He’s helped a team that missed the playoffs a year ago storm back to the front of the Western Conference and he’s done it amidst another rash of injuries including three to goaltenders inside of a month.
When the team has had issues, he’s had answers on how to fix them. From the penalty kill to 6-on-5 situations to breaking up the Misfit line to winning at home, even the power play, Cassidy has equipped his team with a plan and when they’ve followed it they’ve had success.
There is one problem he has yet to solve though, and it’s a big one.
I have to do a deeper dive as to why we are struggling in our own division. I haven’t put my finger on it yet as I’m still new to this division in terms of seeing them as much. I don’t have a good answer for that right now. -Cassidy
After last night’s loss, the Golden Knights are now 8-8-2 against the Pacific Division.
Anaheim: 2-0-1 Calgary: 1-2-0 Edmonton: 0-1-1 Los Angeles: 1-2-0 Seattle: 1-1-0 San Jose: 2-1-0 Vancouver: 1-1-0
Against the four teams still fighting for playoff position, Vegas is a paltry 3-6-1.
We’ve got to get out of our division if we expect to go where we want to go so we’ve got to correct that, I know what much. How we’re going to correct it? That’s still a work in progress. -Cassidy
Eight of the 12 games remaining on the schedule are against the Pacific with six of them against Calgary, Edmonton, Los Angeles, and Seattle.
These games will not only go a long way in determining who the Golden Knights will play in the playoffs, but will also foreshadow how they may do once they are.
Cassidy was stumped last night. He can’t be moving forward.
This season the Golden Knights are 5-7-2 against the Pacific Division. They’ve lost six straight and have dropped eight of the last nine. Yet when asked about why Vegas has struggled so much against the division, it still remains a mystery.
After VGK’s fast start, divisional clubs are feverishly trying to catch up in the standings. It could be desperation, familiarity, or simply clubs in the Pacific can straight up score on Vegas.
VGK Goals Allowed vs Pacific Division
vs ANA: 1.50 Per Game (1-0-1)
vs. CAL: 3.00 Per Game (0-1-0)
vs. EDM: 4.00 Per Game (0-1-1)
vs. LAK: 4.00 Per Game (1-2-0)
vs. SJ: 3.50 Per Game (1-1-0)
vs. SEA: 3.00 Per Game (1-1-0)
vs. VAN: 4.50 Per Game (1-1-0)
Even VGK coach Bruce Cassidy seems puzzled by the difficulties his players are having against divisional opponents.
It’s new to me this year. Some of the division rivalries, I’m asking about. Having said that, I still know this was an important hockey game. I don’t have to know the history. We will have to emphasize it more clearly. But if I have to emphasize that we’re playing a division team, then shame on the guys and the leadership group for not recognizing that. -Cassidy
Cassidy is well aware of the importance of affiliate matchups and based off his own words, his players haven’t taken them seriously enough.
The Golden Knights took a short trip from Alberta to British Columbia for a road matchup against the Canucks. Vancouver thought they had taken the first lead of the game but coach Bruce Cassidy challenged the goal and the officials ruled in his favor. The game was scoreless after the opening twenty minutes.
Vancouver officially took the lead midway through the middle frame waking up Vegas’ offense. Jack Eichel flung the puck on net and Mark Stone deflected in the game-tying goal. Less than a minute left, William Carrier scored the go ahead goal assisted again by Eichel. The Golden Knights carried a 2-1 advantage into the 2nd intermission.
The Canucks came out red hot in the final frame, scoring three straight goals in the opening 6:11 of the period. However, Vegas stormed back. Trailing 4-2, Carrier got his team within one, scoring his second of the game and Reilly Smith jammed in the equalizer. The Golden Knights believed they had taken the lead but Mark Stone’s goal was waived off. Minutes later Alex Pietrangelo scored cleanly for the game winning goal.
The Golden Knights record improves to (15-4-1) defeating the Canucks 5-4 in Vancouver. Vegas will next face the Ottawa Senators Wednesday night from the Fortress. Puck drop is scheduled for 7P PT. (Recap by Jason)
3 out of 4 points on the trip. Vancouver not a great team, and VGK not playing their best, but you have to like the offensive zone work in that 3rd period. If only 81 could have buried one of those empty netters!
Saturday’s game in Edmonton didn’t end like the Golden Knights had planned. In reality, when superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl score in the same game, picking up a point isn’t half bad. With a win tonight in Vancouver, Vegas will have a chance to return home with three of a possible four divisional points. Not bad for a two game set against Pacific teams scratching and clawing for wins.
At least a point on the road in Edmonton is good. But VGK should have won this game in regulation. Could've used one on the PP.
