Cooper Krigbaum
The Vegas Golden Knights have had a whirlwind of a stretch. That’s no secret. But the part that’s mind-boggling is that it’s actually working.
Whether the decision to fire Bruce Cassidy was the right one to make at the time, the results are starting to come in. The Golden Knights have won three in a row and seem to be turning the page under head coach John Tortorella.
Winning the Pacific Division is back on the table, too, something that felt out of reach not long ago. The regular season is winding down, too, with the Stanley Cup Playoffs set to begin in 11 days.
With that, here’s the Golden Knights notebook: Rasmus Andersson’s hot stretch and how Mitch Marner is adjusting under Tortorella and more. Let’s dive in.
Rasmus Andersson Finding His Grove In Vegas
Andersson at the start of his tenure with the Golden Knights seemed to be trying to do too much. He didn’t seem confident in his own end and looked like he was overthinking every decision he made.
Truth be told, when he arrived in Vegas, there was a lot of pressure on the 29-year-old defenseman. General manager Kelly McCrimmon gave up Zach Whitecloud, Abram Wiebe, a 2027 first-round pick and a conditional 2028 second-rounder to acquire him. It wasn’t a cheap addition by any means.
It’s seems finally he is starting to find his groove. In his last five games he has five points, but most importantly he has three goals, too. His goal celebration has become a classic, staring down fans in the stands.
He’s also playing for a contract extension. He is a unrestricted free agent (UFA) after this season and is in need of a new contract. The Golden Knights will more than likely have a deal inked before July 1, but they need Andersson to play his part too, and so far, he’s been doing just that.
Mitch Marner Heating Up?
Marner hasn’t been the superstar this league has seen him in the past. There’s no denying that. His pace of 83 points in 81 games is nearly a 20-point drop from his 102-point campaign with the Toronto Maple Leafs last season.
Regardless, Tortorella had high praise for Marner when he was hired.
“I’ve watched this guy play for so many years in this league,” Tortorella said. “Up close and personal with him now, he’s a hell of a player. He does so many good things away from the puck. I think that helps him offensively have the puck more. How patient he is with the puck. It was fun to watch.”
Amid the noise, Marner may be heating up. He has seven points in his past five games, including a hat trick against the Calgary Flames on April 2. The only question is whether he can sustain it, especially into the playoffs.
Playoff performance was a lingering question during his time in Toronto, and whether those questions follow him remains to be seen. For now, Marner is doing what the Golden Knights need, nothing more, nothing less.
Loose Pucks:
- Is the coaching bump real? The Golden Knights are 3-0-0 since hiring Tortorella, including a statement 5-1 win Saturday over the Edmonton Oilers in what might end up as one of their most important games of the season. They play Vancouver tonight, looking to make it four in a row under Tortorella.
- The Henderson Silver Knights have clinched a berth in the Calder Cup Playoffs for the first time since the 2021-22 season. They sit in fifth place in the Pacific Division, just two points behind third.
- What’s going on with Tomáš Hertl? He has one point in his past 10 games and, for much of the past month, has been invisible. He has 55 points in 77 games and is on pace for his lowest season point total since 2017-18 with the San Jose Sharks.
