The Vegas Golden Knights open their season on the road tonight against the Dallas Stars. They come in at significant underdogs, as the line on them is a +205, -245 on Dallas. The over/under is set at 5.5
So what should we expect?
This is the first time in 17 years that we’re getting a whole new team starting fresh in the National Hockey League. The Golden Knights made waves in the pre-season, including a 9-4 debut game in Vancouver against the Canucks. Are they really that potent an offensive team?
Hahahahahaha…..no.
But that does not mean they don’t have several scoring threats.
Vadim Shipachyov, a highly-touted signing out of Russia, was left off the Golden Knights’ 23-man roster, but will still be making his NHL debut tonight. The 30-year-old center appears to be left off for roster compliancy reasons to buy general manager George McPhee some extra time to shop his more expendable players.
EDIT: This afternoon, it was announced Shipachyov will be staying down for the time being. Again, McPhee is trying to buy some time. Oscar Lindberg, former New York Ranger, will be taking his place on the top line.
Regardless, he will be donning the grey-and-gold at some point. He tallied 76 points in 50 KHL games last season. For however long he is in the NHL, he’s going to be interesting to watch.
Also on the top line is Jonathan Marchessault, surprise castoff from the Florida Panthers. Many anticipated Marchessault to be returning to Sunrise after his breakout 30-goal season last year. A change in management meant a change in mentality, however. Marchessault now has the burden of proving last season was no fluke on a significantly weaker roster.
Former Panthers teammate Reilly Smith rounds out the top line. Smith had a career-low 37 points last season, but has two-way talent. He will be looking to bounce back and perhaps earn his way onto a contender by the trade deadline.
Cody Eakin will skate on the Golden Knights’ second line against his former team. Eakin dropped off the face of the earth production-wise last season for the Stars. Though he usually was a 0.50 point-per-game player in his first four full NHL seasons, he registered only 12 points in 60 games last year.
James Neal is nursing an injured hand and is questionable for tonight’s game. Neal began his career as a Star, notching 20 goals in each of his first three seasons. Should he be in the lineup, he would add a much needed shooter’s presence in the Vegas lineup.
UPDATE: James Neal is confirmed for tonight’s game. He will be on the second line with Eakin and David Perron, expansion pick from the St. Louis Blues.
The Golden Knights’ blueline is among the weakest in hockey. Though there are some players with tenacity and skill like Shea Theodore (who is also victim to the roster crunch), but it is fairly barren for the most part. Don’t get me wrong, they are NHL talents…just not terribly good NHL talents.
When Brayden McNabb is a top-pair defenseman, something is amiss on your roster.
Behind the defense will be the face of the unwilling face-of-the-franchise, Marc-Andre Fleury. Fleury admitted he was not looking for the headlines or the limelight, and who could blame him? He’s always been a down-to-earth, easy to root for guy. The spotlight found him more often than he sought the spotlight.
But as a three-time Stanley Cup Champion (which he was responsible for, like, 1.67 of, but that’s beside the point) he is the de-facto leader of the team.
I’m sure Fleury felt some mixed emotions watching his replacement Antti Niemi quite literally fall on his face in Chicago last night then proceed to allow four goals in nine minutes. Matt Murray then relieved him and allowed six more in a 10-1 thrashing.
Fleury is exactly the kind of player that the Vegas Golden Knights need in net. He’s not only more than capable as a starting goaltender, he’s a veteran with a winning pedigree and a likeable personality. His sort of attitude is infectious, and can really help a fledgling team grow.
Not to mention his presence well help sell jerseys and draw fans.
Expect the Golden Knights to come out of the gate hot. They will want to make a name for themselves early. Even though they open the season on the road, all eyes will be on them.
They went 3-3-1 in the pre-season. They lost their final three against the Kings, Avalanche and Sharks, but now that the regular season is upon us, anything can happen.
That being said, they are going up against one of the better teams in the Central Division now in the Dallas Stars. The Stars made the most significant moves in the offseason, bringing in goaltender Ben Bishop, forward Alexander Radulov and defenseman Marc Methot to bolster their roster. Add in Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn on the top line, John Klingberg anchoring the defense, Jason Spezza on line two, and you’ve got one heck of a squad.
Bishop is going to have the hardest time adjusting. It’s been years since the Dallas Stars had a good goaltender. The tandem of Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen has only held them back. Bishop has been among the game’s elite the last few years, though his performance dipped last season.
His tenure with the Los Angeles Kings was brief and unremarkable. But both he and the city of Dallas will be happy to hit the reset button on their respective pasts and start fresh.
Dallas was among the league’s worst last season because of their inability to keep the puck out of the net. Adding Bishop and Methot, while bolstering their scoring, is a home run.
Skeptics wondered if Alexander Radulov could survive a season back in the NHL without getting in trouble, especially in Montreal where the lights burn so bright. But he surpassed all expectations, netting 54 points and surging to become the team’s best forward in the postseason.
So what can fans expect tonight? Two teams that are desperate to start off on the right foot. Vegas wants to prove they are not a joke. Dallas wants to prove they are back in contention for the league’s greatest prize.
And it should make for a great game.
At least for the first week or two, any Vegas Golden Knights game is must-watch television.
Then in November when they sink to the bottom of the Pacific, then you have permission to flip the station.
Prediction: Take the Golden Knights to take the world by storm and win their first ever game. I sense that this team is going to come out firing and catch the Stars off-guard. Cash in on that unpredictability. Play the over.
