Vegas Golden Knights stock up, stock down
After finishing the regular season with the best record in the Pacific Division, the Golden Knights reached the Stanley Cup Final having only lost five times in three rounds. Vegas went on to defeat the Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers in five games, kicking off a party in Sin City.
Here are the Golden Knights whose stock is rising — and falling:
Stock Up
The misfits, new and old: In the team’s first season, it took on the moniker “The Misfits” and rode the mindset all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. Six players from that inaugural season are still with Vegas, including Jonathan Marchessault, who took home the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP.
This year’s team had new misfits playing important roles. Vegas acquired Jack Eichel, who was forced out of Buffalo, during the 2021-22 season. In his first trip to the postseason, Eichel led the NHL in scoring with 26 points in 22 games, one point ahead of Marchessault.
Vegas’ bench boss is also a bit of a misfit himself. Bruce Cassidy was let go by the Boston Bruins after the 2021-22 season despite qualifying for the playoffs in each of his six seasons and posting a record of 245-108-46.
Adin Hill, goaltender: After playing in a career-high 27 games in the regular season and backing up Laurent Brossoit through Vegas’ first eight playoff games, Hill stepped up in a big way. In 16 appearances, including 14 starts, Hill was 11-4 with a .932 save percentage and 2.17 goals-against average. His save percentage ranked first in the league and his goals-against average was third.
Stock Down
Robin Lehner, goaltender: Hip surgery kept the Golden Knights' presumptive starting goalie out for the entire 2022-23 season and with no timetable for a return. Vegas got through the regular season and playoffs with five different goalies, with Hill, Brossoit and Logan Thompson handling most of the work.
Now, following the Stanley Cup Final, general manager Kelly McCrimmon still does not have an idea of when Lehner could be back, if he’ll be back at all.
From the Golden Knights’ perspective, do they need Lehner? Thompson is still under contract next season, and Hill and Brossoit could be brought back on contracts that wouldn’t break the bank.
The haters, naysayers and doubters: Before the Golden Knights’ arrival, there was trepidation in the sports world about whether Vegas could be a sports town. Some have been critical of how unapologetically aggressive the team’s front office has been throughout its short existence in pursuit of a title.
A lot of that goes away now that the Cup is at home on the Las Vegas Strip.
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