston, Tampa Bay and many more.