6. Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights have been the league’s biggest surprise this season. No one expected the Knights to be this good this early. Their success as a first-year expansion franchise is unheard of. They have successfully turned the city of Las Vegas into a hockey city. Marc-Andre Fluery has been amazing for the Knights this year. Add breakout stars such as William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault to the equation, and Vegas is primed for a deep playoff run. General manager George McPhee has done an excellent job of putting the team together and making it competitive immediately. Most expansion franchises struggle for their first few seasons before hitting their stride.
The Golden Knights continued their high level of play last week. They won three of their four games, beating New Jersey, Detroit and Buffalo. Their only stumble came against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Golden Knights are firmly in first place of the Pacific Division. They would need to fall badly to miss out on the playoffs. Looking ahead to next week, they don’t have the easiest of schedules. They will face the Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils and the Minnesota Wild. All three teams are playoff teams and will be hungry to earn points. It is important for Vegas to hit the playoffs in stride and not coast to the finish line.