The Athletic shows why the Vegas Golden Knights must win now

Vegas Golden Knights fans might not want to hear this. But many experts (and even Bay Area bellhops) are saying this, especially in The Athletic. Scott Wheeler and Dom Luszczyszyn "wheeled" out the Contention Cycle, which showed the NHL teams with open Stanley Cup windows and those who are shut tight.

Where do the Golden Knights stand, you might ask? They're standing firmly in the "win now" section with the Stanley Cup window closing.

Hey, it could be worse. You could be "The Greatest Expansion Story Ever" with the window completely shut.

The rankings combine a team's current roster with its prospects, giving fans a glimpse of where everyone is going. For example, the Kraken are firmly in the "window shut" category while needing to rebuild. Meanwhile, you have a Dallas Stars team with an open window while needing to win now.

Looking at this graphic, you might see a Golden Knights team heading towards the inevitable rebuild. That's what happens when you have aging players like Mark Stone (33), William Karlsson (32), and Tomas Hertl (31). Combine that with a dry farm system mostly void of future NHL players and there's a good reason for that ranking.

What does The Athletic's ranking tell us about the Vegas Golden Knights' situation?

As mentioned in prior articles, the Golden Knights must address their mediocre farm system at some point. They're in a situation where they can't replenish outgoing talent with NHL-ready players, leaving them in a state of an elongated rebuild.

Of course, those are the natural consequences of being in a Stanley Cup contention window, specifically if you're trying to win straight out the shoot. You get worse draft picks and aren't looking to acquire too many picks for the future.

Even with said picks, the Golden Knights have done their due diligence in using them to acquire the best players. That includes Hertl (David Edstrom), Ivan Barbashev (Zach Dean), and Jack Eichel (Peyton Krebs). It's part of an aggressive approach they've taken throughout the years, trying to win as many Stanley Cups as humanly possible.

So, what did The Athletic have to say about Vegas's current situation?

"OK, so the Future Outlook isn’t great — so what? This is Vegas we’re talking about. In five years, the Golden Knights will have made some blockbuster trade or signing to mitigate the damage. While the Contention Cycle may show that Vegas’ future is bleak if left unchecked, no franchise does more to keep the present as rosy as possible. This summer’s Marner addition is a perfect example of that. "

The Athletic

Fans shouldn't worry too much about the Golden Knights... right now

The Athletic does mention how the Golden Knights tend to pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat. They're known for making a big trade or two that inspires countless memes about the team. But they also raised a pressing concern about a barren farm system.

"Yes, at some point, the Golden Knights will have to pay the piper. In five years, it’s unlikely either Eichel or Marner will remain franchise players. Finding the next superstars to replace them won’t be easy, but again, this is Vegas we’re talking about. The Golden Knights always find a way. With that being said, something probably has to be done to address the discrepancy between Vegas’ high end and the other contenders in the West. Maybe Marner is enough for the team to lean on its depth advantage, which isn’t captured here. But more couldn’t hurt, especially with the sudden departure of Alex Pietrangelo and Stone’s decline. Fighting the current becomes harder and harder as the core ages. The Golden Knights better make it worth their while."

The Athletic

That means nailing draft picks and developing them into viable depth pieces. You don't want to be in a situation where you're hockey's version of the modern New York Yankees: a team with talent everywhere, only not to have more than two game-breaking superstars to match the top teams.

Is that something that McCrimmon and company should consider heavily? Absolutely. You're not prying that Stanley Cup window open with just Trevor Connelly and Mathieu Cataford. But don't discount the general manager from busting out a big move to keep Vegas relevant.

Ever.