The Vegas Golden Knights hope to hoist another Stanley Cup in the next few years. They added Tomas Hertl and Noah Hanifin last season to go all in on their roster. The goal? Repeat as Stanley Cup champions, which ultimately fell short at the hands of the Dallas Stars. Life is unfair at times, isn't it?
While that goal was tarnished in 2023-24, the duo will return to Vegas for their first full seasons together. They serve many purposes for the franchise, including extra offense and strength on the man advantage. Sometimes, it takes some guts to make bold moves and push your team to Stanley Cup contention.
It's something Kelly McCrimmon understands, whether it's moving on from a legendary goaltender like Marc-Andre Fleury or acquiring Jack Eichel from the Buffalo Sabres. These moves have made the Golden Knights competitive, yielding a Stanley Cup in the process. It also set the standard for how the organization is run, with Bill Foley expecting championships in Las Vegas.
Honestly, can the Raiders and Athletics say this? Have they acquired a big name like Hanifin or Hertl to go all-in on their championship windows? The Raiders have dealt with mismanagement for years, jading their passionate fanbase. As for the A's? John Fisher owns them.
But let's steer away from terrible baseball owners and focus on the positives, starting with Hanifin. The defenseman won't have you pay for his new stadium, nor will he move the Vegas Golden Knights elsewhere. Like Tomas Hertl, he's a "fun must be always" guy, so fans can rely on him. Here are three reasons why that's the case.
Noah Hanifin adds more to the power play like Tomas Hertl
Last season, Hanifin was traded from the Calgary Flames to the Golden Knights, bringing in another solid offensive blue-liner. He could work well with any line and contribute regularly. It's a part of his charm as a player, where he goes above the call to produce. That's especially true on the man advantage, where he aided the unit during his Vegas tenure.
He scored two goals and three assists on the power play in 19 games in 2023-24. If he played a full season with Vegas, that would end up being roughly nine goals and 13 assists on the man advantage. That's sizable production for a historically weak unit, which would benefit from having his production. That's especially true with an offensively-minded defenseman entering his first full year in Las Vegas.
Kelly McCrimmon has done his best to upgrade the power play unit since he became the general manager in 2019. It's been tough keeping the right pieces in place while acquiring younger talent. However, Noah Hanifin and Tomas Hertl should provide the necessary production for the unit's success in 2024-25.