How Vegas Became THE Goaltending Team

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 02: Logan Thompson #36 and Adin Hill #33 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrate on the ice after the team's 5-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets at T-Mobile Arena on November 02, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

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In the NHL, you need solid goaltending to win a Stanley Cup. That’s especially true if that goalie gets hot in the playoffs, where you can go a long way. For a franchise like the Golden Knights, having the likes of Marc-Andre Fleury and Adin Hill between the pipes has helped immensely.

It’s especially true since Hill’s hot hand helped Vegas win their first Stanley Cup last season. From his dramatic Game 1 save to his current domination, Adin Hill is continuing a tradition of strong Vegas goaltenders.

This has been going on since the franchise’s inception. Since Marc-Andre Fleury, Vegas has earned a reputation as a friendly team for those between the pipes. Other teams have become jealous of their incredible success, with only a few rivaling the Golden Knights system. However, it hasn’t just been Bruce Cassidy introducing an incredible strategy.

So how did Vegas get this incredible distinction? What led to them being one of the toughest teams to score on? Let’s take a look at where it all started, going back to the NHL Expansion Draft.

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