Who ruled the Vegas Golden Knights power play in 2023-24?
Historically, the Vegas Golden Knights haven't had a good power play. But here are three players that made it bearable.
Want to hear a joke, dear reader? This one will surely make you slap your knees. Are you ready?
The Vegas Golden Knights power play.
That's it. That's the joke. A unit whose best campaign came in 2019-20 (22%) hasn't mustered much historically. That doesn't bode well for a team that lost Jonathan Marchessault to the Nashville Predators. Suddenly, the Golden Knights are down their best sniper and have cheaper replacements. Victor Olofsson, anyone?
The alternatives don't inspire much confidence in a fanbase looking to get better in the unit. Sure, some shiny new pieces like Noah Hanifin and Tomas Hertl are ready to go a whole season. But losing key names like Marchessault and Chandler Stephenson doesn't help the cause. Instead, it decimates the unit, leaving fans to wonder if there's any meat left.
So why should Golden Knights fans be confident about the unit for the upcoming season? For one, a couple of names made the special teams group better. Names like Jack Eichel and William Karlsson come to mind, along with other mainstays like Mark Stone. These players will return to the club in 2024-25, giving them some bite. Promising players like Alexander Holtz should also boost the team in this regard.
Still, let's look back at last season and see the three best players on the unit. These superstars gave the power play some punch, providing a small spark of hope for the beleaguered unit. While one of these stars have left the building, there are two who'll make the team strong. With that, here are the three man advantage merchants who were no joke last season.
Jack Eichel
Jack Eichel was the team leader in power play goals last season, scoring 11 times on the man advantage. He also had 11 assists on the unit, good for second on the Vegas Golden Knights (Shea Theodore led the team with 13). All of this came in 63 games, with the former second-overall pick missing time with a lower-body injury.
Overall, Eichel had 31 goals and 37 assists in that timespan, averaging 1.08 points a game. When he was acquired, he was meant to be the game-changing center and offensive centerpiece the Golden Knights desperately needed. After trying to find that centerpiece with names like Max Pacioretty, it seems Vegas has struck "Gold" with the former Buffalo Sabres star.
Next season offers the superstar center the chance to grow within the unit. With new pieces in Hanifin and Hertl ready to join the unit, the Golden Knights have plenty of reason to be optimistic for next season (or not, depending on who you ask). The unit should be better if Eichel can stay healthy for the full (or most of) 82 games next season.
Jonathan Marchessault
This loss hurts quite a bit because Jonathan Marchessault was also a key component of the man advantage. His efficient play as a sniper made the Vegas Golden Knights much better, giving fans hope in the unit. Now that he's off to Nashville with his cowboy boots and ten-gallon hat, Vegas has a void to address.
How so? Last season, Marchessault scored eight goals (second on the Golden Knights in 2023-24) and nine assists (tied for fourth on the team in 2023-24). With eight of his 42 goals coming on the man advantage, those are big shoes to fill for names like Alexander Holtz. Regardless, his contributions helped Vegas make the Stanley Cup playoffs, where they came within a game of advancing to the second round.
Whether the Golden Knights address that void through a big trade (i.e. Mitch Marner) or signing a big name in free agency next summer (i.e. Mikko Rantanen or Leon Draisaitl) remains to be seen. But there's no doubt the "Original Misfit" will be missed, especially with the power play and overall production (franchise leader in goals with 192 and assists with 225).
William Karlsson
Another "Original Misfit" that impacted the power play was William Karlsson. The Swedish forward has made a name for himself on special teams, which should come as no surprise. Last season, he added a short-handed goal and short-handed assist to his point totals, showcasing his offensive skill in any situation.
But Karlsson was also proficient on the power play, scoring seven goals and eight assists on the man advantage. Overall, he scored 30 goals and 30 assists in 70 games, making him one of the most important pieces on the Golden Knights. Not bad for a player caught up in some wild trade rumor speculation involving a certain Maple Leafs superstar.
Last season shows what makes William Karlsson a special part of the team. His special teams acumen and penchant for scoring in any situation makes him a threat anytime, It doesn't matter if he's dumping the puck on the penalty kill or playing on the second power play unit. The Golden Knights need a special teams star to fill the void. That's where the Swedish star comes in and flourishes.
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