The playoff system in North American sports can be a bit peculiar. Games are played for six months straight to decide which teams enter the gauntlet of eliminating half of them every two weeks. What works in the regular season doesn’t always work in the postseason and because of it, different heroes emerge while others fail.
We’ve always said people that build their roster, well, there’s regular season players that function well, and there’s playoff guys that emerge, so you’ve got to have a balance of both. -Bruce Cassidy
For the Golden Knights, many of the best players from the regular season fell flat in the playoffs and it’s a big reason why they aren’t still playing today. Meanwhile, a few stepped forward and showed their impact on the biggest stage.
Stock Up
William Karlsson
The Vegas folk hero, built on his unbelievable Season 1 performance, coupled with a Stanley Cup speech that will live forever, had a bit of a troublesome regular season. He played the fewest games of his VGK career, starting in just 53 and his statistics suffered because of it. He finished the year with just nine goals and 29 points, each by far the lowest since he arrived in Vegas.
But, when the playoffs began, his game took off. He has always embraced the role of a shutdown center and he succeeded in that well against both Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy in the first round and then Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in the second. It was his line driving ability that really shined as the playoffs went on, though. He was called upon to help Jack Eichel and Mark Stone get out of a funk and then he was asked to push games forward for the Golden Knights without either superstar as a linemate later. He was unbelievable in Game 3, Vegas’ only win in the Edmonton series, and he was a huge reason why Reilly Smith was able to step right back in and succeed again with the Golden Knights. There wasn’t a more valuable player in the postseason for the Golden Knights than #71, and only Eichel was even remotely close.
Alex Pietrangelo
It should never be surprising to see a grizzled two-time Stanley Cup winner up his game in the playoffs, but after the rocky regular season, Pietrangelo’s stellar postseason was a sight for sore eyes. Along with Karlsson who posted a +5 rating, Pietrangelo (+1) was one of only four Golden Knights to post a positive rating in VGK’s 11 postseason games. He played the most minutes of any skater, was crucial in Vegas’ stellar playoff penalty kill, and he even chipped in multiple goals and six points.
Entering the playoffs, there was a question of whether or not Pietrangelo would be able to return to something close to the 2023 version of himself that led the Golden Knights to a Stanley Cup. Battling through injuries and impossible matchups, he didn’t quite live up to that level, but he was far better than expected, especially when compared to his teammates around him. He once again earned the coaches trust as the most important blue liner on the roster and he lived up to it once again.
Stock Down
Ivan Barbashev
When the Golden Knights acquired Barbashev from the Blues one of the biggest selling points was that he’s a playoff-type player. That proved to be the case in 2023 when he scored seven goals and added 11 assists for 18 points in 22 games. However, his numbers outside of that playoff run leave room to question if that was an anomaly. This year he scored just one goal (albeit an OT winner) and tallied one assist while firing just 14 shots on goal in 11 games. This now pushes his career playoff record, excluding the 2023 Cup run, to 4 goals and 11 assists in 68 playoff games.
He was not the physical presence Vegas expected in this playoff run and his forechecking abilities never really put either the Wild or the Oilers on edge. He was demoted to the 4th line on multiple occasions during the playoffs because he wasn’t as effective with Eichel and Stone as they were early in the regular season. He ended the postseason with a -9 rating and was on the ice for five goals against and zero for against Edmonton. As much as 2023 was a year to remember for Barbashev, 2025 was one to forget.
Shea Theodore
Theodore’s regular season was derailed a bit by the wrist injury at 4 Nations that kept him out of the lineup for 15 games, but when he was on the ice he posted the best offensive regular season of his career. His 57 points and 50 assists were both career highs, he had 19 power play points, and the pairing with McNabb was Vegas’ most consistent during the regular season.
Then, the playoffs hit and things went a bit haywire. Game 2 against Minnesota was one of the worst individual performances by any Golden Knight in a single-game and Theodore’s defensive game seemed to deteriorate as the playoffs continued. McNabb suffering an injury did not help the case, but Theodore’s decision-making and exit ability did not help the Golden Knights against an offensively dangerous Edmonton. He was on the ice for eight goals against at 5-on-5 in just 97 minutes against the Oilers and he sunk under the responsibility of starting more than 50% of his shifts in the defensive zone for the first time in his career. Oddly enough, Theodore wasn’t particularly great in the 2023 Cup run, so it’s not the first time he’s struggled in the playoffs, but this year’s run was troublesome considering he’s clearly on the path to becoming VGK’s #1 defenseman moving forward as Pietrangelo’s career fades.
Emmanuel
Stock Down: The coach, not a single Jack Adams vote.
