What happened that led up to June 13?
First came the unexpected run during the inaugural season. Nobody expected William Karlsson to score a franchise-best 43 goals. Nobody expected players like Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault to rise to the occasion. Yet, they persevered.
Of course, the Stanley Cup Final came and it was an unmitigated disaster. Alex Ovechkin did Alex Ovechkin things and got his first Stanley Cup. It was well-deserved for the legendary player.
But for Vegas? It was back to square one. You needed to get back and grab the gold. Your owner did make a promise to win it in 2023, after all.
Along the way, the road was extremely bumpy. There was the major that shouldn't have been a major. Then, Gerard Gallant was fired and replaced with Pete DeBoer. In the process, players like Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone came in.
Then, COVID-19 happened. Two more playoff failures, highlighted by a questionable goaltender call and Carey Price's renaissance. Don't forget Marc-Andre Fleury being traded. That was the big news on Twitter.
After that? A guy named Jack Eichel was acquired. He was deemed cancerous by his peers in Buffalo. But was there truth to the claim? That was the big unknown.
Then, the first time the Golden Knights missed the playoffs happened. Pete DeBoer died on his sword and was replaced by Bruce Cassidy. Now, the fun part begins.