From The Ashes

Jimmy Lynch | 5/22/18

Last year at around this time, we had just discovered the potential team name for the Las Vegas expansion team. A year later the team has a name, logo, jersey, players, and is 4 games from winning their first Stanley Cup. the Knights have become the model of success in the modern day NHL. Their players on the ice have no true captain, because in the sense they all are the leaders. The Knights are 4 wins from winning the trophy their owner, Billy Foley, said would take 6 years to do. They were pleasantly surprised when they made the playoffs, even more energized when they swept the Kings, they proved themselves when they beat San Jose, and they realized they could win it all when they beat Winnipeg. The Knights have many people to thank for this amazing run they are on; turn your heads from the bench and look at the goalie.

Marc-Andre Fleury has been unstoppable in the playoffs. He boasts a tremendous .947 save percentage and has mustered up 4 shutouts in the course of the playoffs. This is with out a doubt Fleury's best post season ever... (realize ever includes 3 post seasons that ended with Fleury holding the cup over his head). Fleury has been everything Vegas has needed him to be and more, Vegas will have to resign him with a big contract this offseason if they want to continue their success. Now turn your heads and look side to side.

Everyone in Vegas's locker room is having a career year. Jonathan Marchessault has 18 points in the Playoffs with 8 goals. William Karlsson has as many goals in the playoffs as he did during the entire last season. Their team includes guys that were thrown away from every other team. No guy was valued enough to not be deemed expendable to their former club. The Knights have one of the best 4 line rotation in the NHL. They are not relying heavily on any given line, with everyone being thrown into the mix to make a difference on the ice for the team. When asked about why the team does not have a captain, Vegas General Manager George McPhee said "we like to think we have 23 captains". Vegas has proved that success within a franchise is not built upon one player alone, cough cough Washington. Rather they look to everone in the locker room to make a difference. All 23 guys are stepping up to the plate "knight" in and "knight" out. Their success within their first season is amazing, and is the best story in sports today. Vegas could be having the Stanley Cup in the city for something besides the NHL awards. It could be strolling down the street in a parade very soon.

The Knights are awaiting the victor from the Easter Conference Finals, which is going to a game 7 between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Washington Capitals. Either team would make Vegas the Underdog within the next series. However being the underdog seems to work for Vegas. Many counted them out for round one (Drew Doubty included). The Stanley Cup Finals starts monday either with The Lightning hosting the Knights or with the Knights hosting Washington.