You know what's funny about this season? The Vegas Golden Knights were left for dead until Bruce Cassidy was fired on March 29. The team had no life and people were questioning whether the Golden Knights would even make the playoffs.
However, the vibe has completely shifted with John Tortorella around. The Golden Knights have clinched a playoff spot and are guaranteed home-ice advantage with an Anaheim Ducks loss. How's that for a complete vibe shift in the room?
But now comes the hard part. The Golden Knights must go on a deep run and win the Stanley Cup. Some people will turn their heads towards Mitch Marner, who hasn't made it to a conference final in his career. Yet, he's not the only player that fans should focus on.
In fact, there are three things that come to mind in this particular situation. Fans can point to the 2023 Stanley Cup run as a perfect example of what the team must (mostly) do for another trophy. Let's dive into those three things before the regular season concludes for good, shall we?
1.) Scoring
Now, people are going to point the finger at Mitch Marner because of his past with the Toronto Maple Leafs. There's some credibility to this statement because of the Maple Leafs' playoff failures. However, it goes deeper than that.
We're talking about Ivan Barbashev, who's had only one goal and five assists since his magical 2023 Stanley Cup run. We're also looking at Tomas Hertl, who hasn't had a goal since March 4. Those players must step up for a successful run.
After all, depth scoring was part of how the Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup in 2023. They had numerous role players step up in the goal-scoring department, leading to a promise fulfilled. Marner might have all eyes on him. However, he won't be the only player responsible if they get eliminated.
2.) The Golden Knights goaltending continues its upward trend
Since March 30, the Vegas Golden Knights have maintained a save percentage of .921, along with a record of 6-0-1. Fans and critics alike have seen John Tortorella simplify the defensive structure and goaltending maneuvers, leading to a complete 180 in the goaltending room.
If Carter Hart and/or Adin Hill keep the unit upright, that's great news for the Golden Knights. They need the goalies to continue their upward trend, whether it's Hill (who has a goals saved above expected of 1.1) or Hart. Otherwise, they're first-round casualties.
3.) The special teams must continue to be special
This season has seen the Vegas Golden Knights have a special teams uprising of sorts. The power play has started to establish a norm (thanks, Dorofeyev!), entering Tuesday's competition with the league's fifth-best power play (24.8%). However, the penalty kill has also been special in its own right.
The unit has been the eighth-best in the NHL (81.4%), giving the Golden Knights two special teams units in the top 10. Of course, that momentum must carry over into the postseason, where big opportunities can lead to massive momentum shifts. If so, expect Vegas to go on another deep run.
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