Gracie Kuhn on the Vegas Golden Knight’s meteoric rise in the Western Conference. The Vegas Knights historical season is discussed, including odds on their playoff chances as well as some individual and team props.

“Gerard Gallant is getting the most out of his group on a nightly basis. Vegas’ 16 ROW (“regulation + overtime wins”; historically, an excellent indicator of overall team strength) is tied for second in the league, only behind the Tampa Bay Lightning (17). What has made the Knights so successful and put them in prime position to make the playoffs? The Coles Notes version is speed, depth, and hard work.

When GM George McPhee started charting out his roster, he had a clear vision: build the fastest roster possible, one with players who could all play in a very specific way. He wanted a team that could play with relentless tenacity and pace. What he built is a squad that forces turnovers like no other thanks to an aggressive and persistent forecheck. That style of play — i.e. a quick and bruising north-south transition game — renders a team that is greater than the sum of its individual parts and makes Vegas a handful for even the NHL’s elite. Most other teams in the West play a more skilled, east-west game, and Vegas is uniquely suited to exploit these teams.”

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