Just a few weeks before the NHL put its 2019-20 regular season on hiatus due to concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, the Pacific Division had five teams within four points of one another, which meant that a handful of losses could end up determining which team won the division — and which team(s) went home at the end of the regular season. Those teams were Vegas, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver and Arizona, and the team that emerged from that scrum before the league went on pause was the Vegas Golden Knights. They currently lead the Pacific with a record of 39-24-8, good for 86 points, three points better than Edmonton. They have won eight of their last ten and could well be headed to another Stanley Cup Finals, when the season resumes. Take a look at our thoughts about Vegas’ progress to this point as you consider whether or not you want to include NHL futures in your online betting.
NHL: Vegas Golden Knights 2019-20 Season Analysis
Every team has injuries at this point of the regular season; the Golden Knights only had 11 games remaining on their slate before the league went into shutdown. However, two of Vegas’ biggest contributors were on the shelf when the league stopped play. Alex Tuch had been recovering from an upper-body injury but had experienced a setback, while Mark Stone was still working his way back from a lower-body injury. Another injury went to Max Pacioretty, with a lower-body ailment. If those three players can come back, Vegas’ chances for advancing deep into the postseason go even higher.
Offensive Analysis
Pacioretty is the Golden Knights’ team leader in points with 66 (including 32 goals). Two more points would give him a season high. He has been ferocious around the net, gathering and converting rebounds, and his speed seems a tick higher this season. Using this time to heal would be a game-changer for the team.
Defensive Analysis
Vegas made a huge move at the trade deadline that would help shore up the team’s defense down the stretch and into the postseason. They sent Malcolm Subban, Slava Demin and a second-round draft choice in 2020 to Chicago for goaltender Robin Lehner. Lehner is a starting-caliber goaltender, and that gave Vegas another key contributor alongside Marc-Andre Fleury, who has basically carried the team in net since the team started as an expansion franchise. Having not one but two elite netminders means that there shouldn’t be any blips in goal, and it’s hard to win a title without one of the game’s best goalies, so why not make it two? Lehner went 3-0-0 with a .940 save percentage and a 1.67 goals against average in his three starts before the shutdown.
Key Numbers & Key Players
If Mark Stone can return healthy after the break, he would continue what had been a stout season for Vegas. He had 21 goals and 63 points through 65 games played. He had also dealt out 56 hits, blocked 51 shots and posted 78 takeaways. There are few two-way forwards as good as Stone on both ends of the ice; he should end up being a finalist for the Selke Trophy.
Deryk Engelland has brought a considerable amount of leadership to the blue line for the Golden Knights. In 2019-20, he has a +6 rating, along with 114 hits, 86 blocked shots and 15 takeaways. This could be his last season in Sin City, though, as the Golden Knights are rich in prospects at the defenseman position.
Playoffs panorama and Championship Odds
The Golden Knights have a +1000 NHL Odds moneyline right now to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup at the end of the playoffs. Some of that has to do with the fact that they made the finals two years ago, the first expansion team to make a Cup Final since 1970. Their odds to Win the Stanley Cup also show the respect that winning eight of ten can bring. The West is more open right now than the East in terms of championship odds, and Vegas has shown that they can take a collection of players with work ethic and win.
