The Las Vegas Golden Knights are 4-1 in their first five games and have already notched wins against the Coyotes and the Ducks. They’re first in the Western division. Is this the beginning of a dynasty?
Of course, there is the 5-2 loss against the Coyotes on Friday, but that seemed more like a lack of endurance than anything else. Marc Andre Fleury and Robin Lehner won’t let those kinds of numbers happen every night.
The Golden Knights are already the cream of the crop when it comes to the Western division, making it very difficult for anyone to legitimately stand in their way. Furthermore, with NHL teams only playing divisional opponents for the near future, this could be Vegas time to dominate their way into the playoffs.
Keep in mind that this is an offense consisting of Max Pacioretty, Mark Stone, Alec Martinez, and Cody Glass. They also have the unstoppable duo of Marc Andre Fleury and Robin Lehner, who helped them advance to the playoffs’ division finals last season. That’s a lot of firepower upfront and a great defense backing them up.
Now, it s obvious that things will be much different when the Knights are in the playoffs, and against quality opponents, but this revised schedule is a blessing in disguise. Keep in mind that the Knights are not really in danger of losing a playoff spot at this point in the season, allowing them to experiment with a variety of different play styles.
The Golden Knights are the big fish in a small pond and will need the postseason to determine their actual worth. Fortunately for the team however, they have a few months to prepare for that while they take on their division rivals.