Jose
Elliote Friedman said on 32 Thoughts that Alex Pietrangelo may not be available next year due to injury.
Wow! If this is true, that’s a massive story. Does not sound realistic because if it was they wouldn’t be trying to trade Nic Hague.
knights fan in minny
Wow what a turn of events if it’s true good info Jose
ThG
EF is right about 1 % of the time. He was wrong about RL “knee” injury.
Donald J Trump
Lib tards are idiots, clearly don’t know what a ponzi scheme is.
A House committee witness who was called out by Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia of California during a hearing this week is pushing back after the congressman unearthed a past social media post on Social Security in an attempt to discredit his testimony.
During a House oversight DOGE subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, Garcia grilled Power the Future CEO Dan Turner while holding up a posterboard of a past tweet calling Social Security a “government-sponsored Ponzi scheme.”
“Madoff went to jail for it. Congress runs on it,” the post said. “I should be able to keep 100% of my money and not watch government waste it with a paltry percentage return.”
Garcia then suggested that post was evidence that Turner lacks the credibility to be testifying about the billions of federal tax dollars directed to left-wing NGOs.
SOCIAL SECURITY COMMISSIONER BREAKS DOWN PLAN TO SAVE AGENCY FROM INSOLVENCY
Power the Future CEO Dan Turner and Dem. Rep. Robert Garcia sparred in a Thursday House hearing
“A Ponzi scheme and so I think it’s interesting, of course, as one of our Republican witnesses is calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme, and that’s the person that we should be taking advice from here today,” Garcia said.
“Without Social Security, 22 million people would be pushed into poverty. That includes over 16 million seniors and nearly 1 million children. And in fact, Elon Musk has also said and agreed with you, sir, that this is a Ponzi scheme. I think it’s ironic that you are one of our witnesses talking about efficiency when you want to attack the single best program that we have to support people not just out of poverty, but across this country to uplift them, to ensure they can afford a decent life.”
Turner, who stood by his post and outlined his belief, echoed by many, that Social Security is structured like a Ponzi scheme by definition.
“Rep Garcia does not know the definition of Ponzi scheme,” Turner said. “Social Security is the ultimate Ponzi, demanding more and more people at the bottom pay in to fund the people at the top, expect our demographics have this now reversed. The system will default. Mr. Garcia nor I will likely never see a dime. That should worry him more than my social media feed.”
Turner said that if Garcia’s staff were to spend as much time trying to save Social Security as it did “combing through my social media” then “perhaps the Ponzi scheme can survive long enough for me to get a small percentage of what the government confiscated during my lifetime.”
Turner explained that his father had received a “paltry percentage” of what he paid into the program and the the government “kept the rest” when his father died.
“That’s not just a Ponzi scheme, it’s government greed and politicians running a money-laundering operation to get reelected. No one should be compelled to pay into a failed system, yet in a free America, you don’t have that choice.”
In addition to Turner and Elon Musk suggesting that Social Security is by definition set up like a Ponzi scheme, previously spoke to James Agresti, president of the nonprofit research institute Just Facts, who said the characterization has “validity.”
The real reason Elon supported Trump’s in the beginning was to try and talk him out of EV mandates. Because that is Elon’s main business. When it became clear that wasn’t going to happen.Elon blew up. He says this and that about the bill. Trump said he was involved with bill. Elon said he wasn’t. Then how can he possibly know what’s in it? He is imploding. Now he wants to start a third political party. WE already have third parties. Here in Nevada the Libertarian party garnered enough votes to defeat GOP candidate, I believe his name was Dan Brown or something like that. Well that party leans to the right. Meanwhile there were no other left leaning parties on the ballot. So the DEM got elected. Doesn’t seem fair to have to run three conservative parties for Senate while the DEMS only have one left leaning party on the ballot. They blame ballot harvesting, and late counting. But in 2024 election that wasn’t the case at all. The third party cost the GOP the Senate seat. The same thing happened in Wisconsin. When will GOP wise up ? Dems play for keeps, GOP plays like they don’t give a rat’s a$$.
Then DEMS gerrymandered the voting districts the last election cycle. No one talks much about that. That is why the have a near super majority in state Congress.
Net29
This is a hockey site. Go over to Fox News for you political rants!
Donald J Trump
really, I guess you missed the gay pride rainbow day at games, ass hat.
hockey is politics, moe ron.
Tyler Durden
Just come out of the closet, faggot
knights fan in minny
fuckyou Turdan You fucking*faggot
ThG
you and biden can’t make your way out of closet, dork ! bha ha ha ha ha ha !
