The Golden Knights have been awarded pretty much every trophy the NHL has to offer, including, of course, the Stanley Cup. It’s historically the best seven season start to any NHL franchise in modern history. This its why it continues to be bittersweet watching the Western Conference play out, especially if you believe the Golden Knights are as good as the two teams remaining in the West. Besides the desire for back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, VGK has had quite the storied history through 632 NHL games.
Most Postseason Wins Since 2018
- Tampa Bay – 62
- Vegas – 57
- Colorado – 49
- Dallas – 45
- Boston – 43
The organization has accomplished so much in such a short time that its small list of failures has become magnified. For instance, the franchise’s first NHL draft in 2017. It’s a draft that has shaped the league and the Golden Knights left with their hands mostly empty. As the conference finals play out, it’s hard not to imagine how much deeper Vegas would have been this season if more than just Nic Hague remained with the organization. Keep in mind, the Golden Knights front office had 12 selections in seven rounds.
Right now, several 2017 draft picks are leading their respective teams to a deep postseason run. Dallas’ star defenseman Miro Heiskanen was selected 3rd overall but has performed like a top pick through 425 NHL games. Heiskanen was never going to be available at number six but he’s one of many headliners to come out of 2017’s amateur draft.
This is a stunning stat! Representative of just how good Miro Heiskanen is defensively, while also leading the @DallasStars in scoring in the playoffs. And by the way, he has this shutdown streak while mostly playing against Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid.#TexasHockey https://t.co/u2cfABiVKK
— Owen Newkirk (@OwenNewkirk) May 26, 2024
Dallas Stars
Miro Heiskanen: 1st Round (3rd Overall)
Heiskanen has become one of the league’s most reliable defensemen and he’s only 24-years-old. The Stars top blueliner leads all players in ice time (477:46), average time on ice (28:06), shifts (578), and shifts per game (34). Not only is he shutting down superstars in the defensive zone but he’s also leading his team lead in points. Only three other d-men in NHL history have more points than Heiskanen before the age of 25. Those players are Paul Coffey, Bobby Orr, and Cale Makar. It’s fair to say the Stars got their money’s worth drafting Heiskanen third overall in 2017.
Jake Oettinger: 1st Round (26th Overall)
The Stars’ current goaltender has been a mainstay in the net for 2022. He’s now 6 wins away from hoisting a Stanley Cup. Since the 2022 NHL playoffs, Oettinger is top three in wins (23) and fifth in save percentage (.917). He’s now led his team to back-to-back Western Conference finals, and possibly further.
Jason Robertson: 2nd Round (39th Overall)
Dallas’ brilliant scouting continued into the second round when they stole forward Jason Robertson at #39. The 24-year-old has combined for 314 points in 292 career NHL games. In 2023, Robertson received the fourth most Hart trophy votes after recording (46 Goals, 63 Assists) 109 Points. His All-Star production has continued into the postseason, totaling 38 points in 43 career playoff games. He casually completed a hat trick in Game 3 of the WCF. While the Golden Knights had no shot at drafting Heiskanen, they missed the boat on Oettinger and Robertson. Instead, Vegas drafted Cody Glass (NSH), Nick Suzuki (MTL), Erik Brannstrom (OTT) and Nic Hague (VGK).
Edmonton Oilers
Stuart Skinner: 3rd Round (78th Overall)
Sure, Skinner and the Oilers are two wins away from the Stanley Cup finals, but it hasn’t been without some shoddy play in net. Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch boldly chose to bench Skinner in the opening round against the Vancouver Canucks. Eventually, the bench boss brought back Skinner and the Oilers advanced. It’s impressive the Oilers have gotten so much out of a mediocre, third round player. However, most teams including the Golden Knights would rather have their netminders over Skinner
It’s not just in the West. Other 2017 draft picks are currently playing in the Eastern Conference finals. The Rangers used their 2017 1st round pick on center Filip Chytil. Since his return from an injury plagued season, the Czech has seven shots in five games. Florida also has a 2017 draftee in their postseason lineup. With their second-round pick in 2017, the Panthers selected center Eetu Luostarinen. While he has only recorded four points in a depth role, he’s been in the lineup every game this postseason.
Clearly, the 2017 NHL draft did no go well for the Golden Knights. Sure, they used draft picks and prospects to build a championship lineup, but a touch of highly drafted youth could of helped them get passed the Stars in Game 7. Vegas’s veteran lineup cruised to the organization’s first Stanley Cup trophy last year, but this year came up short due to a lack of chemistry and injuries to their upperclassmen. An injection of players in their early twenties may have helped the team go further.
