Fansided

Projecting every NHL team’s chances of hoisting the Stanley Cup in 2019

By Griffin Youngs

LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 07: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals celebrates with the Stanley Cup after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in Game Five of the Stanley Cup Final during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena on June 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 07: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals celebrates with the Stanley Cup after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in Game Five of the Stanley Cup Final during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena on June 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
24 of 31
Next
LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 07: Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Vegas Golden Knights loses his stick as he makes a skate save on a shot by Chandler Stephenson (not pictured) #18 of the Washington Capitals in the second period of Game Five of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on June 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Capitals defeated the Golden Knights 4-3. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 07: Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Vegas Golden Knights loses his stick as he makes a skate save on a shot by Chandler Stephenson (not pictured) #18 of the Washington Capitals in the second period of Game Five of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on June 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Capitals defeated the Golden Knights 4-3. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

8. Vegas Golden Knights

Here marks where the true Stanley Cup contenders for this season begins. Starting with the Vegas Golden Knights.

What an inaugural season for a team that was projected to be an utter failure. They took the league by storm right away, and just never slowed down after that.

The Golden Knights finished fifth in the league with 109 points to win the Pacific, and became the first expansion team to reach the Stanley Cup Final since the St. Louis Blues did so in 1968.

Why they could win

Vegas was not a fluke. Last season was entirely legitimate because the Golden Knights had the right attitude and the talent that they needed to shock the world.

Vegas has great depth on both sides of the ice, but its offense is where it’s best showcased. Their first line of Jonathan Marchessault-William Karlsson-Reilly Smith quickly turned into one of the most productive lines in the league last season and looks to be even better after a season of chemistry.

Normally for an expansion team that would be where the depth ends, but Vegas goes much deeper than that . Paul Stastny was brought in this offseason, Alex Tuch is already a top six forward and looks to go a step further at just 22 years old, and Erik Haula tops it all off nicely with 55 points as a third line center.

Marc Andre-Fleury is still turning back the clock at 33 years old and started fresh in Vegas last season, and re-established himself as one of the top net minders in the league today. Vegas’s ascension was still happening while he was injured, but they don’t nearly as far as they did without him.

Why they won’t win

What happened last season with Vegas was magical, but that magic might be over now. No longer will teams be taken by surprise by the plucky expansion team that they underestimated. There will be game plans on how to beat Vegas, and teams could want payback for making them look like chumps last year.

There were obviously no expectations on an expansion team last year, but that’s gone now. The city of Vegas expects a title now after last years run. No longer can the “Golden Misfits” claim some noble “prove everybody wrong” crusade.

Vegas was also the beneficiary of several career years that will be almost impossible to repeat, most notably William Karlsson. Karlsson went from being a six goal scorer in Columbus, to dropping 43 goals the very next year with Vegas with a 23.4 shooting percentage. If these guys come back down to earth, Vegas could see a drastic drop in point production. That’s after letting James Neal and David Perron walk in free agency, which is 100 points gone in itself.

Conclusion

Vegas still has a good team put together here, and in the weak Pacific Division making the playoffs should be a safe bet. If Vegas can really prove they are still for real, and that it wasn’t all just Disney movie magic, then they can easily make another run at the Stanley Cup.

Home/NHL