TS
Take your Political Trash somewhere else!!
knights fan in minny
Why is it trash because you’re mushed joe is not in charge how about the mop top puppet defecting the dim party she was about the dumbest person on the planet JPK
Tyler Durden
KNIGHTS FAN IN MINNY IS THE BIGGEST PUSSY ON THE INTERNET
knights fan in minny
fuckyoufaggot Run away like you always do you *pussyboy
TS
PONZI SCHEME= TRUMP CRYPTO. The ONLY ones making $$$$$ are the TRUMPS!! Classic PONZI SCHEME. It’S FAKE MONEY, FOR GOD’S SAKE—IF SELLING FAKE MONEY ISN’T ILLEGAL, WHAT THE FUCK IS???
IF INCITING AN ATTACK.ON OUR GOVERNNENT ISN’T A CRIME, THEN WHAT THE FUCK IS?? IF DEFYING THE CONSTITUTION ISN’T UNLAWFUL, THEN AMERICA IS FUCKED!!
Donald J Trump
ass holes in LA rioting in defense of criminal illegal aliens, attacking our brave ICE agents in defiance of FEDERAL LAW. Blooded and gassed protestors don’t like the fact that illegal aliens are being rounded up. So they decide to riot and protest (without a permit). Now the NATIONAL GUARD is being deployed. The dumb shit leaders of LA and CA, instead of calling for their own citizens to stand down, further fan the flames. These cretins allowed this climate to fest in first place. By declaring “sanctuary cities/ state” bull shit. In defiance of FEDERAL LAW. They need to be held accountable for their own actions.
Early Saturday evening, the White House issued a statement:
“In recent days, violent mobs have attacked ICE Officers and Federal Law Enforcement Agents carrying out basic deportation operations in Los Angeles, California. These operations are essential to halting and reversing the invasion of illegal criminals into the United States. In the wake of this violence, California’s feckless Democrat leaders have completely abdicated their responsibility to protect their citizens. That is why President Trump has signed a Presidential Memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester. The Trump Administration has a zero-tolerance policy for criminal behavior and violence, especially when that violence is aimed at law enforcement officers trying to do their jobs. These criminals will be arrested and swiftly brought to justice. The Commander-in- Chief will ensure the laws of the United States are executed fully and completely.”
That afternoon, after learning of the action, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statement, saying, “The federal government is moving to take over the California National Guard and deploy 2,000 soldiers. That move is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions.>>>No newscum, you and your policies created this mess. You own it.
TS
Take your Political Trash somewhere else, loser! Like the DUMP!
TS
….yet the VIOLENT JAN 6 ATTACK IS OKAY, RIGHT? TRYING TO KILL POLICE, HANG PEOPLE, IS JUSTIFIABLE VIPLENCE AGAINST OUR O-W-N GOVERNMENT???
FUCK YOU, TRAITOR TRUMP!!!!!!!
knights fan in minny
How pathetic your party is propping up an illegal scumbag to be your golden child
ThG
as usual your posts show you don’t know shit, take your political bull shit elsewhere hypocrite !
ThG
you stand up for illegal criminal aliens !! Thanks for clarifying that, you are the real traitor !
Nearly 45 people were arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Friday alone, as officers swept through several locations, including two Home Depot stores, a store in the fashion district and a doughnut shop, prompting protests that continued through the weekend against immigration enforcement operations in which officers raided businesses to arrest workers. The weeklong tally of migrant arrests in the city surpassed 100.
One man has already been sent back to Mexico after being picked up at a Home Depot on Friday morning. During the demonstrations, David Huerta, president of SEIU California, a labor union, was arrested and charged with impeding a federal agent while protesting.
At the warehouse in the fashion district, agents executed a search warrant on Friday after a judge found there was probable cause that the employer was using fictitious documents for some of its workers, U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesperson Ciaran McEvoy told The Associated Press.
President Donald Trump deployed California National Guard troops to Los Angeles on Saturday after two days of clashes between protesters and federal immigration authorities in riot gear.
Federal sources highlighted to Fox News some of last week’s arrests in the Los Angeles area, which included violent and drug offenders.
Rolando Veneracion-Enriquez, 55, of the Philippines, has a criminal history that includes a burglary in Ontario, California, for which he was sentenced to four years in prison, and sexual penetration with a foreign object with force and assault with intent to commit rape in the city of Pomona, for which he was sentenced to 37 years in prison. He was arrested on Saturday and served a notice to appear.