Okay, it’s not a five game, eleven day road trip to the East Coast but traveling to Western Canada can be a challenge. Rewind back to last season when the Golden Knights were chasing instead of leading the division. Edmonton and Vancouver pitched in by spoiling Vegas’ 2021-22 playoff dreams. In three crucial games in mid-April, Vegas left Western Canada with on win.
This season the tables have turned. At the moment, Vegas has a 96% chance to qualify for the playoffs, Vancouver has a bleak 21% chance. There’s no sugar-coating it, the Canucks have had a nightmare start to the season. Just picture the complete opposite of the Golden Knights first 19 games. Not only does losing suck but each Vancouver loss is followed with unpleasant questions about coach dismissals, player fire sales and underachieving personnel. From this point going forward Vancouver will have to outperform the entire division for a sniff of a playoff run.
We know who are next opponents are. You keep the shots to the outside. Most of them won’t go in.-Bruce Boudreau, Canucks coach
For the Golden Knights, it’s another opportunity to separate themselves from another club in the Pacific. So far, the Golden Knights have earned at least one point in five of six divisional matchups. If they pick up any more tonight, Vegas will have points against each Pacific team with the exception of Calgary. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until late February for a second battle with the Flames.
It’s time to turn down (or maybe turn up) the outside noise. The Golden Knights are certainly not the same team as in years past but there are still expectations. Sure, the club has holes and question marks in several positions, but overall Vegas should be considered a playoff contender.
The doubters are out there, but they are ignoring the Golden Knights’ skilled veterans that are accustomed to playing in the postseason. Vegas is blessed with high-end talent that has the ability to push them over the playoff cut line. However, in many pundits’ opinions, the bar has lowered. Just take a look at Sportsnet’s recent NHL power rankings. The Canadian outlet isn’t expecting much from Vegas this season.
Sportsnet NHL Power Rankings
1. Colorado 2. Tampa 3. Carolina 4. Calgary 5. Toronto 6. Florida 7. Edmonton 8. Minnesota 9. New York Rangers 10. St. Louis *19. Vegas
Being ranked 19th out of 32 is far from flattering. In fact, it’s a not-so-subtle shot toward the 31st franchise, as many believe the Golden Knights window has closed. With Colorado’s locked-up talent, who can blame the detractors? However, there are silver linings to the low Sportsnet ranking, including the fact that the writer who put them at 19th doesn’t even seem to fully believe it himself.
That Robin Lehner is gone for the year cannot be overlooked, but it does obscure the fact there are reasons to like this team. Jack Eichel is getting his first full rip in the desert and captain Mark Stone is back after an injury-marred season. –Ryan Dixon, Sportsnet.ca
The Pacific Division has not exactly been a hotbed for NHL dominance the last few years. This year though, there’s been enough player movement in and out of the division that there’s a bit of a question as to how strong it will actually be.
Last year’s division champs, the Calgary Flames, lost two-thirds of their top line but were able to replace it with a couple of stellar players due to a blockbuster trade with the Florida Panthers. Edmonton, who advanced the furthest of any Pacific team, is basically bringing the band back together, and Los Angeles, Vancouver, Anaheim, and Seattle all added in the offseason.
The Golden Knights, despite an offseason of cap managing, should still be right in the mix to compete for the division title. They’ll continue to have the strongest D-corps in the division, an above-average top-six, and an excellent head coach.
With camp still a few weeks away and the regular season more than a month out, it can be tricky to find good prediction models for how the season may go. Luckily, here in Vegas, we call home to the best model in the world, betting odds.
Whether you gamble on sports or not, odds give a strong indication as to not just what sportsbooks believe is going to happen, but also what the public sees as the most likely outcome in a game or season. As bets come in on each team, sportsbooks adjust their lines to limit their likelihood of taking big wins or losses. So, what ends up happening is the odds become essentially a giant poll of public opinion with votes being cast by dollars.
William Hill posted season point totals and make or miss the playoffs lines on every team in the league a few weeks ago. As early bets came in, some of the numbers shifted giving us a better perspective on how the public views the league.
Bruce Cassidy is new to the Pacific Division. He is not however new to doing what the Golden Knights have done much of their five-year history, dominating Pacific Division teams.
Since joining the league in 2017, the Golden Knights have won the Pacific twice (and tied for 1st in the West once), they have been the last Pacific Division team standing in the playoffs three times, and boast an insane 82-26-11 record against the seven teams currently in the division.
They’ve outscored every Pacific team in the regular season and boast a goal differential of +126.
Cassidy’s numbers are not nearly as drastic but are still incredibly strong.
