Okay, you may be wondering why this article’s headline is talking about where the Vegas Golden Knights rank in playoff series wins since 2009, when they didn’t start play until the 2017-18 season. Well, that’s because, even when ranking Vegas’ playoff series wins against other teams since the 2008-09 season, they’re still among the best in the NHL.
As you know, nobody in the four major North American professional sports leagues burst onto the scene quite like the Golden Knights, and in their first season of existence, they won three playoff series. This means that, in their expansion season alone, the Knights won more playoff series than five other teams between 2009 and 2024 - four if you take out the Seattle Kraken, who started play in 2021-22.
Fast-forward to the 2023-24 season and Vegas has won 11 playoff series in their first seven years. So since 2009, they rank sixth in the NHL, tied only with the San Jose Sharks. Since San Jose won’t be returning to the postseason any time soon, it’s highly likely Vegas jumps ahead of San Jose and keeps the No. 6 ranking to themselves.
Will the Golden Knights rise in the rankings in the 2020s?
If we’re talking about 2009 and onward, where 30 of the NHL’s other 31 teams got an eight-year head start, it will be tough. While there is a chance two of the teams ranked ahead of them, the Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins, may not return to the playoffs for a while, they’re tied with 17 wins apiece.
Meanwhile, the New York Rangers are ahead of Vegas with 13 wins, and we all know how dominant they are at the moment. Expect the Rangers to keep playing an elite version of hockey in the coming seasons, and that will pose a challenge to Vegas.
The other two teams ahead of the Knights are the Boston Bruins (17 wins) and the Tampa Bay Lightning, who are dominating everyone as the only team with 20 wins. That said, Vegas will need to start winning in the playoffs again just to keep those behind them from catching up.
(Additional information provided by Hockey-Reference)