You're an artist, particularly one that specializes in Vegas Golden Knights art. You've created a beautiful masterpiece from scratch and want to outdo that piece. So, you try to make something for the next season.
Then, you turn your attention to the Henderson Silver Knights. Your first art piece for the AHL club turns out extremely well. In fact, you've been honored among your peers for your hard work. How can you top that?
After that? You have the Tahoe Knight Monsters, where your first piece of work was brilliant. But that big question looms again.
It's eating at you and is leaving you at a crossroads in your artistic expression. After all, you need something to top your masterpiece. Yet, that's the problem. You don't know how you can top all that after making the Kelly Cup playoffs in your inaugural season.
That leaves us with the big question...
Can the Tahoe Knight Monsters build off their surprising season?
Answering this question requires a look at the two older brothers. The Vegas Golden Knights and the Henderson Silver Knights had resounding success in their inaugural Nevada seasons, making the finals for their respective leagues.
What happened in the next season? First-round exits for both franchises. The Golden Knights were bounced by the San Jose Sharks in seven games through a series of unfortunate events (Jim Carrey not included) and the Silver Knights were swept in the preliminaries by the Colorado Eagles.
What happened afterwards is a different story. Golden Knights fans know exactly where their team went after the Stanley Cup Final appearance. They won the Stanley Cup in Year Six, defeating the Florida Panthers in five games.
As for Henderson? Well, they haven't been to the Calder Cup playoffs since. In fact, they've been relegated to the Pacific Division basement, finishing dead-last in 2024-25.
How can the Knight Monsters have a Golden Knights-esque story and not a Silver Knights-esque story?
Looking at the goaltending room this upcoming season, you'll see plenty of solid talent. Obviously, you have your Carl Lindboms of the world that shine brightest. However, there are also names like Cameron Whitehead and Jesper Vikman that could be Silver Knights. Whoever's left over will likely get time in Tahoe.
But that's not the only thing to watch for. Last season, the Knight Monsters saw their forwards contribute in a big way. Sloan Stanick scored 29 goals and 50 assists in 70 games, averaging 1.13 points per game. Bear Hughes also contributed, scoring 21 goals and 32 assists in 64 games.
However, some names are gone. For example, Simon Pinard (33 goals and 31 assists with Tahoe last season) is with the Hershey Bears. If the Knight Monsters are to go further and sustain their success, replacing key forwards like Pinard is vital.
It's always tougher to outdo your first time in anything. It doesn't matter if it's painting a beautiful portrait or trying to win the Kelly Cup. Outdoing the original creation will be a challenge for Tahoe in the second season. However, it's one that they can easily turn into the Mona Lisa.