On paper, the Vegas Golden Knights should be heading towards a favorable stretch. They have games against the Vancouver Canucks, the Calgary Flames, and the Seattle Kraken. What's more is they play the Canucks and the Kraken twice, giving them an opportunity to build some momentum before the playoffs (where there are no shootouts).
But can they do it? Can they pull off a big run and make use of a weak Pacific Division? That's the big question. Sure, there are challenging games against the Edmonton Oilers and the Colorado Avalanche. But that doesn't mean that the remaining stretch isn't winnable.
What do the Canucks have to play for? The Flames? That's the big question heading down the road. Teams like the Kraken and the Jets might have something to play for since they're in a playoff chase. But that could all change with a bad stretch from either (or both) teams.
Therefore, if there's reason to believe that the Golden Knights are to change the narrative, they must do it now. There's no better time to take advantage of weaker competition than now, where there's nothing left to play for other than testing guys out for next season.
Why the last few weeks matters for the Vegas Golden Knights
As bad as the season has been for the Golden Knights, they're still sitting in third place in the Pacific Division entering Sunday (80 points). That matters because of who's behind them in the divisional race, starting with the Los Angeles Kings.
They have games against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Vancouver Canucks (twice), and the Calgary Flames to close out the schedule. Their next six games are also at home, giving them a massive advantage down the stretch. Oh sure, there are games against the Nashville Predators and the Edmonton Oilers. However, the home-ice advantage still favors the Kings for season's end.
Then, there's the Kraken. Seattle is tasked with facing the Minnesota Wild, the Colorado Avalanche, the Oilers, and the Utah Mammoth. There are also the Golden Knights that they'll face twice, making life much harder for Seattle. Add games against the Kings and the Winnipeg Jets and you have a potential recipe for disaster.
And what about the Predators? Games against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Anaheim Ducks (twice) and the Minnesota Wild loom large. As for Winnipeg? Their schedule looks much more palatable with games against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Philadelphia Flyers, and the St. Louis Blues.
That's why the upcoming schedule matters for the Golden Knights. Take care of the games you're supposed to win and steal one against either the Oilers or the Avalanche. If you can do that, you're putting yourself in a better position for a playoff spot. Who knows? You could put yourself in a position to go on a surprising run.