You expect the Vegas Golden Knights to get plenty of love after acquiring Mitch Marner from the Toronto Maple Leafs. When a player with 102 points last season comes on your team, you're automatically getting better. Lo and behold, NHL.com saw this and gave them a friendly ranking.
Here's what Pete Jensen of NHL.com had to say about the Golden Knights.
"The Golden Knights made arguably the most impactful move in the NHL this offseason by acquiring and signing forward Mitch Marner. At the top of the primary assist leaderboard since 2018-19 is Connor McDavid (366), followed by Marner (281). Known for strong advanced stats and two-way prowess, Marner has a chance to complement centers Jack Eichel and Tomas Hertl in different situations and also finally get over the hump in the postseason with a more well-rounded supporting cast. Marner never reached the conference finals during his Toronto Maple Leafs tenure; Vegas, meanwhile, has qualified for the postseason in seven of its eight seasons since expansion, won the Stanley Cup in 2023 and multiple rounds four different times."Pete Jensen
The only team ranked ahead of Vegas was the defending champions, the Florida Panthers. That's understandable since winning back-to-back Stanley Cups makes you "The Man."
As Ric Flair would say...
"To be the man, you gotta beat the man!"Ric Flair
Dissecting why the Vegas Golden Knights are ranked second overall in the latest NHL.com rankings
Let's be honest here. The Golden Knights are far from perfect by any stretch. Losing quality defenders in Alex Pietrangelo and Nicolas Hague hurts. You lose size in more ways than one, with both players taking their presence in clogging shooting lanes with them.
This will also hurt Adin Hill, who surprised a lot of people (yet somehow has some haters). Having a GAA of 2.47, a save percentage of .906, and four shutouts makes you stand out among your peers. There's a reason why some people are uneasy about the goaltender position heading into the season.
However, Vegas has a plethora of reliable forwards to work with. Adding Marner certainly helps, especially on the two-way front. But bringing reliable veterans, Brandon Saad and Reilly Smith, also helps the middle of the lineup. The group can score at will, as proven by being the fifth-highest scoring team in the league last season (3.34 goals per game). The wing certainly looks much better, huh?
Also, losing Pietrangelo and Hague might hurt. But the Golden Knights have suddenly gotten more physical. Jeremy Lauzon LOVES hitting people. In fact, he has 1,132 career hits. Kaedan Korczak is a bulldog, getting involved in every play while winning puck battles.
Fans will be surprised to see the blue line in better hands when the season starts. After all, you don't just have your best defensive players as defensemen. That's why the Golden Knights have gotten heavily involved in the two-way game, specifically with stars like Mark Stone and Mitch Marner. Now, let's get to No. 1 by the end of next June with Lord Stanley, eh?