from Damien Cox of the Toronto Star,

It would be a reasonable question for at least 20 NHL owners to ask of their general managers.

“How can a team that had one player under contract seven months ago be so much better than we are?”

The only answer a flustered GM might have offered in response until now has been, “Just wait. It’s early.”

Except it’s not early any more. Here we are almost at Christmas and the Vegas Golden Knights are fourth in the NHL standings through Sunday’s games — not fourth from last, fourth overall — with a big game against league-leading Tampa Bay on Tuesday night.

This is no longer a fluke, or the peculiar result of unusual circumstances. With 40 per cent of the season gone, the Golden Knights have lost only nine games in regulation and are riding a 6-0-1 streak since Dec. 1.

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