Jose Gregorio Medranda Ortiz, 42, of Ecuador, was arrested Friday and served administrative deportation. His criminal history includes being sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine while on board a vessel in Tampa, Florida.
knights fan in minny
These are the Democrats favorite people just ask TS she knows
knights fan in minny
Anger queen off the rails take a pill
ThG
it is june 8th, dumb shit
TS
CURIOUS, THAT DEAR LEADER TRUMP WAS QUICK ON THE TRIGGER TO CALL IN CALI’S NATIONAL.GUARD TO STOP THE VIOLENCE , YET HE R-E-F-U-S-E-D TO DO THE SAME ON JAN 6, WHEN HIS ARMY OF MAGGOTS ATTACED, BROKE INTO, RANSACKED, SHIT ALL OVER, AND HUNTED FOR VP PENCE, PELOSI,AND ANY DEMS THEY FOUND, TO KILL THEM! WHERE WAS “QUICK- DRAW” TRUMP JAN 6??? HE SAT, EATING CHEESEBURGERS, ADMIRING ALL HIS DIRTY WORKN AS IT UNFOLDED, FOR H-O-U-R-S, AND DID NOTHING
.NO.ONE COULD REACH HIM, INCL PENCE,XWHI WAS BEING HUNTED BY TRUMP’S MAGGOTS!!
SO, TRUMP’S SPECIAL KIND OF VIOLENCE AGAINST OUR O-W-N CAPITOL, OUR CAPITOL POLICE IS JUSTIFIED, BUT WHAT HPND IN CALI IS MET WITH TRUMP CALLING IN THE CALI GUARD TO STOP IT, RIGHT??
WHERE WAS TRUMP’S SWIFT CALL TO ACTION ON.JAN 6??? WHERE WAS HIS OUTRAGE AT THE RELENTLESS ATRACKS ON THOSE OUTNUMBERED, OVERWHELMED, INJURED CAPITOL.POLICE???? WHERE WAS YOUR DEAR LEADER T-H-E-N??? WHY IS T-H-A-
T OKAY WITH YOU MAGGOTS????
FUCKING MAGGOT HYPOCRITES, YOUR DEAR LEADER IS THE TRAITOR!!!
ThG
as usual you are full of shit traitor! Get to LA and then make route to Grey Bar Hotel which will be housing you !
knights fan in minny
pill time anger queen you’re out of order
TS
AM I REALLY, MINNY??
YOUR DEAR LEADER IS THE ONE OUT OF ORDER, AND
OUT OF HIS MIND, DRUNK.WITH COMPLETE, UNFETTERED, UNCHECKED POWER, ENABLED BY HIS ROGUE SCOTUS THAT RULED HE HAD ABSOLUTE IMMUNITY AND IMPUNITY TO DO WHATEVER THE FUCK HE WANTS, NO RULES, NO GUARDRAILS, NO MORALITY, NOTHING TO STOP HIM.EXCEPT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE….AND WE W-I-L-L STOP THIS TRAITOR AMONG US, INFESTING OUR WH WITH HIS OPEN CORRUPTION, LIKE HIS FAKE MONEY/ CRYPTO GRIFT. BUT, GO AHEAD AND BLAME THE ” OTHERS”, JUST AS TRUMP DOES. BUT YOU SAY I-M OUT OF ORDER FOR TELLING IT LIKE IT IS, HUH???
YOU TWO ARE PARROTS,
SQUAWKING TRUMP’S EXACT TALKING POINTS, LIKE GOOD LITTLE MINIONS
.NEVER AN ORIGINAL.THOUGHT, SINCE YOUR HEADS ARE CLEARLY DEVOID OF R-E-A-L THINKING. BUT GO AHEAD, KEEP TELLING YOURSELF THAT
.CLASDIC TRUMP EFFECT
.ARE YOU TWO SOOO WEAK- MINDED THAT YOU CANNOT DO YOUR O-W-N THINKING?? WHY YES, HENRY, , YES THEY ARE!!
ThG
flashback
ThG
LAurEN !!!! yes
ThG
“It will not end well for you if you choose violence. Choose wisely,” Bongino said.
In a post on X Saturday night, FBI Director Kash Patel warned: “Hit a cop, you’re going to jail… doesn’t matter where you came from, how you got here, or what movement speaks to you. If the local police force won’t back our men and women on the thin blue line, we @FBI will.”
Good Send a message to this left wing illegal cretins.
TS
Bondi should have ALSO voiced her outrage at the VIOLENT JAN 6 ATTACK, incited by her Dear Leader. BUT, INSTEAD, TRUMP PARDONED THEM ALL! Yeah, THAT’S THE WAY TO DEAL WITH VIOLENT UPRISINGS AGAINST OUR OWN GOVERNMENT….JUST CUT EM ALL LOOSE TO ATTACK AGAIN! ! PERFECT PUNISHENT FOR THE VIOLENT MAGGOTS, THANKS TO DEAR LEADER TRUMP! WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG, RELEASING THOSE POOR, PERSECUTED MAGGOTS, SO THEY CAN( AGAIN) HELP TRUMP GET HIS REVENGE AND RETRIBUTION??
