Three weeks ago the Golden Knights found themselves atop the Power Rankings from a certain four-letter TV network/website. Number one in the league after three weeks of hockey.
This team’s good. Everyone’s going to have to start living with it. (Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)
We mostly ignored it because it seemed like a bit of a click grab and honestly, it felt like they were number one just so websites like SinBin.vegas would write a story about it. But now we’re done ignoring power rankings because even though the Golden Knights don’t hold the top spot, their spot among the top five is legitimately warranted.
Check it out, here’s where the Vegas Golden Knights rank in the seven most popular news outlets that publish weekly (or close) power rankings.
USA Today – 3rd
TSN – 3rd
NBC Sports/Yahoo – 4th
CBS Sports – 5th
The Hockey News – 6th
Sports Illustrated – 7th
ESPN – 10th
Here are just a couple of the blurbs that went along with them.4. Vegas Golden Knights — If the Devils are one of the biggest surprises, then Vegas is most definitely the biggest surprise. -NBCSports/Yahoo
3. Vegas Golden Knights – With almost 30% of the regular season in the books, isn’t it time to accept that coach Gerard Gallant’s Golden Knights are a quality team? They are 9-1 at home. -USA Today
3. Vegas Golden Knights – Ranked last to start the season, they’ve won five in a row, scoring at least four goals in every game. They also have an eight-game home winning streak, tied with the Rangers for longest so far in 2017-18. -TSN
Don’t look now, but it looks like people are starting buy-in, and taking a look at the facts, they probably should be.
- 5th most points in the NHL
- Have two games in hand on three of the four teams ahead of them.
- 3rd in points percentage at 70.5%
- Total points divided by maximum points possible
- Behind St. Louis (72.9%) and Tampa Bay (73.9%)
- Tied for the most regulation or overtime wins in the NHL with 15
- First playoff tiebreaker
- Best home record in the NHL at 9-1-0
- Closest are Nashville (8-1-1) and NY Islanders (7-0-2)
- Rank 5th in goals scored (81) and 3rd in differential (+15)
- Leaders are Toronto (88) and Tampa (+24)
- Lead the Pacific Division with 31 points in 22 games played
- LAK 29 (24 GP), CGY 27 (23 GP), SJS 26 (22 GP)
- Five points clear of final playoff spot in Western Conference
- With two games in hand on VAN (26 points) and one game in hand on DAL (25 points)
The Golden Knights are a good team, and to the trained eye, it appears sustainable. It’s crazy, but it’s true, and we’re loving every second of it.
R.J. Smith
‘Atta boy, VGK! No need to be treated like a red-headed stepchild any longer. Enough games have passed to consider you a major threat to play against every night. Keep up the great play!
Onward Knights!
PhiSig150
The home record is inflated because of the Vegas Flu or so I’ve been told.
Julian
Really how about there just flat out good.
Getting tired of people making excuses why there so good.
MzM3yHaM
We are tired of the haters and the ‘it’s just lucky or ‘it’s the Vegas flu or ‘it’s just a fluke, they do not have any talent, ‘a first year team, you will sick. Or the ‘Vegas won’t support VGK, the seats will be empty.
Fact- T-Mobile sold out, o my standing room tickets left..and yes it has been completely sold out.
Fact- they are kicking ads, the truth is in the numbers.
Fact- all this b.s. about the first draft and the coach picking shit choices except Fluery and a few others..-Fluery has been out many games due to injury..Dansk too..let L agace and Sub..bring it home..
Fact- we cannot make this shit up..it is really happening and the locals love VGK..the work they have done in our community beyond Oct 1..way beyond anything the Raiders did or even acknowledged..Vegas Knights..we got you baby!
Bottom line, the boys worked hard and earned this.