Chandler Stephenson Archives

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Last night the Golden Knights received three season-changing goals from centers William Karlsson, Jack Eichel, and Chandler Stephenson. All three tallies fueled Vegas’ 5-2 Game 2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. With the assistance of an emotional Mark Stone, the Golden Knights split the series and get back on track before Games 3 and 4 in Winnipeg.

If you look at the scoresheet our best guys were all over the sheet, their guys were all over the sheet the other night… Their top guys had an easier night the other night and now it was a little tough on them. That’s the way it goes in the playoffs. I’m sure they’ll have that mindset up in Winnipeg in Game 3 that they’ll want to be hard on Stone and Stephenson. -Bruce Cassidy

Karlsson’s game-tying goal 5:54 into the 2nd period immediately changed the flow of the game. The Jets felt confident after a strong 1st period, but the two-way center’s goal mellowed their vibe and gave life to VGK’s bench and fans. At that moment, the visitors knew they would be dealing with a different team than the one they faced in Game 1.

It got their fans back in it. Gave them something to cheer about. I think we controlled the first, they controlled the second. A couple of bounces here and there, it was a tight game. Give them credit they played better than they did Game 1. They were a little more aggressive, I think our execution could be better. I don’t think we played poorly by any means. -Adam Lowry, Jets forward

Given the severity of traveling up to Manitoba down two games, Eichel, Karlsson, Stephenson, and Stone finished off Game 2 like it was a must-win.

We weren’t happy with the last game. We wanted to be better going into this game. We focused on that part, and we contributed. We felt more confident. -William Karlsson

Hot, Cold, And William Karlsson

On March 6, 2023

(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)

The Golden Knights have been on a nice run since the All Star break, losing just one game in regulation and cementing their place in the Western Conference playoff picture.

Along the way, there have been a few big-time performers stepping up consistently helping lead VGK to goals and eventually wins. Despite all the winning though, there have been a few disappointments as well, players that will need to step up their game if the Golden Knights want to achieve the ultimate goal by season’s end. And then, there’s been William Karlsson.

We’ll start with the good.

Hot

Jack Eichel
8 goals, 6 assists, 14 points, +10 rating

There’s really no point in doing this list without starting with #9. Eichel has been on his best run as a Golden Knight since the calendar flipped to February and there are no signs of him slowing down. He’s scored goals in seven of the 12 games since the break, and has been on the score sheet with at least a point in nine.

Plus, the goals have been big ones. Eichel gave the Golden Knights a 3rd period lead against both New Jersey and Dallas, he scored twice in the 2nd period to put VGK ahead against Carolina, and his power play goal against the Flames sparked the Golden Knights’ comeback.

And on top of all of it, he just flat-out looks like the best player on the ice most nights. His powerful skating stride is breathtaking and his shotmaking ability at full speed is spectacular.

Shea Theodore
3 goals, 9 assists, 12 points, +8 rating

Theodore returned from his nasty knee injury a few days before the break. He didn’t quite look himself in those games and the results showed. Since, he’s been every bit of the dynamic puck-moving defenseman the Golden Knights knew they had when they signed him to a long-term deal four years ago.

He’s driving offense from all three zones again and putting teams on their heels with his ridiculous puck-handling ability. In the last nine games, Theodore has recorded at least four shots in five of them and he’s averaging nearly 22 minutes of ice time a night, lightening the load on Alex Pietrangelo.

Scoring from the blue line is not exactly the main focal point of the Bruce Cassidy offensive system, but when Shea is going like he is, the offense looks so much more potent.

VGK Have Plenty Of Younger Players, But Most Of Their Offense Comes From Players North Of 30

On March 3, 2023

(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)

This season, the Golden Knights’ top two scorers are smack dab in the primes of their careers. Chandler Stephenson’s All Star campaign has the 28-year-old on 50 points in 61 games while Jack Eichel leads the team with 22 goals and has tallied 45 points in 48 games.

The next group of players on the Golden Knights’ scoring list are not exactly in their primes though. Six of the next seven top scorers (so 6 of 9 overall) are at least 30 years old. The first player under the age of 26 on the stat sheet is Paul Cotter, checking in as the 13th-highest point producer on the team, and expected to be a healthy scratch tonight.

Simply put, the Golden Knights are old, or at the very least, their most effective players are old.

47.9% of the offense has come from 10 players aged 30 or above. Only five teams in the NHL have received more ice time from 30+-year-old players, and three of them have won a Stanley Cup in the last six seasons. VGK’s 240 points from 30+-year-olds is 4th most in the league behind Washington (373), Pittsburgh (311), Boston (277), and the New York Islanders (255).

