There are some common tropes associated with the Vegas Golden Knights. For example, the power play was the most noteworthy thing to stink with the franchise... that is, until 2024-25 came around. That's when they set a franchise record for the best power play percentage (28.3%). Have "Fun Must Be Always," will travel.
But one thing that surprisingly popped up was in the faceoff category.
Last season, the Golden Knights won 50.5% of their faceoffs. The three main standouts from the group were Brett Howden, Tomas Hertl, and William Karlsson. In fact, they were the only three players with win percentages over 51% (minimum 250 faceoffs). The trio carried the load for Vegas, whether it was on the penalty kill, the power play, or in late-game situations.
Player | Faceoffs Won | Faceoffs Lost | Faceoff % |
|---|---|---|---|
William Karlsson | 410 | 296 | 58.1% |
Tomas Hertl | 537 | 421 | 56.1% |
Brett Howden | 272 | 244 | 52.7% |
Overall, it was a disappointing showing for a Golden Knights team that won the Pacific Division. However, this year looks drastically different, percentage-wise. Four players have a faceoff win percentage over 51% (minimum of 50 faceoffs). That includes Colton Sissons (57.3%), Karlsson (55.3%), Hertl (59.8%), and Jack Eichel (51.6%).
The result? A team faceoff win percentage of 55.8. That was good enough to be tied for second in the NHL with the Boston Bruins entering Thursday, marking a drastic turnaround for the Golden Knights. It's also been a small part of why Vegas is 5-0-2, earning the honor of arguably being the league's best team.
Why the faceoff win percentage matters for the Vegas Golden Knights
Imagine this scenario, dear reader. Your team is up by one goal with less than a minute left. The other team has its goaltender pulled, bringing the extra attacker on. They're bringing more offensive firepower to the ice, putting additional pressure on you. Did I mention that this is all happening in the defensive zone?
You need someone to step in and win you a faceoff. Otherwise, the other team will tire out your defenders and get the game-tying goal. Who will you call on to make the magic happen?
This scenario was why the Golden Knights acquired Colton Sissons from the Nashville Predators during the summer. They needed a player with extra "winning" acumen to take control. Who else but a player with a career winning percentage of 53.7% to take the load off?
But one surprising name is Eichel. The superstar center has a surprising career winning percentage of 44.9 in faceoff situations. One would figure that he'd have that part down pat as well. However, his resurgence is promising for a Golden Knights team looking to close out in these late-game scenarios.
Some things in hockey are easily overlooked. For example, nobody ever thinks about killing penalties unless it actually happens. That's the same thing for faceoffs, especially in late-game situations. Luckily, it seems like the Golden Knights have that down to an art form.