Don't you love surprises? That could come in finding $100,000 in a bag. Perhaps it's in the form of a much-needed promotion. Maybe it's a big upset that happens when nobody expects it. Whatever the case, surprises can quickly turn a frown upside down (Rhymes Like Dimes!).
But the Vegas Golden Knights have plenty of surprises of their own this season. They're tied for first place in the Pacific Division with 72 points with the Edmonton Oilers. Yes, the Oilers are positioned ahead by virtue of games played. However, nobody was expecting the Golden Knights to sit atop the standings.
In fact, not many people expected the team to be at this point. The script called for them to fall out of favor, with big names such as Jonathan Marchessault and Chandler Stephenson heading to different cities. Marchessault wanted to get his son playing hockey with Carrie Underwood's children while Stephenson was off to search for Bigfoot in Seattle. Well, how did that work out for the presumptive Stanley Cup favorite and the "Greatest Expansion Story Ever Told?"
The Nashville Predators learned that signing three players 30 years or older doesn't make you a Stanley Cup winner. Entering Sunday, the Predators were 18 points out of the last playoff spot, sharing a spot in the Central Division basement with the Chicago Blackhawks. The Seattle Kraken are also near their divisional cellar with 52 points, 11 points behind the Vancouver Canucks for that final spot.
One of those teams has been surprisingly bad and I think you can tell who's been that awful surprise. But these three surprises are the Anti-Predators, bringing a smile to everyone's faces. Here are three pleasant surprises for the Golden Knights in 2024-25.
Pavel Dorofeyev
When Marchessault left the Golden Knights to get his cowboy boots on, fans had many questions about who would replace his outgoing production.
"Who's scoring 42 goals for the team now?"
"How are we going to replace his production?"
Well, dear reader. Never fear because Pavel Dorofeyev is here! The team leader in goals (23) is projected to score 34 this season and has nearly doubled his career-high (13) from last season. Mind you, he also has a career-high in assists this season (13).
He's gone one step further and replaced the "Original Misfit's" power play production. The Russian winger has 10 goals and three assists on the man advantage. Tomas Hertl and Jack Eichel might get a ton of love on the unit. However, one can't discount the impact the 24-year-old has on the team. Speaking of the power play...