Who had the most single-season even-strength goals for the Vegas Golden Knights?

Scoring even-strength goals is a treasured talent for many NHL teams. Scoring without an extra advantage (i.e. one less man) makes the men stand out from the boys. Without these goal-scorers, teams would become the Arizona Coyotes, where they eventually... cease to exist. That's something that no team wants to face, especially if you're fresh on the block.

Luckily, the Vegas Golden Knights don't have this problem. They've had prolific goal-scorers throughout their short, illustrious history. That includes Jonathan Marchessault, Mark Stone, and Jack Eichel. When you've built your success on having an intelligent front office that makes the right moves, you're bound to get some haters.

Anyways, the scoring fever started in 2017-18, when the "Golden Misfits" took the NHL by storm. Led by William Karlsson and his 43 goals (a franchise record), the team was a ragtag group of undesirable players who made the Stanley Cup Final. They were fueled by critics skeptical of their success and the tragic events of October 1, 2017. Thus, a new community staple was born.

So let's swing back to the even-strength goals for a second. Who has the most in a single season? Is it Karlsson, who scored 31 that season? Or could it be the king of the franchise records, Marchessault? Let's dive into this topic and crown a king of the even-strength goals.

Surprise (or not)! Jonathan Marchessault had the most even-strength goals in a single season

Believe it or not, Karlsson held that record until last season concluded. It stood since the inaugural year ended, where he was on top of the mountain. Names like Jonathan Marchessault (25 even-strength goals in 2021-22) and Jack Eichel (25 even-strength goals in 2022-23) tried hard to topple the record. However, they failed, leaving the Swedish forward as the king.

That was until last season rolled around when Marchessault broke the record. He scored 34 even-strength goals in 2023-24, capping off a 42-goal campaign with the Vegas Golden Knights. It was enough that he earned a nice contract with the Nashville Predators, where he might perform a huge country concert with Steven Stamkos.

There are other names on the list who've made their presence felt, including Max Pacioretty (24 in 2019-20) and Reilly Smith (22 in 2019-20, tied for sixth with William Karlsson, who scored that many in 2023-24). However, it was just another day in the office for the former Conn Smythe winner, who stood alone atop the Golden Knights mountain.