Watch: Golden Knights coach says team has earned ‘respect’

The Vegas Golden Knights are one of the NHL’s top teams. They sit in second place in the overall league standings following their 5-2 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday.

With the high-standing placement comes the target. Teams are circling the Golden Knights on their schedule as either a measuring stick or a potential playoff foe.

Either way, Vegas needs to be ready to get the best shot from the opposition.

“We’re also at the point of the year where we are in the standings, some teams are looking at us and saying, ‘Hey, we’re going into their building, we better be ready to play,’” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I assume some teams are saying that. We have to own that. We’ve earned that respect around the league, but you’ve got to be prepared every night. You’re not going to get too many easy passes.”

The Golden Knights are no stranger to this type of mentality. They faced it most of last season as the defending Stanley Cup champions. This season, Vegas has returned to the top of the NHL seemingly without a hitch, despite losing many players to free agency in the offseason.

It’s another season for the Golden Knights as one of the top teams. They have targets on their backs and will get their opponent’s best shot every night.

Paul Delos Santos is the Las Vegas sports insider for Dice City Sports. Follow him on X at @PaulDelos_.