In the present, that’s really not a problem at all. The problem lies in the group of younger players behind 30+’s. The Golden Knights have used 20 players under the age of 30 this season, so there are plenty of 20 somethings to choose from. However, outside of Eichel, Stephenson, William Carrier, and for his age Cotter, that group has not made much of an impact.

Despite ranking outside of the bottom 10 in games played, VGK rank in the bottom five in goals, assists, points, and points per 60 by players aged 25 or younger.

Now, you may be saying, “ok, but Eichel is 26, add him in.” With Eichel included, the Golden Knights rank 25th in goals, 28th in assists, 26th in points, and 29th in points per 60 by players aged 26 or younger.

It looks even worse in graphical form, including when you add in 27-year-old Shea Theodore, and 28-year-olds Stephenson and Carrier

Scoring Droughts Reaching Troublesome Heights

On January 28, 2023

(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)

The Golden Knights haven’t been scoring much recently. They’re 1-5-1 in the last seven games and have scored just 15 times in those games. Six of those 15 came in the lone win which means in the previous six losses the Golden Knights have scored a total of nine goals.

The main reason for this is that the most important players on the team are not putting the puck in the net. Look at the last time each player in the top six scored a goal.

Reilly Smith – 12/31/22 – 11 games without a goal
Chandler Stephenson – 1/5/23 – 9 games without a goal
Mark Stone – 1/5/23 – 2 games without a goal (+7 games injured)
Jonathan Marchessault – 1/7/23 – 8 games without a goal
Jack Eichel – 1/12/23 – 7 games without a goal
William Karlsson – 1/24/23 – 1 game without a goal

It starts with us. There’s no secret that to win hockey games you need your best players to be your best players. We’ve got to show up and we have to find a way to produce. -Marchessault

It starts with the simple fact that these guys are shooting less. Over the past seven games, each of Eichel, Stephenson, Smith, and Marchessault have all seen their shots per game dip.

Eichel’s is the most drastic going from 3.48 on average over the course of the season to just 1.86 in the past seven games. He has just three games all season in which he’s been held shotless, two of them since Stone went out.

Stephenson’s shot totals have dipped by nearly a third too. He’s averaging 1.42 shots per game on the season and has seen just four reach the goalie in the last seven games. He does not have a single game with more than one shot on goal since January 2nd, 10 games ago.

William Karlsson, who is the only top-six player to have scored since Mark Stone’s injury is also the only one to see his shot totals increase in the captain’s absence. But, it’s up just 0.24, or about one shot on goal every four games.

Unsurprisingly, all five players mentioned above have a negative +/- over the last seven games as well. Eichel leads the charge sitting at a -8 and he’s been at least -2 in four of the last seven games.

Simply put, if the Golden Knights want to turn around their scoring, they need it to start at the top of the lineup. These five forwards are the primary players on the power play, they receive the most minutes at even strength, and many even kill penalties. If they don’t produce, the team won’t win, and that’s exactly what’s been happening lately.

New Look 3rd Line Balances Lineup But Comes With Usage Challenges

On January 27, 2023

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William Carrier is expected to make his return to the lineup tonight after missing the previous five games. He will not, however, find his way back onto his usual line with Nic Roy and Keegan Kolesar. That spot is being filled by another recent returnee, Brett Howden.

Carrier is instead set to play on a line with Chandler Stephenson and Phil Kessel. Not only is this a new line for all three, but no pair of players on the line has played more than one game with each other this season. Stephenson and Kessel played with Michael Amadio a few games ago against the Dallas Stars, aside from that Carrier and Kessel have never been matched, nor have Carrier and Stephenson.

What makes this line interesting is the vastly different usage rates we’ve seen from each player on it. Carrier is tied with Kolesar in taking 29% of their faceoffs in the offensive zone, the fewest of any Golden Knights. Kessel on the other hand leads all forwards in offensive zone draws, seeing 60% of his dead-puck shifts beginning in the O-Zone. Stephenson lands closer to Kessel at 55%, but he has had plenty of games where the majority of his shifts start closer to his own goal, something that cannot be said for Kessel.

Based on previous usage it’s expected that Cassidy deploys the 4th line (Howden-Roy-Kolesar) in the defensive zone quite a bit tonight, it’s also probable he’ll use Eichel, Cotter, and Amadio heavily offensively. The Misfits can do either, but Cassidy has always preferred to try and pull offense out of them when together. So, where does that leave the newly formed 3rd line?

