The newest Golden Knight has made an immediate impact in Vegas seeing time on both the 2nd and 3rd lines and contributing a goal and two assists in six games.
It’s the style of play that has impressed me the most though, and that’s exactly what I highlight in today’s film breakdown.
This season the Golden Knights boast one of the best penalty-killing units in the NHL. That’s a stat that’s highlighted every single night. “Killing” against the empty-net is not thrust into the spotlight nearly as much, but it’s a place the Golden Knights are equally as good.
It starts with having great personnel to get the job done, which the Golden Knights do. They have used 13 players for more than four minutes in 5-on-6 situations. They are also committed to blocking shots and exiting the zone rather than hunting the empty net goals. Beyond all that, they are structurally excellent, which I break down here…
Nic Roy has had an up and down year going from the 3rd line to the 4th to even being a healthy scratch a few games recently. Roy has just one goal and one assist in 19 games played, but he’s looked like a different player when matched up with Alex Tuch than he has anywhere else.
Tuch and Roy first found themselves together last year and it clicked instantaneously. Here’s my film breakdown showing why these two have been so good together and why they need to stay together moving forward.
When the Golden Knights signed Zach Whitecloud as an undrafted college free agent out of Bemidji State, the hope was for him to turn into a defense-first option at the NHL level. During his early stint with the Golden Knights and a couple of years with the Chicago Wolves, that’s exactly what he was.
But, since Pete DeBoer took over and Whitecloud has become a staple in the lineup, he’s starting to show some offensive flair. Here’s my film breakdown showing his excellent ability to read and react to plays.
Defensive defenseman Zach Whitecloud?
No way! Whitecloud's offensive instincts have been on display all year.
Here's a film breakdown illustrating them. pic.twitter.com/wbG2GVRwsa
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) February 19, 2021
Coming into the season one of the biggest concerns for the Golden Knights was center depth. With Chandler Stephenson set to fill the role as the top center and options like Cody Glass, Nic Roy, and Tomas Nosek behind Stephenson and William Karlsson, we knew Stephenson needed to be great for this team to succeed.
So far, Stephenson has been just that and the more I watch him the more I realize why his skill set fits perfectly between Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty. In the pantheon of the NHL, Stephenson would still rank all that highly among the #1 centers in the league, but for this team and that line, he’s the perfect fit.
Chandler Stephenson is a legit #1 center…when his wingers are Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty.
Here's my film breakdown of why. pic.twitter.com/yguo5lXQ6u
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) February 9, 2021
(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)
One of the best qualities of Reilly Smith’s game is his ability to play in all situations. Coaches and managers use this term often but for Smith they really mean it. Need a goal, Smith can get you one. Need to protect a lead, Smith’s as good as they come defensively. Power play, penalty kill, four-on-four, you the situation, Smith is always a great option.
On Tuesday, after playing more than six minutes in each of the first three periods, the Golden Knights called on Reilly Smith for two big shifts in OT.
It’s a shame the NHL hasn’t made player tracking data public because Smith’s distance traveled in those two shifts was nothing short of incredible.
I broke down the two shifts in a film breakdown to show just how brilliant Reilly Smith in an OT session that wound up going scoreless.
Reilly Smith played more than 19 minutes in regulation on Tuesday.
Then, in OT he put in two incredibly hard-working shifts that saw him go the length of the ice multiple times at full speed creating and denying chances on both ends.
Here's a breakdown of his OT brilliance. pic.twitter.com/DbTtiNGbwB
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) January 29, 2021
None of the four teams to reach the playoffs from the West Division are strangers to the postseason.
All four of VGK, COL, MIN, and STL have more than 775 games of playoff experience on the roster. Who has the most? Which position groups lead the way?
https://sinbin.vegas/vgk-lead-west-division-in-playoff-experience-but-not-by-much/
Let's talk about the end of the regular season. https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1yNGaWvgzkRxj
Troy Grosenick starts for the Kings. https://twitter.com/JRPothier/status/1392691111970234368
Photo courtesy of Cox Communications
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