RELEASE THE HOUNDS,TRUMP!! YOU’LL NEED EM AGAIN WHEN YOUR TREASONOUS ASS IS (.AGAIN).THREATENED BY AMERICA’S LAWS AND OUR CONSTITUTION!!
TS
Correction, Bongino, not Bondi. My mistake.
ThG
you are a mistake, and full of shit, now get on that bus to LA to join your fellow idiot protesters, then make ready for your stay at GrayBar Hotel, where you will be wearing orange garb with pin stripes. Move, you are losing out on history. LOSER !
TS
OOH LOOKY, THG is TRIGGERED AGAIN!!
That damn TRUMP EFFECT is working on you yet again!! HYPOCRITES, ALL!!
Jack Hammer
Be nice to people.
ThG
BB is not a real sport
ThG
liberalism = mental disorder
ThG
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, and California gubernatorial candidate, blasted former Vice President Kamala Harris over her claims that the Trump administration is to blame for the LA unrest.
“President Trump didn’t start these riots. He’s not out there lighting cars on fire, hurling projectiles at law enforcement or blocking freeways. This statement is an embarrassment and does nothing to diffuse the violent riots taking place across the city,” Bianco posted in a statement on X.
“The Democrats and their ‘leaders’ own this,” he continued.
TS
No, trump didn’t start it
He INFLAMED the situation
He saw an ppportunity to use his Personal Militia to show Newsome and that shithole CALI who the BOSS is! Yeah, the MOB BOSS is in charge!! What could posdibly
go wrong, with a Mob Boss in charge of his own perceived personal Militia, sending them, to “DEM states”??
ThG
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1025535852864551
Pistol Pete
Petro injury rumors:
https://vegashockeynow.com/2025/06/07/breaking-alex-pietrangelo-health-in-question-for-2025-2026-seaspn/
Plus Flyers are reportedly close to signing Shabanov and have an interest in Hague.
The hockey God
facts, not bull shit (that SOME POSERS here post 24/7)
The president can call up the National Guard to federal service under the Insurrection Act. Specifically, the Insurrection Act, which is a collection of laws codified in Title 10 of the U.S. Code, provides for the president to use the military, including the National Guard, to suppress rebellion or domestic violence, enforce federal law, or protect civil rights.
More Detail:
Title 10, Section 251-255:
.
These sections of Title 10 of the U.S. Code, collectively known as the Insurrection Act, outline the circumstances under which the president can authorize the use of the military within the United States to suppress insurrection, domestic violence, or enforce federal law.
Title 10, Section 12406:
.
This section allows the president to call into federal service National Guard members and units in situations like an invasion, rebellion, or when the president is unable to execute the laws of the United States with regular forces.
State vs. Federal Control:
.
The National Guard operates as a state-level military force, but it can be called into federal service under certain circumstances. When federalized, they fall under federal command and are no longer subject to state control.
TS
INSURRECTION?? WHERE?? WHEN?? HOW?? WHO?? WHY?? OH, I KNOW— JAN 6 WAS T-R-U-M-P’S INSURRECTION , and we ALL KNOW it. DENT, DEFY AND LIE TIL YOU DIE, BUT F-A-C-T-S DON’T LIE. CALI WAS N-O INSURRECTION. JAN 6 W-A-S. HOW DO YOU MAGGOTS CONFUSE ONE WITH THE OTHER?? THERE IS NO MISTAKEN IDENTITY HERE. NEWSOME IS THE GOVERNOR, AND TRUMP IS THE AMERICAN TRAITOR.
knights fan in minny
The rumors around the league are becoming more and more here in minny The rumor is the mild are pushing hard for a trade for Tage Thompson I don’t know what the mild have to offer should be interesting three weeks to go
TS
GEE, WERE THE CALI PROTESTS AN I SURRECTION??? NO?? HMMMM, SO ODD..
SO, DOES THE JAN 6 CAPITOL ATTACK TO OVERTURN THE ELECTION , OVERTURN OUR GOVERNMENT AS A RESULT, QUALIFY AS AN INSURRECTION??. YOU KNOW, THE MASSIVE ATTACK ON POLICE, BLUDGEONING THEM WITH CLUBS, SHARPENED FLAG POLES, BEAR MACE, METAL FENCING AND WHATEVER THEY BROUGHT TO ATTACK THEM WITH??. DOES THAT COUNT???? DO TELL.