Shea Theodore. Mark Stone. William Karlsson. Jack Eichel. Tomas Hertl. These names have become beloved figures within the Vegas Golden Knights, regardless of how long they've been tenured with the team. They've come up with memorable quotes and moments, creating an unrivaled culture within the NHL atmosphere. It's part of why they've become one of the most successful franchises in the league, aside from an excellent front office.
These names will also be paramount to the Golden Knights's success in 2024-25. With the absence of quality forwards via free agency, there must be bigger names to step in and fill their voids. That could come from other names such as Pavel Dorofeyev or Tanner Pearson. Their production could also come from this summer's acquisitions, including Victor Olofsson and Alexander Holtz.
Whatever the case, they need scoring. The focus will be on the bigger names to step in and play at a higher level. But what team doesn't, especially when your franchise leader in almost every category is gone? That's what happens when you've become one of the most prominent names of the franchise, after all. Ah, it's good to be the king.
So let's focus on three names from the five aforementioned players for a second. There's a record set by David Perron in 2017-18 for the most single-season assists by a Golden Knights player. He scored 50 in that season, helping Vegas get to the Stanley Cup Final. Which stars have the potential to shatter that record in the upcoming season?
Jack Eichel
This should surprise nobody, considering he's the de facto center for the Vegas Golden Knights. Last season, he scored 31 goals and 37 assists in 63 games. That left some wiggle room for the superstar center to reach 50 in 2023-24 if lower-body injuries didn't eat into his playing time. However, the new hockey year offers him a crack at the landmark.
Golden Knights fans will wonder if he'll do well with his potential linemate, Victor Olofsson. The two teammates will reunite from their Buffalo Sabres days, where the Swedish forward was scoring 20+ goals. Could Eichel help him rebound from his abysmal 2023-24 campaign, where he scored seven goals and eight assists? Time will tell.
Eichel will also have other weapons at his disposal, including Shea Theodore for another season. The defenseman should pair with the center in various aspects, including even strength. If both are playing a full season, that's good news for the team as they seek another Stanley Cup.
Finally, Eichel will get Tomas Hertl on the top power play unit for an entire year. Having a big body in front of the goaltender should pay dividends for Vegas in 2024-25. Fans were impressed in Hertl's limited time with the Golden Knights last season, where he had a goal and assist on the power play in six games. Finally getting a sizable forward up front will also ease the pressure off players like Mark Stone, making life easier. Speaking of which...