It’s been a mediocre start to the season for the Vegas Golden Knights. They added a superstar winger in Mitch Marner over the summer, but they have yet to live up to their offseason expectations.
For a Stanley Cup contender, their 10-5-8 record isn’t anything to write home about. In their last 16 games, they have a record of 5-5-6. They do have a positive goal differential this season, but just barely (it’s +2).
However, we’re not going to talk about any of that today. Today isn’t about critiques or complaints– today is about gratitude.
Every year, the fourth Thursday in November is the International Day of Giving Thanks. Whether it be friends, family, or a stable WiFi connection, everyone has something to be thankful for. And although the first 23 games have been frustrating, ‘everyone’ does include fans of the Vegas Golden Knights.
1. Mark Stone’s health
You had to know this was coming, right?
Mark Stone returned to the lineup on Wednesday after missing 16 games with a wrist injury. And he couldn’t have returned at a better time– the Golden Knights badly needed their captain.
The Golden Knights missed Stone in more ways than one.
For starters, when everyone is fully healthy, the power play runs through Stone. He parks himself below the goal line on the left side of the net and surveys the ice. If he chooses to pass, he’ll set up Tomáš Hertl or Pavel Dorofeyev for a one-timer. If the pass isn’t available, Stone will just walk across the crease and stuff it in himself.
At 5-on-5, Stone gives the Golden Knights the depth scoring that they’re known for. Right now, Stone is on the third line– or the second, depending on how you look at it– with Mitch Marner and Brett Howden. And that line had some serious jump in its debut on Wednesday– they scored at 5-on-5 and outshot their opponents 10-3.
Stone’s offensive– and defensive– contributions are important. But most of all, the Golden Knights missed his leadership.
“It’s good to have his energy back,” said Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy after morning skate on Wednesday. “He’s good on the bench. He’s a leader by the way he plays, vocally. It’s just nice to have him back. He makes our team better.”
2. Ivan Barbashev’s hot start
Ivan Barbashev got off to a good start last season, as well. But after scoring 15 goals and recording 30 points in the first 31 games of the season, he went down with an upper-body injury.
Barbashev returned around a month later, but he wasn’t the same. After starting the regular season as a point-per-game player, he scored just eight more goals and recorded 13 assists in the remaining 39 regular season games he played. In the postseason, he scored just one goal and recorded one assist.
Flash forward to the present.
Today, Barbashev is third on the team in scoring. He has eight goals and 12 assists in 23 games. And 19 of his 20 points came at 5-on-5.
It goes beyond scoring– he looks fantastic. Barbashev is doing all the little things, going to the corners, going to the net, and winning puck battles. And he’s leading the way physically, as well– he’s second on the team in hits with 40.
Barbashev’s offensive heroics couldn’t have come at a better time. Right now, the Golden Knights are kind of lacking in that department.
William Karlsson is injured. Pavel Dorofeyev, tied for the team lead in goals, has gone ice cold and scored just once in his past nine games. And aside from Brett Howden and his four goals, the depth players haven’t contributed much offensively.
If Ivan Barbashev weren’t producing at this rate, the Golden Knights’ scoring woes would probably be a much bigger story.
3. Despite not playing well, the Golden Knights are in a playoff position
The Golden Knights have gotten off to a slow start. However, other teams in the Western Conference haven’t managed to take advantage of that. So, despite their slow start, they’re in a playoff spot.
On American Thanksgiving, the Golden Knights sit fifth in the Western Conference and tied for second in the Pacific Division.
Legends say that because they’re in a playoff spot today, there’s a pretty good chance they’ll make the postseason. And, of course, there are numbers to back me up. Ever since the NHL switched to the wild-card format in 2013-14, 77% of teams in playoff position on American Thanksgiving have gone on to make the postseason.
Admittedly, there’s not much wiggle room this season. The Anaheim Ducks lead the Pacific Division; the San Jose Sharks and the Edmonton Oilers are tied for fifth. Just four points separate them.
So, sure, this year might turn out to be an outlier. But, until proven otherwise, it’s probably safe to assume that the Golden Knights won’t be the exception to that rule.
