While the Vegas Golden Knights are eliminated from playoff contention this season, some former Golden Knights are shining in the spotlight. Some stars still compete on the global stage, taking on the world's best. Some still compete in the playoffs, taking on Hart Trophy candidates such as Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid. It's a testament to the organization's ability to pick up quality talent.
After all, that's how they won the Stanley Cup last season, defeating the Florida Panthers, 4-1. It takes an incredible general manager like Kelly McCrimmon to make the toughest calls. Through intelligent pickups and gutsy calls, the Golden Knights won it all in 2022-23 and fulfilled Bill Foley's promise.
So what are Golden Knight fans to do once their beloved hockey team is gone from the playoffs? Why, they must give their other former Golden Knight a boost. That includes cheering them on in the Stanley Cup playoffs and during the IIHF World Championship. There's no such thing as too much hockey, which is why Golden Knight fans should still stick around.
It's time to take another look around the league and see what's happening in the NHL. This time, let's look at some former Vegas Golden Knights and see how they're doing in the Stanley Cup playoffs and the IIHF World Championship. Let's get the television remotes and tune in to watch more hockey!
Former Vegas Golden Knights in... the playoffs
After eliminating the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round, the Dallas Stars are set on eliminating the Colorado Avalanche. If the Stars eliminate the Avs, they'll eliminate the past two Stanley Cup champions. That would be a remarkable feat... and one that would establish Dallas as the top dog in the Western Conference.
Leading the Avalanche, 3-2, they're well on their way to doing that. Even if Colorado pushes the series to the seventh game, that's where former Golden Knights head coach Pete DeBoer shines. He's 8-0 in such games, with two of those career victories coming against Vegas. His ability to coach in the clutch will make him dangerous against the Avalanche.
But he's not the only former Golden Knight that's doing something in the series. Evgenii Dadonov has a goal and assist in the series, with his lone goal helping Dallas win game four. Overall, the Russian winger has three goals and two assists during the playoffs, helping the Stars get closer to the Stanley Cup.
In the other Western Conference series, the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers are deadlocked at two games apiece. With the two Canadian teams fighting for the conference finals, fans are fully invested in the drama. Whether it's Connor McDavid getting cross-checked or the Oilers scoring a late goal, the series has everything. As for a former Golden Knight, Teddy Blueger only has two assists this postseason. Hopefully, he scores and people don't forget about him.
Former Vegas Golden Knights in... the IIHF World Championship
Across the pond, there are no current Vegas Golden Knights competing in the IIHF World Championship. While it would be nice to see Jack Eichel and Alex Pietrangelo duke it out on the world stage, it wasn't meant to be this year. Still, there's a good reason for Golden Knights fans to watch.
First, there are still notable names from the NHL in the world tournament. That includes Connor Bedard (Chicago Blackhawks), Nico Hischier (New Jersey Devils) and John Tavares (Toronto Maple Leafs), players who hope to bring the title home to their respective nations. Whenever the NHL's best compete in a high-level competition, it's always must-see television.
For Golden Knights fans, there are also some former players in the competition. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (Seattle Kraken) is competing for France, hoping to complete the underdog story associated with the nation. Bellemare has two goals in the competition for the French, keeping them afloat during round robin play.
The other former Golden Knight is Slovakia's Tomas Tatar (Seattle Kraken). Tatar had a huge game against Poland on Wednesday, notching his first goal and two assists. The Slovakians won the game handily, 4-0. Currently, Slovakia is in second place in Group B with eight points, one behind Sweden.
Has Jonathan Marchessault been re-signed yet?
There still haven't been any breakthroughs on the Jonathan Marchessault front, nor will there be until the season's end. Everything that's been said about the situation has been said, although there are some possibilities for potential replacements. Whether it's names like Steven Stamkos or even Sam Reinhart (who has 57 goals this season), the Vegas Golden Knights must consider all options when tackling the situation.
After all, losing a guy that scored 42 goals this season would be a monumental loss. Not only is Marchessault a good sniper, but he's also a valuable asset on the power play. The Golden Knights have struggled on the man advantage for years, which has become no secret to fans. Losing your winger when you've just got two strong additions is the equivalent of staying in neutral. For Vegas, that shouldn't be an option, for they should look at bringing No. 81 back at all costs. That's especially true if it means trading away one of their prized players.