Biggest surprises from the Vegas Golden Knights first month of the season
You can't have a 7-2-1 start without a few surprises. Here are some players who've impressed the Golden Knights faithful so far.
Everyone loves a good surprise, whether it's the Vegas Golden Knights starting 7-2-1 or finding $10,000 in a bag on the street. Little moments in life like this bring a smile to a person's face. The good news is that the 7-2-1 start is a reality, where the Golden Knights have 15 points.
Want to know the best part?
That total has them atop the Pacific Division. That's right, a team not many people were picking to win the Stanley Cup sits atop the perch.
Not the defending Western Conference champions, the Edmonton Oilers (especially without Connor McBroken--Err, McDavid).
Not the Los Angeles Kings, sans Pierre Luc-Dubois's contract.
Not even the Vancouver Canucks without Thatcher Demko.
The Vegas Golden Knights hold that spot. Considering the tumultuous offseason where they lost key players such as Jonathan Marchessault and Chandler Stephenson, people were skeptical of their chances. But that's what Mark Stone and company carried with them into the season: A new chip on their shoulder.
That's how they're one point out from having the most points in the NHL. With the NHL points leader in Mark Stone (18), Ivan Barbashev (seven goals), and Jack Eichel with him (16), the Golden Knights have one of the best top lines in the league.
But it goes beyond Stone and Eichel rocking out like the Wyld Stallyns on the first line. Starting with 15 points means you must have some surprising players along the way. For example, nobody expected Kolesar to score four goals and three assists, yet here we are. Who are some other surprising players for the Golden Knights this season?
Brett Howden
Nobody expected Brett Howden to start the 2024-25 season with five goals in 10 games. He was set to be a fourth-line player who would barely scratch that total. However, the forward changed that narrative, where he's projected to score 41 goals.
He's combined his speed with immaculate forechecking ability to create such opportunities. In turn, the Golden Knights have caused problems for opponents on the lower lines, leaving them with few answers for the Calgary native. Look at this tic-tac-toe goal that Howden scores against the San Jose Sharks late.
BIG two-goal knight for Brett Howden 🍞 pic.twitter.com/nz9e4uMpn4
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 27, 2024
Sure, one can say this was in garbage time, and the Golden Knights were playing with their food. But Howden displayed some improved offensive skills. That includes deceiving defenders with a pass to Pavel Dorofeyev. He heads towards Vitek Vanecek's stick side and sneaks a wrist shot past the netminder.
Howden's solid play has earned him time on the second line, where he flourished against the Sharks. That third-period goal was his second of the game, putting on a full display of improved offensive acumen. That could also bring good news to a Golden Knights team looking for more production outside their top line. Speaking of which...
Ivan Barbashev
All the love for the first unit has been focused on Mark Stone and Jack Eichel. The duo combined for 34 points through the first 10 games, making them an unstoppable force. But the player on Eichel's other wing has been a pleasant surprise himself. In fact, he has the most goals in the unit with seven.
Ivan Barbashev has evolved into a scoring expert this season, where he's tied for seventh in goals. He also leads the Golden Knights in goals, which has made for a pleasant surprise in itself. Nobody knew who the leading goal scorer would be after Jonathan Marchessault left to become the Honky Tonk Man.
Barbashev appears ready to take that mantle, combining speed and physicality to make him an offensive force. Much love has been heaped onto Stone and Eichel for their early contributions to the offense. However, one can't discount the Russian forward and what he's done as the primary goal-scoring winger. Speaking of Russian players...
Ilya Samsonov
When Ilya Samsonov signed a one-year, $1.8 million contract with the Vegas Golden Knights during the summer, he was expected to be the backup. Adin Hill would be the first goaltender between the pipes, providing stability (if healthy). While healthy, Hill hasn't been the most stable netminder before Monday's shutout.
Samsonov? He's been a pleasant surprise. He's allowing an average of 2.21 goals per game in four games and has a save percentage of .932. He's allowed nine goals, compared to Hill allowing 19 in six starts. His excellent start has prompted some fans to call for the former Maple Leafs goaltender to be the regular starter.
That might seem like an outrageous claim for fans to make. Will that happen now? No, especially since the first month of the regular season is just ending. However, he's remained steady throughout his four starts, looking calm and confident in every game. That could prompt Bruce Cassidy to play the hot hand more, especially if he continues playing confidently.
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