November Notes: Cassidy And VGK Match Thanksgiving Success

(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)

Tonight, in Ottawa the Golden Knights continue a challenging five-game eastern conference road trip. This is the first extended journey for Vegas this season. Up until now, the Pacific Division leader’s longest road trip was a two-game trip to Seattle and Calgary. It’s possible the Golden Knights are fortunate to go on a cross-coast so early in the season. Normally, lengthy road trips allow a chance for players to bond and go through the grind together. Five cities in ten days against teams all with a .500 winning% or higher will help grow chemistry.

With the exception of the 2020-21 shortened season, the Golden Knights annually take an early season trek to the east coast for a handful of games. Here are the results from the previous five seasons.

VGK’s First Extended Road Trip Of The Season

• 2021-22: (2-2-0) – L 4-0 @TOR, W 5-1 @OTT, W 5-2 @MTL, L 5-2 @DET
• 2020-21: (2-1-0) – L 3-2 @COL, W 3-0 @COL, W 3-2 @ANA
• 2019-20: (1-2-1) – W 2-1 @CBJ, OTL 2-1 @TOR, L 5-2 @WAS, L 3-2 @DET
• 2018-19: (2-3-0) – W 2-1 @MIN, L 4-2 @BUF, L 5-2 @WAS, L 4-2 @PIT, W 1-0 @PHI
• 2017-18: (1-4-1) – L 6-3 @NYI, L 6-4 @NYR, L 2-1 @BOS, W 5-4 @OTT, SOL 3-2 @TOR, L 3-2 @MTL

Traditionally this road trip hasn’t been kind to the Golden Knights. Defeating the Capitals 3-2 in Washington was a good start for the Golden Knights, considering they’ve lost their opening matchup four out of five years. Since the opening season Vegas has combined for only 18 of 42 points on their early November trips. The 2017-18 club struggled to the point that former coach Gerard Gallant made his now infamous “we’re not an expansion team” speech after losing to the NY Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

Gallant. "We're not a real expansion team. We made excuses last night. Sat back defensively & let them take it to us. Its all on us."

— Brian Blessing (@BrianBlessing) November 1, 2017

The good news is, not only have the Golden Knights found ways to win in the month of November but their new coach has as well. Each has a winning percentage a little under .600 since 2017. In Boston, Cassidy recorded 80 out of 136 points while Vegas earned 75 out of 126 points. Both the coach and the franchise are used to getting off to hot starts in October though, which has had them in the postseason picture at the milestone that is Thanksgiving.

VGK Record By Thanksgiving

• 2017: 1st in Pacific Division (13-6-1) *Final Record: 1st in Pacific Division (51-24-7) 105 Points
• 2018: 6th in Pacific Division (10-12-1) *Final Record: 3rd in Pacific Division (43-32-7) 93 Points
• 2019: 3rd in Pacific Division (12-11-4) * Final Record: 1st in Pacific Division (39-24-8) 86 Points
• 2020: N/A – Shortened 56 Game Season
• 2021: 3rd in Pacific Division (12-8-0) *Final Record: 4th in Pacific Division (43-31-8) 94 Points

Cassidy Record By Thanksgiving

• 2017: 3rd in Atlantic Division (9-7-4) *Final Record: 2nd in Atlantic Division (50-20-12) 112 Points
• 2018: 3rd in Atlantic Division (11-6-4) *Final Record: 2nd in Atlantic Division (49-24-9) 107 Points
• 2019: 1st in Atlantic Division (17-3-5) *Final Record: 1st in Atlantic Division (44-14-12) 100 Points
• 2020: N/A – Shortened 56 Game Season
• 2021: 5th in Atlantic Division (10-6-0) *Final Record: 1st Wild Card (51-26-5) 107 Points

It’s not an exact science but Thanksgiving is widely considered a measuring stick for teams looking to participate in the postseason. Three times since 2017, Vegas has been in a playoff position and qualified twice. Whereas Cassidy was on track for three straight years. Unlike the Golden Knights, the Bruins qualified each season. Unless they go into an unexpected tailspin, Cassidy’s Golden Knights should be in a playoff position by November 23rd, which bodes very well that they’ll be there on April, 13th 2023 too.