The funny thing about being a successful franchise right out the shoot is you immediately have a standard. You can't let your fans down after making the Stanley Cup Final in your inaugural season. Unfortunately, that's what happened to the Vegas Golden Knights in the fifth season.
You see, the Golden Knights have made the Stanley Cup playoffs every season... except for one: 2021-22.
This was the year that everyone wrote off Vegas for good. It was a season marred by tensions between Pete DeBoer and his goaltender, Robin Lehner, along with a wave of injuries.
Suddenly, the roster looked old and dead, leaving hockey fans wondering if this was it. Along the way came many questions and statements:
"Will the Golden Knights ever win a Stanley Cup?"
"JaCk EiChEl Is WaShEd!"
Of course, there were little gems like this.
Seattle Kraken fans watching the Vegas Golden Knights and Calgary Flames fall apart this summer.#SeaKraken #krakenpod pic.twitter.com/T010KnRNO4
— THE Kraken Pod (@KrakenPod) July 20, 2022
Ah, the promise of the inevitable downfall. I heard some people say that the Seattle Kraken was a greater expansion story than the Golden Knights. I wonder if it was based on reality?
Anyways, Vegas had its roughest season in 2021-22, dealing with a multitude of adverse events and obstacles. But when did the worst season ever begin?
When 2021-22 became the worst season ever for the Vegas Golden Knights
One can point to a few dates that make sense. One date could be October 14, 2021, against the Los Angeles Kings. Here, they were blown out by a score of 6-2, kickstarting a four-game losing streak. You can't be successful if you start the season 1-4-0, you know.
One can also look at February 9, 2022, against the Calgary Flames and say this was where it all started. It was a 6-0 shutout with Calgary scoring three first-period goals. What's more, Mark Stone wasn't in the lineup for that game with an upper-body injury.
Perhaps it was a date in Philadelphia on March 8, 2022. A 2-1 loss kicked off a five-game losing streak that sent the Golden Knights into purgatory for the rest of the season. It also started a seven-game losing streak on the road, leaving Vegas afraid of other arenas. Two first-period goals when Gritty's watching will do that to you.
Heck, you could point to a home game on April 6 against the Vancouver Canucks. Five unanswered goals combined with a Ben Hutton penalty for holding kickstarted an abysmal April (6-3-4). As a result? The first time in franchise history that you didn't make the postseason.
Regardless (NOT irregardless) of where you stand, numerous factors played into the Golden Knights missing the postseason. Mainly, it didn't help that your shiny new toy in Eichel played 34 games. He wasn't alone, though: Stone played 37 games while Max Pacioretty played 39 and Alec Martinez played 26.
The aftermath of the worst Golden Knights season ever
Normally, 94 points gets you into the postseason, specifically as a lower seed. However, that wasn't the case as the Nashville Predators, the Dallas Stars, and the Los Angeles Kings pulled away late. So what happened afterwards?
Well, Pacioretty was jettisoned out of Las Vegas for good. Lehner never played an NHL game again, making way for Adin Hill to come to town via San Jose. Finally, it was Pete DeBoer's third season, meaning he had to be fired. Replacing him was a little-known head coach named Bruce Cassidy.
If you're wondering what happened next, well, the worst season in franchise history was followed up with the best season in franchise history. The Golden Knights fulfilled their promise and won the Stanley Cup in their sixth season, steamrolling the competition in the process.
Sometimes, it takes going through literal torture to get to paradise. That meant making the necessary changes to win that Stanley Cup and establish yourself as a true powerhouse. Gee, I wonder how the Kraken responded to the Golden Knights. It must've been something worthy of being the "Greatest Expansion Story" ever...