2023 was an excellent season for Las Vegas. It consisted of promises fulfilled by Bill Foley as the Vegas Golden Knights won their first Stanley Cup. The local economy was also booming. Hockey fans across the globe came to see the Golden Knights play.
Okay, let's be honest. They were taking a vacation.
Still, the season saw "Golden Misfits" such as Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault complete their storied run. No longer were people doubting the new kids on the block, for they finally achieved their lifelong dreams.
Of course, that came with a concrete set of circumstances. First, the Golden Knights won the Pacific Division. Like in the inaugural season, they were tops in the division and blew past teams like the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars.
They also had 111 points that season. There have only been two instances prior to 2024-25 where they had more than 100 points in a season. Both seasons saw them make the Stanley Cup Final at a minimum.
This season is no different. Vegas is on the cusp of clinching its fourth Pacific Division title. They also have 105 points entering Saturday's game against the Nashville Predators. It'll be a family reunion of sorts, where Marchessault and Smith will see each other again. This time, only the Toronto native is sticking around (at least for this season).
These circumstances are lining up, leading fans to believe they'll win another Stanley Cup. There are plenty of good reasons for that, too. It goes beyond having home-ice advantage for the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
1.) Reilly Smith has revitalized the Vegas Golden Knights special teams
Now, before you read this, know that the Vegas Golden Knights have the league's best power play entering Saturday (29.1%). That's in part to Tomas Hertl (14 power play goals) and Pavel Dorofeyev (13 power play goals), giving the unit its best season ever.
However, Reilly Smith's return has done wonders for the penalty kill, too. The unit has allowed one power play goal on 11 penalty kills before Saturday's game. They even got a short-handed goal with Smith assisting.
Suddenly, the exits look smoother. The unit is battling for the puck and making life hard for opponents. Without the "Misfit's" return, the group would've been in a major rut.
2.) Jack Eichel's renaissance
What else is there to say about Jack Eichel? The Golden Knights forward has broken out as an elite center, scoring 93 points in 2024-25. He's carried both the power play and overall offensive attack for Vegas (3.30 goals per game).
But he's not just good in the regular season. Eichel has also shown that he's valuable during the Stanley Cup playoffs. He has nine goals and 24 assists in 27 career playoff games. If the Golden Knights are winning the Stanley Cup again, it's because they have a solid playoff performer. Speaking of playoff performers...
3.) Adin Hill will impress everyone (even Golden Knights fans)
It's not easy being Adin Hill. The Calgary native has to deal with people grilling him because they miss Logan Thompson. Still, he has proven himself to be a reliable playoff performer. Hill has a GAA of 2.09 and a save percentage of .932 in 19 career games played.
That's not even mentioning how he's carried the Golden Knights this season. He has a GAA of 2.46 (sixth in the NHL), four shutouts (tied for seventh), and a save percentage of .908. Add in 15.8 goals saved above expected and Las Vegas is feeling confident about their Stanley Cup odds heading into next week.