The Vegas Golden Knights have the tough task of containing Connor McDavid in the upcoming second-round matchup. The best superstar on the planet playing for the Edmonton Oilers and facing YOUR team? Yikes.
That looks like a recipe for disaster for any NHL team. How can you stop a guy who finesses and finagles his way through the opposition? The power of black licorice and nasty, holey socks knows no bounds.
However, the Golden Knights seem to have that formula down to a tee. Look at the following statistic that shows how efficient they've been at containing McDavid in the past four seasons.
It should be no coincidence that the other three remaining Western Conference teams are on this list. They carry unfathomable depth and can beat the Oilers in a seven-game set. However, the best team at stopping McDavid happens to be... Vegas.
In fact, that has been part of the team's success story in recent years. Being able to stop your best player with a tough forecheck is something that other teams should study.
Believe it or not, some lessons can be learned from earlier this season here. The Golden Knights have done a solid job of limiting him during the regular season. Here's a comprehensive strategy of keeping Canada's own "McJesus" off the scoresheet as much as possible.
How the Vegas Golden Knights can limit Connor McDavid through the second round
First, let's admit one thing. It's almost inevitable that Connor McDavid will score in some form this series. It's as inevitable as watching the Cleveland Browns play a football game. You know they'll lose. It's just a matter of how much and what fashion.
That logic applies here as well. Luckily, the Vegas Golden Knights have done an immaculate job limiting the Edmonton Oilers gigastar in every capacity this season. He only had one assist to account for in three games, firing eight shots in the process.
That amounts to 2.67 shots per game for McDavid, which will be the main key. Limiting McDavid getting the puck to the net will be paramount to ensuring Adin Hill has a smooth series. But how?
Well, dear reader. That starts with an aggressive forecheck. Do you remember how Jack Eichel was neutralized in the first three games of the first round? The Golden Knights couldn't make any zone entries because the Minnesota Wild were fishing for pucks and playing a hard man-to-man defense.
Believe it or not, that strategy works here, too. Eichel's pickpocketing McDavid on this play is what wins the series for Vegas.
That's why you have a player like Jack Eichel on your team
When facing McDavid in any capacity, it's vital to have a stopping force that can neutralize him as much as possible. It can be Connor Hellebuyck (during the regular season, of course) or it can be Jason Robertson and a deep Dallas Stars forward group.
For the Vegas Golden Knights, they have Jack Eichel to remedy that situation. Eichel has proven himself to be a solid forechecker and two-way player, going the entire 200 feet of ice.
Of course, Bruce Cassidy also has other two-way stars he can pair with Eichel. That includes savvy veterans such as William Karlsson and Mark Stone. They also play the entire length of the ice to ensure the Golden Knights can get back on the attack as quickly as possible.
Again, it's inevitable that McDavid will score in this series. He always does. That's the perk of being one of the best (if not, the best) player in the NHL. However, the Golden Knights have the forward depth and star power to neutralize him as much as possible.