Eichel Benefitting From Extra Center As Linemate

On January 6, 2023

(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)

As the Golden Knights continue to return to health, the number of lineup options for Bruce Cassidy begins to grow. As players have funneled into and out of the lineup we’ve been able to see a good number of different combinations with the forward groups.

With it has come quite a bit of information. Some of it’s been good, some not as much. We’ve certainly learned that Chandler Stephenson and Mark Stone can succeed without Jack Eichel. We also know that the 4th line seems to operate best with Nic Roy in the middle. And while “Plan E” of Michael Amadio fits at the moment, it took Plans C, D, F, and G to settle on this one.

Another particular piece of knowledge that has been gained across the month of lineup mishmash has been the value of having another center on the line with Jack Eichel.

In his 28 games this season Eichel has played on three different lines. First, it was Eichel with Smith and Kessel, then he found his way to the most consistent line with Stone and Stephenson, and finally, yesterday’s return to the lineup matched with Smith and Roy. It’s been easy to see that in the games in which he’s had another center on his line, the group works more seamlessly in all three zones.

It’s huge to have another center on the ice. Both of us can take draws and you are interchangeable when you need to play low in the D-zone. -Eichel

The typical responsibilities of the center in Cassidy’s system (and most systems for that matter) involve playing much closer to their own goal in the defensive zone. And while Eichel has certainly put forth a better defensive output this year than much of his career, the benefit of having someone else doing that job can help unlock Jack’s speed and prowess through the neutral zone when the puck is eventually broken out.

Using Ice Below The Goal Line Has Helped VGK’s In-Zone Offense

On January 2, 2023

(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)

The Golden Knights have always been a pretty good offensive team. They currently rank 7th overall in total goals since 2017 and sit in 5th this year after what was considered a down year finishing 12th.

One of the main reasons for that has been how deadly they’ve always been off the rush. From the moment the Golden Knights stepped on the ice for the first time, transition offense has been their calling card. James Neal helped VGK to their first-ever win on a quick-strike chance off the rush and they’ve been doing it ever since.

However, over the course of the last two years, there have been extended stretches in which that style of offense has dried up for Vegas. The most notable instances came in postseason series against the Canucks, Stars, and Canadiens.

When Bruce Cassidy was brought on board as the third coach in team history, he knew that had to change. Of course, no one would want to take away from the Golden Knights’ most consistent avenue of generating offense, but it was clear they had to build other roads to success as well.

Even though we’ve been good all year I think it’s been more rush. We’ve really focused on our power play and the pace of that and I think it has shown up well for us lately. Now it’s about building in some O-zone play where we don’t get chances off the rush. -Cassidy

That focus has started to shine through for the Golden Knights, especially in the last few home games, a trio of wins.

Perfectly Timed Goalie Pull Helped VGK Beat St. Louis

On December 26, 2022

The decision on when to pull the goalie is always a balancing act. Pull him too early and the other team could shoot one into the empty net and kill off the game. Pull him too late and you don’t give your team enough time to operate with the extra skater on the ice.

Against the Blues, the Golden Knights got exactly right, with the sixth skater recording the secondary assist on the game-tying goal within seconds of hopping over the boards.

Sometimes those work out, sometimes they don’t. Tonight, it did. -Bruce Cassidy

William Karlsson drew a penalty with 2:38 left in regulation and the Golden Knights trailing by a goal. Heading to the power play Cassidy could have opted to go directly to goalie pull to give his power play a full two minutes of 6-on-4 action. However, he chose not to.

We were not going to pull him immediately. You want to give your power play a chance. St. Louis’ PK has been just average this year so let’s give them a look early on. They’re also allowed to ice it without any repercussions so you want to be careful there. -Cassidy

Instead, after a discussion with the top players on the team, Cassidy said the decision was made to wait until about 45 seconds into the power play. It was communicated to Logan Thompson and he was ready to come out the moment the time was right.

That time was just short of a minute into the power play. Karlsson skated into the zone, received a pass, and quickly moved it to Alex Pietrangelo for a one-timer. The shot was wide but caromed perfectly to an unmarked Chandler Stephenson on the other side of the goal. Stephenson calmly tucked it into the empty net and the game was tied.

In this particular situation, the extra skater exposed the Blues’ penalty kill system which operates a bit differently than most in the NHL. Most teams utilize a 2-2 system that forms a box around the center of the ice. The Blues use a 1-2-1 in the shape of a diamond around the same area. Here’s how that looks.

Highlighting Two Incredible Shifts From The New Super First Line

On October 26, 2022