Lastly, it’s May 30th and opening day is 127 days away… what else could we playfully complain about?
Emmanuel
Ive never had an issue w/VGK trading away “prospects” cause all but one have been “suspects”
JB
Lock him up! Lock him up! Lock him up! Lock him up! Lock him up! Fat man is a felon! More to come!
Anand
He is the Teflon Don for a reason. He will still be president because of that walking corpse Biden
knights fan in minny
well said Anand
Anand
I don’t like Trump either.
JB
Teflon Don huh? That’s what they said about Gotti, until he wasn’t.
knights fan in minny
you are a fucking moron a judge who donates to your idol mush head joe democrap jurors not a violent crime no jail time plus first time offender but that’s okay it will be overturned in appeals court by the supreme court nice job dumb ass dems wasting tax payer money
Rasheed
Coming from a loser living in Omars state,who.sent Floyd cops to prison fot.life! HAHAHAHAHAHA….
TRUMP IS GOING TO PRISON!
and stop being a fake VGK fan 30 states away, loser!
knights fan in minny
fake rashed your so fucking stupid it was non violent crime first offense no jail time appeals court will throw it out so shut the fuck up you stupid fucking spook you should no about prison you fucking nig nog loser
knights fan in minny
30 states away you are a dumb fuck alex blame your absent father and your welfare mom for your stupidity
hdbiker7851
JB – your even dumber about America than you are about hockey. You obviously are just another one responsible for the election of these idiots we have governing this once great country. I don’t care whether republican or democrat this is a travesty for the American people across the board. Your lock him up could apply to all of them including that guy in the White House. Is this the country you went to war to defend or perhaps you have no idea what I am asking.
JB
HD, don’t lecture me you dumbass!
ThG
if anyone needs to be taken out to shed , it is those crazy biden voters. The party is 1- full of jew hating neo nazis like AOC, Omar, that rep from Mi whose name I can’t spell, let’s call them the squad 2- pedophile supporter, I posted an article below 3- and other anti Humanity supports like killing babies, ripping them right out of the womb (in my opinion the only people who should vote on abortion measure are married women in their child bearing years and their husbands; women who are beyond child bearing age no vote, pimps and thugs with multiple whores – no vote, single guy who no girl friend – no vote, anti humanity non breeeder types – no vote. ) 4- antifa, who really are “fa”, because although they based their name on being anti fascist, they use fascist tactics! 5- violent BLM protesters who break the law 6- illegal aliens, who by very fact that they are not following the law, make them criminals. 6- so called church going members, you listening to me jihad joe who don’t even follow their church’s doctrine on abortion — quit go to a church that does, or HELLO dopey Pope (who is really a marxist POS) how abou excommunicating them (start with Pelosi, then Joe). Send a message.
This is what democrappedophile party stands for many of their party platform and at their last national convention they removed GOD from their charter and cheered loudly when doing so, morally and ethically conflicted. Pathetic.
Alex
Let’s see…courts have now.found that Trump is a sex offender, committed adultery, committed financial crimes, defrauded an election process , committed defamation…And is a felon..a public records search shows he claimed “bone spurs” to avoid Vietnam, so he’s a coward too. He openly called POWs in Vietnam “losers…” So he hates veterans… He openly mocked a disabled reporter over his disability, so he hates the disabled. He told a neo Nazi group to “stand down and stand by,” so.he hates non whites…he is morbidity obese, and ordered fast food for an event at the White House, so he hates good health habits…he drives his cart onto the green so he hates tradition. He has had multiple wives and cheated on them all, so he hates marriage. He called the corona virus a hoax, so he hates science. He thinks its ok to grab women by the pussy, so he hates women.
Yet the crowd who loves him worships porn star fake preachers, loves police brutality, and hates gays.
This is all you need to know about how great it will be when this mentally ill blowhard goes to prison . Have a look at what other first offender financial crimes defendants received as sentences from this same judge, and they didn’t hurl vile insults at him during their trials.
hdbiker7851
JB – dumbass – talk about the cup calling the kettle black – you obviously need to be lectured concerning what is necessary to be an American. I noticed you didn’t respond to the war question – I guess maybe you did or didn’t know the meaning of defend.
Mark D Taylor
Trump 2024 !!!! Biden is a dementia ridden bigoted bastard who is an incompetent buffoon !!
knights fan in minny
well said mark
THG
My heroes are a porn star preacher and a felon…life sucks
knights fan in minny
fuck you alex the malt liquor drinking loser
hdbiker7851
THg – just shows to go – “Life’s a bitch and then you die – have a nice day” On a more pressing subject what do you think about those OILERS?
.
