Gobble, gobble, Vegas Golden Knights fans!
It's Thanksgiving day, meaning there's plenty to be thankful for. That includes close friends, family, Jack Eichel, and two Stanley Cup Final appearances (and one Stanley Cup). Such is the time to reflect on what's important in our lives, whether it's gratitude or excellent hockey teams.
This season is no different. The Golden Knights are in first place in the Pacific Division with 31 points (14-6-3 record) and capped off a successful five-game road trip. Here, they earned seven points out of a possible ten, bringing much-needed momentum back to T-Mobile Arena for Friday's game against the Winnipeg Jets.
In the meantime, fans can rejoice in the team's excellent play in their first quarter of the season. Everything is going according to plan, with the team scoring goals (3.74 goals per game, fifth in the NHL) and Adin Hill turning a corner.
Adin Hill's last five starts:
— Danny Webster (@DannyWebster21) November 28, 2024
3-1-1, .931 SV%, 1.77 GAA
A record of 3-1-1 with a save percentage of .931 and a GAA of 1.77 is good enough to steal much-needed points down the road. That's helped the Golden Knights cap off a successful Eastern Time Zone road trip, which could've yielded four or five points.
With that, let's look back on the start (and beyond) and see what Golden Knights fans should be thankful for. Who should they share a turkey leg with? Who's getting an extra helping of potatoes on this gobblin' holiday? It's time to dive into every plate of food and see who's getting extra thanks this year.
Jack Eichel playing like a Hart Trophy candidate
Enough can't be said about Jack Eichel's performance to start the season. He's fourth in the NHL in points (34) and second in assists (26). He's bolstered the power play unit to the second-best group in the league (30.4%), orchestrating some of the best sequences around.
It's no wonder the Vegas Golden Knights are sitting pretty in first place in the Pacific Division. Without the elite center, where would the organizaton be? His all-around offensive game mixed with a growing 200-ft. style have made the Golden Knights a challenging opponent.
Yes, the team has dealt with numerous injuries in the past month. Players like Mark Stone (lower body), Victor Olofsson (lower body), and Alex Pietrangelo (upper body) have all been cooked like a turkey in recent weeks.
However, that hasn't stopped the four-time All-Star from carrying his team. Take Monday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers as a perfect example. Down 3-0, the Golden Knights desperately needed a pick-me-up. In comes Eichel with a wrist shot and assist on a Ivan Barbashev goal, giving the Golden Knights much-needed momentum.