Vegas Golden Knights: Can they prove that last season wasn’t a fluke?
To be frank, the Vegas Golden Knights’ inaugural campaign was one of the most important stories in the history of contemporary sport.
Widely regarded as the NHL’s equivalent of the island of misfit toys, the Golden Knights took the world of puck by storm, concluding the regular season with a 51-24-7 record (109 points). They were the first expansion franchise among the United States and Canada’s “Big Four” leagues (MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL) to win its division in its introductory year of competition, during which the doubts of critics were perpetually hushed by the organization’s fans uniting in the spirit of a culture of winning ways.
The success, it seemed, was far from over. The conclusion of a historic campaign was met with further triumph in the postseason, as the Golden Knights swept the Los Angeles Kings in their first ever playoff series — this, in spite of Kings’ veteran netminder, Jonathan Quick, putting up numbers that were nothing short of incredible. Additional victories over the San Jose Sharks (4-2) and Winnipeg Jets (4-1) was the central avenue through which the club continued to shock the sport’s fans — a prospect that culminated on May 20, when the team advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Despite eventually faltering in a series that saw Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals defeat the Golden Knights over the course of five games, Vegas had given new meaning to the notion of “a season for the books.” They had, in effect, reconceptualized the underpinnings of modern hockey — translating a seemingly forgettable roster into the basis of an unforgettable narrative, the likes of which shall forever occupy the talk circuit of the NHL.
Indeed, these misfits are here to stay. But the illustrious nature of their previous campaign only promises to add further pressure if dreams of Stanley Cup contention are to be translated into a reality. And if the first few weeks of the 2018-19 season are to serve as an indicator of what lies ahead, the Golden Knights are slowly embarking upon a sharp decline — the substance of which could have telling ramifications for the next part of the campaign.
If Gerard Gallant & Co. are to prove that last season was no fluke, expect a turnaround to begin promptly. With key players set to return to the lineup in the not-so-distant future, the Golden Knights will aim to make skeptics eat their words yet again.