Emmanuel
Mr. Pothier & Mr. Boehlke can you write an article listing the Top 9 VGK draftees who are still with the franchise?
ThG
welcome comrades, to the new banana republic
the spinless republicans are paying their typical lip service, calling this a sham trial. And that is all they will about it.
and imitation is flattery ???
the vegas now site ran a piece on prospects a few weeks back, I posted it here. Go to archive and type in prospects. There were some surprising up coming movements, and down grades. Patera was one of the down grades, if you still want to call him a prospect.
ThG
kudos
finally a piece about other teams in NHL
the site is too focused on VGK at times !
ThG
demoped party on full display here, I don’t see how anyone could vote for this party, full of cretins and immoral, evil , toxic POSs.
In a speech on May 23, California State Senator Susan Eggman made an emotional appeal to her colleagues in the chamber, urging them to support a bill that would send pedophiles who buy sex with children to prison.
The bill, SB 1414, aims to address the state’s outdated laws that currently allow individuals who solicit underage prostitutes to be charged with misdemeanors, resulting in a mere two days in jail.
Senator Eggman, a progressive Democrat who has served in the state legislature for 12 years, expressed her frustration with the current system. “I’m done with us protecting people who would buy and abuse our children. I’m done,” she declared.
The proposed legislation, authored by State Senator Shannon Grove, would make soliciting underage prostitutes a felony punishable by two to four years in prison, a $25,000 fine, and mandatory registration as a sex offender. However, the bill faced stiff opposition from a group of rebel Democrats led by State Senator Scott Wiener, who watered down the bill in the Senate Public Safety Committee.
Eggman, who previously worked as a social worker, recounted her experiences meeting young victims of sexual abuse who were “wounded to their core.” She argued that when parents fail to protect their children, it is the law’s responsibility to step in. “I am not arguing that we open the gates to flood our prisons with people, but I am arguing that we have a moral responsibility to say, enough, enough,” she asserted.
TS
….and here we go again, thqueer. Just STOP for awhile, dude..Give your paranoia and rage a REST. Your brain needs it. WE ALL NEED IT. It’ e
Thq….and there you go again. Just STOP. For a WHOLE DAY. Are you able to STOP FOR A DAY?? Your brain needs it. Ken needs it
WE ALL NEED IT. For the sanity of us all, JUST STOP!!!
..
ThG
there it is again, creepy stalker is back, there are many other posters here today saying same thing, yet they target one specific poster. Outed yet again. STOP YOUR STALKING AND HARASSMENT you have been further warned.
In the United States, cyberstalking is prohibited on both the state and federal law levels. On the federal level, the law that protects against cyberstalking is 18 U.S.C. § 2261A (2). This law makes it illegal for anyone to conduct electronic communication with the intent to stalk, harass, and repeatedly target an individual.
TS
Duly noted, thq. I’ll make sure to include your OWN offenses in.my response. Hypocrite!
Rashaad
I know you didn’t ask me, but I decided to take a deep dive anyways. I was wondering if your question was sarcastic, suggesting that they didn’t have anybody coming up in the pipeline. To my surprise, they’ve actually drafted far better than I thought.
These are the guys still with the organization.
2017 – Nic Hague
2017 – Jonas Rondbjerg
2017 – Jiri Patera
2017 – Ben Jones
2018 – Paul Cotter
2018 – Ivan Morozov
2019 – Kaeden Korczak
2019 – Pavel Dorofeyev
2019 – Isaiah Saville
2019 – Mason Primeau
2020 – Brendan Brisson
2020 – Lukas Cormier
2020 – Jesper Vikman
2021 – Daniil Chayka
2021 – Jakub Brubanek
2021 – Jakub Demek
2021 – Carl Lindbolm
2022 – Matyas Sapovaliv
2022 – Patrick Guay
2022 – Ben Hemmerling
2022 – Abram Wiebe
2023 – Matheiu Cataford
2023 – Arttu Karki
2023 – Tuomas Uronen
Nic Hague, Paul Cotter, Pavel Dorofeyev and Kaeden Korczak are legit NHL contributors.
Jonas Rondbjerg is probably playing in the NHL more often if he was on a different franchise that wasn’t so awesome. He could become a full-time NHLer this year on a shutdown third line with Karlsson.
Too early to tell on the 2020 guys. Brisson and Cormier seem to have NHL futures.
Anything after that is way too early to tell but Mathieu Cataford and Carl Lindbolm are intriguing.
It seems as though the scouts know what they are doing. They drafted Nick Suzuki, Erik Brannstrom, Payton Krebs, David Edstrom and Zach Dean and traded them to help acquire Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty, Tomas Hertl and Ivan Barbashev.
