The 2024-25 season has seen some surprising things so far. Nobody expected the Washington Capitals, led by Alex Ovechkin and former Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson to fight for the Metropolitan Division lead. Nobody expected Tomas Hertl to lead the Golden Knights power play to prominence.
Some people didn't expect the Golden Knights to dominate the league, specifically at T-Mobile Arena. Here, they have a home record of 17-4-0 entering Thursday. However, the NHL's best team is showing why they're a Stanley Cup threat with 59 points. With superstars like Hertl and Jack Eichel, how can you stop an offensive juggernaut like Vegas?
But the Golden Knights are a microcosm of what's happening in the NHL halfway through 2024-25. There have been other surprises, such as the New York Rangers suddenly falling out of playoff contention. The same goes for teams like the Ottawa Senators, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Montreal Canadiens all fighting for a playoff spot (albeit a wild-card spot).
Let's look at what's happening midway through the 2024-25 season. What are some noteworthy items that stand out? How are the Golden Knights (and T-Mobile Arena) involved in some capacity? The NHL is a massive universe comprised of 32 teams, with Vegas being one of those franchises. Here's a dive into what's happening in the NHL with some midseason stats.
Some stats that define the 2024-25 season
First, the NHL has seen a surge of attendees at live games. Through 649 games played, the league's total capacity sits at 96.1%. That's tied for the third-highest capacity on record, with the Vegas Golden Knights atop the leaderboard. T-Mobile Arena averages 102.4% capacity on a nightly basis, the best in the NHL.
Of course, this uptick in attendance comes from a surge in goals. The NHL is averaging 6.1 goals per game, marking a fourth-straight season of six goals or more averaged per game. It helps to have a high-scoring team like the Golden Knights lead the charge. They're the fourth-best team regarding goals per game with 3.55.
With this high-scoring trend comes a wave of close games. In fact, 75.7% of NHL games in 2024-25 have been by a goal or two after an empty-net goal, the highest rate in history. 44% of games have also been comeback wins, tied for the second-highest rate in NHL history.
That high-scoring trend has also seen a league-wide dip in save percentage. NHL goaltenders are averaging a save percentage of .900, the lowest since 2005-06. It's also the third-lowest in 30 seasons, signaling a trend of more offense coming into the league. That's what happens when you have Tomas Hertl (seven goals, four assists on the power play) creating havoc on the man advantage along with Jack Eichel.
The 2024-25 season is largely defined by the Vegas Golden Knights dominating the NHL. The fourth-best attack in the league has seen players like Eichel and Hertl take over, whether it's in transition or on the man advantage. These players are also responsible for the uptick in overall offense, bringing butts to the seats of NHL arenas everywhere. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the exciting goal-scoring era of the NHL!