3 Golden Knights that should stay past this season
Three Vegas Golden Knights stars are making a case to stay with the team long-term. Who are these names and why should they stick around?
Vegas Golden Knights fans are living the dream right now. Everyone is excited about starting 4-2-1, where the Golden Knights are sitting pretty with nine points. Goals are coming by the bunch and the top line is playing like there are three Hart Memorial Trophy candidates. As if fans needed another reason to smile about their hockey team, they're taking the NHL by storm. Shea Theodore and Mark Stone have set the team up for success, putting Vegas on the fast track to another Stanley Cup playoff appearance.
Goal scorers like Jack Eichel and Stone look to stick around for a long time. Offense will be aplenty with such guys around, with the Golden Knights thriving in the future. Let's look at the players in the last year of their current deals, though. Diamond-cut players like these have helped the team earn nine points in seven games. Even superstars like Eichel can't help but be impressed with names like Brett Howden and Keegan Kolesar. Nobody saw them coming, yet they're leading these players are leading the charge.
Kings fans saw what happened with some of these stars on Tuesday. Now, the entire NHL is on notice. If you want to learn more about the three stars, you've come to the right place. Good players get rewarded with long-term deals, specifically if they're a good fit. Howden might not be the only player fans see for 41 games at T-Mobile Arena. These names deserve consideration for a reunion of sorts). So let's see who these three players that should return next season are.
Brett Howden
Brett Howden is one name who deserves to return to the Vegas Golden Knights. He's done excellent in transition and has stepped up his offensive game. He has moved up to the second line, where he's playing alongside Tomas Hertl and Pavel Dorofeyev. Part of being a two-way player involves doing well on offense and defense. That means keeping up with the play for the full length of the ice and going after the puck every play.
Howden has shown his worth on both ends, improving his offensive game with incredible speed and backhand shots. That's resulted in the forward scoring three goals in seven games. Goals like this make keeping him around worthwhile.
What a tuck by Brett Howden 🚨 pic.twitter.com/p0dVmpvPtg
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 20, 2024
Here, Howden steals the puck and bursts in, leaving him alone with Sergei Bobrovsky. He tucks it past the Florida Panthers goaltender for a goal, which helped the Golden Knights earn a point on Saturday. The forward is a strong forechecker who uses his speed for solid breakaway opportunities. In turn, it's giving him a case to return to the silver and gold next season.
Shea Theodore
Much speculation was made about the whereabouts of Shea Theodore during the summer. Countless trade proposals and ideas littered the internet, with people wondering what would happen to the defenseman.
"Will he be traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Mitch Marner?"
"Will Kelly McCrimmon re-sign him to a long-term deal?"
The latter looks like a good possibility, as the "Original Misfit" has six assists in six games. Three of those have come on the power play, resulting in the eighth-best power play in the league (26.3%). While Tomas Hertl gets plenty of love for boosting the unit, Theodore has run the unit well. He sees openings and acts upon them, giving his teammates the perfect scoring opportunities.
That man-advantage boost has led to the Golden Knights being the fourth-best offense in the league (4.14 goals per game). In turn, it's led to nine points for the team, putting them near the top of the Pacific Division. It might warrant bringing him back on board for a few more years, especially since he's a younger, bigger "Misfit" than Marchessault.
Keegan Kolesar
Keegan Kolesar hasn't been thought of much as a Vegas Golden Knights player. He's done dirty work as a fourth-line player, bringing energy and a physical element to the Golden Knights. It seems he's back on track to being business as usual, with the winger notching 19 hits in seven games.
The native of Brandon, Manitoba, also has a goal and two assists to start the season. That has made the bottom six one of the most productive units on the team, where they've done tremendous work. Kolesar has also boosted his linemate's play, including Tanner Pearson (one goal, two assists). In essence, he's become the bottom six player the Golden Knights were expecting Ryan Reaves to be. Adding scoring and playing smart defensive hockey makes him an underrated player.
Overall, his impact on the lower lines can't be overlooked, especially since he provides a particular grit to the unit. Could the Golden Knights retain him on a lesser deal? It's a possibility, considering Kelly McCrimmon knows how to work the salary cap. Fans might be treated to more forechecking power and energy from Kolesar in the next few years.
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