Ahh, hockey. It's good to see it come back with the cooling temperatures, football playing, and pumpkin scents in the air. It's an official reminder that Autumn is almost here. Praise the hockey Gods and Marc-Andre Fleury because Vegas Golden Knights hockey is upon us.
Sure, it might be the 2025 Rookie Showcase. Yeah, it might be the Utah Mammoth, a team that comes from a state with few prominent musicians. However, winning your first game by a score of 8-1 is a strong statement.
It shows that the Golden Knights are vastly underappreciated in the prospect department. Numerous outlets wrote off Vegas in terms of their farm system, saying that their prospects were dull and boring.
"Where's the beef?"
Well, it certainly came in the form of eight goals against a promising farm system. Vegas showed they can hang with other teams and stand on their own. On top of that, it built confidence for a group largely forgotten by the hockey pundits and experts (allegedly). Better get a napkin for this smash burger, Doris.
It's time to jump into the three main takeaways from a massive statement win. Let's see who truly shone in the Golden Knights' big victory over Utah.
1.) Mateo Nobert looked great for the Golden Knights
Mateo Nobert showed plenty of promise in the first 2025 Rookie Showcase. He got a goal to put the Golden Knights up, 2-0, and was all over the ice. Considering how offensively potent he was in the QMJHL last season (28 goals and 39 assists in 57 games with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada), it shouldn't surprise Golden Knights fans. Overall, he had two goals on the day.
If Nobert can transition that game from the amateur league to the minor leagues, he can move one step closer to becoming an NHL regular. A strong showing against the Utah Mammoth was just the start of this.
2.) Nobert wasn't the only Golden Knights rookie who was offensively strong
Kai Uchacz pounced on a feed from Braeden Bowman for a one-timer goal to give Vegas a 1-0 lead. The goal showed an in-sync effort by the rookies, jumping on countless opportunities to keep the Mammoth on their toes. Overall, Uchacz had two goals on the day.
The forward group has shown they're an underrated lot in recent years. Aside from getting names like Jakob Ihs-Wozniak and Trevor Connelly, players like Uchacz and Tuomas Uronen continue their ascent. That could give Vegas much-needed players to fill the future lineup once mainstays like Mark Stone and William Karlsson leave.
3.) Overall, a strong performance by the Golden Knights rookies
Carl Lindbom was his usual dominant self, allowing one goal in the victory. He also received significant help from the Golden Knights defensively, where the team suffocated Utah on the back check.
Mind you, the Mammoth have a Top-Five farm system in many respects, making the victory even more impressive. If the Golden Knights' prospects can play complete games like they did on Saturday, they can boost their overall stock and relieve the pressure off McCrimmon. Now that would be a "Mammoth" helping hand.