I feel if they decided to pivot and become more of a draft and develop type of organization they would likely do well. It’s not a stretch to say that since they have brilliant minds in the front office.
In my opinion, I am happy that they have done everything the way that they because I like deep playoff runs and a Stanley Cup Championship.
Rashaad
My response was to Emmanuel. Before I posted a couple of non hockey stuff was posted.
ThG
so you are saying the franchise has passed it’s apex, spending most of fuel in tank, and going into a consolidation period after
being in deep runs in the SC playoffs the first few years of franchises?
BTW PDB completely out coached BC in DAL series, not even close.
JB
Dallas is a very good team. So were the Knights in their playoff roster. Had we won that series I think we might very Wei have went on to win the cup again. That aside, I sure hope not to see an oilers vs panthers for the cup. But, I think Florida is probably going to beat NY and the winner of tonight’s Dallas vs Edmonton game will probably win that series.
ThG
and VGK was very good team also, PDB plain outcoached BC; it was pretty obvious he knew which match ups worked, and weaknesses of VGK.
TS
Jb, The CATS are in! I predicted Cats vs Stars in the final, when playoffs began..i’m.halfway there, waiting for Stars…
Rashaad
ThG, some regression but not an embarrassing San Jose Sharks ripping up the roster regression. Eichel and Hannifin are elite and young. Hague, Whitecloud, Korczak, Dorofeyev, nice supporting cast of young players. They will still be competitive. I think.
ThG
i hope you are right, but this bunch, sans Hannifin, didn’t tear up the league after falling fast from first place in second half of the season.
they limped into playoffs
I give BC one more season, then he gone, if the team doesn’t get past first round next year
ThG
https://twitter.com/sammidavisjr1/status/1796585128355054047
Vic
Safe to say Dallas did pretty well in the 2017 draft. The three elite pieces added makes them very strong in 2024. Let’s hope they can put the Oilers back to sleep. Florida looking very tough, and I also would hate to see FL vs EDM (the path FL is hoping for). The VGK went in a different draft/trade direction, and one cup and other nice seasons made for a dream ride. Who knows how it all plays out.
Rashaad
https://x.com/NHLNetwork/status/1796587444865012029
The guy from The Fourth Period is in the above clip sounding like it’s a foregone conclusion that Jonathan Marchessault will sign an extension with the Vegas golden Knights.
I think he is a terrible insider that gets it wrong a lot but people seem to disagree with me.
Tim
Unfortunately we ended up with the 6th pick in what was considered a weak draft. Cody Glass just didn’t have it and Suzuki traded to Montreal turned out the best of our 4 early picks. The Knights want NHL ready players not to concerned about draft picks. The formula has worked looking at our success through our first 7 years. Who’s going to get the Marie Antoinette treatment this year. For you not familiar with Marie she ended up on the chopping block.
ThG
i thought it was the name of your toy dog Timmah.
or is that chopped liver/??
Need a score card to keep up with your life trivia.
It appears: Amadio, Carrier, and Mantha are likely gone , and have received notice that they can seek offers, will not receive offer. Patera is likely gone too.
Marty has not made a decision, VGK FO is waiting on MARTY. Same as Marchy. FO said they would begin negotiations, but that has not happened.
I see a top heavy salary laden team centered on a number of aging veterans : Marchy, Stone, Petro. With a supporting cast that will need to do more heavy lifting than last year with unproven rookies likely given a shot. KK is only one likely ready, the half dozen others not so much (Demsenko, Brisson, Cormier, Rondberg (likely gone))
hdbiker7851
THg – what makes you think or think you know that Amadio, Carrier, and Mantha are likely gone and have received notice that they can seek offers. This is not questioning whether they should or should not be gone but rather is just false info unless you reference a reliable source willing to identify who that individual is.
Rashaad
Hdbiker, I’ve seen that written somewhere and I will try to find the link for you.
ThG
HD BIKER
I am not 100% sure, I was reading where some poser, I mean media poster is speculating that VGK did give them notice. Even though there is no official word from the organization. IT could be just bull shit. I wish it weren’t the case though. Losing a couple of these decent players at expense of signing one aging veteran, putting a big hole in roster, seems like suicide on franchise level.
Rashaad
https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2024/05/latest-on-the-golden-knights-pending-ufas.html
Here is the link. It looks like it is David Pagnotta of the FourthPeriod. Again, I don’t really respect this guy or his track record of being right. But most people do and have shit on me for even suggesting that he is not a reliable source.
ThG
“.blah blah blah have shit on me” I think the site name, prohockeyrumors is why they are doing so !