Tomas Hertl has been a major boon for the Vegas Golden Knights power play this season. He has 12 goals on the unit, which has been the third-best in the NHL (28.5%). Players such as Mark Stone (five goals and 18 assists on the unit) and Jack Eichel (four goals and 24 assists on the power play) have benefited greatly from having the "Turtle" on the unit.
It's no wonder they lead the Pacific Division with 82 points entering Monday. A once-beleaguered unit is suddenly thriving and on pace for its best season yet. What was once a punch line for every hockey fan in Las Vegas has become its strongest asset.
That could also be its best weapon against formidable teams like the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars. Both teams made major moves during the trade deadline, catapulting them atop the Stanley Cup hierarchy. The Stars got their big fish in Mikko Rantanen while the Avalanche got Brock Nelson and Charlie Coyle, to name a few.
When a team screws up, you need a player like Hertl to step in and score. That's why he's tied with Erik Haula for the most single-season power play goals in franchise history. The center also scored 12 goals on the unit in 2017-18. What happened that season? A Stanley Cup Final.
This team has a great chance to return to the Stanley Cup Final again and establish themselves as a modern hockey dynasty. Players like Hertl and Eichel are having their best seasons yet, putting up points and breaking records. Speaking of which, the former Shark is one goal away from making the single-season record for power play goals his own. When will he have the record by himself?
When Tomas Hertl will break the Vegas Golden Knights record for most single-season power play goals
The upcoming four-game road trip consists of games against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres, and Detroit Red Wings. These teams are either on the playoff fringe or far back, leaving them with little hope for the Stanley Cup.
It's also worth noting that all four teams have an average penalty kill at best. The Penguins are 17th in the NHL at 78.9% and have seen their penalty kill dominate on the road (84 penalties killed this season, fourth-most in the NHL). In fact, nobody from this group is 16th or higher in the penalty kill rankings.
Team | Penalty kill rankings |
|---|---|
Pittsburgh Penguins | 78.9% (17th) |
Buffalo Sabres | 76.9% (21st) |
Columbus Blue Jackets | 75.3% (24th) |
Detroit Red Wings | 70.1% (31st) |
That leaves some chances as juicy as a Fatburger. It could happen against the Penguins since their penalty kill is much better on the road (as proven by their three penalty kills on Friday). It could also happen against the Columbus Blue Jackets given their unit's ineptitude. However, one team stands out above the rest.
Tomas Hertl will break Erik Hau against the Buffalo Sabres on March 15
It's safe to say that record should fall during the road trip. With average to mediocre penalty kills on the trip, Tomas Hertl and the Vegas Golden Knights power play should find ample scoring opportunities. But who draws the most penalties?
Team | Penalty minutes ranking |
|---|---|
Buffalo Sabres | 603 (fourth-most) |
Columbus Blue Jackets | 529 (16th-most) |
Pittsburgh Penguins | 453 (25th-most) |
Detroit Red Wings | 377 (30th-most) |
Of course, this isn't anything new. The Buffalo Sabres have been known for taking bad penalties in recent years, watching their penalty minutes grow by 16.5%. That has been no different this season with the team continuing to make fatal mistakes. That's why they're mired in last place in the Atlantic Division (to nobody's surprise).
That's also why Hertl will break Erik Haula's single-season power play record in Buffalo. Will he do it without Mark Stone and Jack Eichel? Who knows? The road trip could be easy pickings or a trap. But it could add another layer of misery to sports fans in Western New York. Sabres fans better break out the tables because the ambassador of "Fun Must Be Always" is coming with a flying elbow.