Vegas Golden Knights veteran forward Chandler Stephenson is emerging into the spotlight as the leading scorer of the best team in the Western Conference.
Stephenson has been playing some of the best hockey of his career this season, especially as of late. The 28-year-old center has posted 14 points in the club's last seven contests, including two games with four points. The second came in Vegas' 5-4 win over the St. Louis Blues on Friday.
The former Stanley Cup champion has never really received the respect he's worthy of throughout what has been nearly a decade's span in the NHL. Even Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy admitted after Friday's win that he was one of the many who had overlooked the veteran during his time out east.
"I knew a bit about Stevie, but not to the extent of now being around him every day," Cassidy said in his postgame press conference. "Some of that is he's kind of a quiet guy himself. He comes to the rink, does his job. He's not, i guess, in front of the media. And sometimes, the media will bring attention to these types of players as well, right? And then it snowballs a little bit too. So it's a little bit of both now. He's our leading scorer, so maybe when the All-Star votes [start] coming out, maybe that's what sort of gets people's attention now that don't see him every day, which is a lot of the eastern people now.
" ... And that's his way he is on the ice. I don't know if you remember, he went in a two-on-one with Amo [Michael Amadio] in the second period; he probably had a lane to the net and made a play to the slot, and Amo ends up getting a shot. But that's probably an opportunity where Stevie had the better opportunity to score by getting inside, but that's how he plays a little bit. He likes to make plays, he can certainly score. I think he has more goals in him and finding that right balance.
"But when he's playing with Jack [Eichel] and Stoney [Mark Stone], I think that's how he automatically defers. And with Jack being out there [with injury], sometimes taking the bull by the horn yourself and shooting it [is what you need to do]. He did it the other night on a two-on-one, too, shorthanded. He hit the post, he didn't automatically look to pass. So I think he's building a little more of that into his game."
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