Reinforcements Are Coming for the Vegas Golden Knights

3. Why It Doesn't Matter

There's one team ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division, and that's the Vancouver Canucks. Standing tall with 71 points, the 'Nucks are tied atop the NHL standings. They look to have an iron grip on the Pacific, meaning they'll potentially get home-ice advantage throughout the Western Conference side of the playoffs.

While the Golden Knights are returning key players at the right time, it's important to remember that Vancouver is also playing their best hockey right now. It's no secret they're one of the best offensive teams in the NHL, scoring 186 goals this season (second-most). That also comes with having the biggest point differential at +59, where they've also blown out the competition.

It isn't just Vancouver that can be a problem. The Colorado Avalanche, led by Nathan MacKinnon, is always a tough matchup for the Golden Knights despite the earlier 7-0 blowout in the year. With an array of scorers on each line, the Avs can make life difficult even if Vegas is at full strength. That's especially true if Vegas has to go on the road, where they're 11-10-4 this season. Keep in mind that Colorado is 20-5 at Ball Arena this season, making them a difficult matchup if these two meet up in the playoffs.

Still, having key players return is important for the Vegas Golden Knights. No longer are they relying on half of the Henderson Silver Knights roster. Now, they can play at full strength and make another run at the Stanley Cup. Watch out, NHL!