Opponent
Record
Points %
Goal Differential
ANA
3-5-0
.375
-2
CGY
6-3-0
.667
+2
EDM
4-4-1
.500
-5
LAK
6-0-3
.833
+11
SEA
2-0-0
1.00
+2
SJS
9-0-0
1.00
+18
VAN
6-4-1
.591
-4
OVERALL
36-16-5
.675
+22
The .675 points percentage would equate to a 111 point regular season.
There are three different teams in the division that Cassidy’s Bruins never lost to in regulation and he has at least a .500 points percentage against six of the seven teams.
Obviously, there will be new challenges inside of the division this year and Cassidy will have to get used to the rigors of the West coast travel schedule, but historically he’s shown an ability to beat up on the teams the Golden Knights play most.
If VGK do that, they’ll be headed back to the postseason without any issues at all.
Apparently records don’t matter to the Calgary Flames. Even with a seven point lead, the Flames felt like the underdog in their 3-2 loss Sunday night at T-Mobile Arena. Currently, Calgary is in 1st place in the Pacific Division but are highly aware of how dangerous a healthy Golden Knights an be.
Well, they’re the best team on paper. They’re clearly the best team out West, maybe other than the team that owns the Stanley Cup, if you look at it.
It’s not even that close, to tell you the truth. -Darryl Sutter, Calgary coach
That’s high praise coming from a two-time Stanley Cup winning coach. Sutter won with teams that didn’t win their division, twice. In 2012 & 2014 the LA Kings finished 3rd in the Pacific Division yet went on to win two silver chalices. Sutter’s Kings were never considered Cup favorites but he believed they were as deep as any opponent they faced. In Sutter’s first Stanley Cup run, LA finished the season with 95 points and eliminated a 111 point Vancouver Canucks club in five games.
After four NHL seasons the Golden Knights have benefited by playing in the Pacific Division. Since 2017, Vegas has played 113 games against their divisional “rivals” and tallied a total of 168 out of a possible 226 points. That’s an astonishing .743 Points % against the Pacific Division in four seasons.
Hockey’s been a little bit tough with our team not being very good the last few years and not getting back to the playoffs… Things are looking up for us now. We got some new players and some young guys coming up. I’m excited for this season to start.- Drew Doughty, LAK defenseman on 32 Thoughts Podcast
Let’s be honest, it’s been easy street for the Golden Knights since they entered the league.
VGK All-Time Record vs. Pacific Division
vs. Anaheim: 20 Games (17-3-0) 34 Pts, .850 Pts %, 74 Goals For, 37 Goals Allowed, +37 Goal Differential
vs. Arizona: 20 Games (14-6-0) 28 Pts, .700 Pts %, 57 Goals For, 46 Goals Allowed, + 11 Goal Differential
vs. Calgary: 11 Games (8-3-0) 16 Pts, .727 Pts %, 42 Goals For, 31 Goals Allowed, + 11 Goal Differential
vs. Edmonton: 11 Games (6-4-1) 13 Pts, .591 Pts %, 35 Goals For, 31 Goals Allowed, +4 Goal Differential
vs. LA: 21 Games (11-8-2) 24 Pts, .571 Pts %, 63 Goals For, 60 Goals Allowed, +3 Goal Differential
vs. San Jose: 20 Games (16-1-3) 35 Pts, .875 Pts %, 78 Goals For, 40 Goals Allowed, +38 Goal Differential
vs. Vancouver: 10 Games (8-0-2) 18 Pts, .900 Pts %, 45 Goals For, 26 Goals Allowed, +19 Goal Differential
Since their existence the Golden Knights have proven to be the team to beat in the Pacific. Vegas has a positive goal differential against every team in the division and holds an overall goal differential of +123, talk about dominance. All indications show it should be the same in 2021-22.
Only a few west coast teams have kept their games with Vegas competitive but still not enough to threaten their path to the playoffs. Sure, San Jose won their seven game series in 2019 but in the regular season it’s been embarrassingly lopsided. Since that series three postseasons ago, the Sharks have been a non-factor in the Pacific, same goes for Anaheim, Calgary and Vancouver. However, two clubs that will make things more difficult for Vegas this season are the Kings and Oilers. Each team has challenged Vegas in the regular season being edged out by one game in their series history with the 31st franchise.
While it’s hard to make judgements based off two exhibition games but it’s safe to say that Los Angeles is an improved club. Even with a lack of talent in their lineup the King’s have competed in most matchups. Coming into 2021-22, LA and Knight killer Philip Danault will continue to frustrate VGK’s offensive threats. Coveted prospects are performing at a high level and LA’s star veterans could create further problems for Vegas and the rest of the Pacific Division.
There’s not much to say about Edmonton. As long as they dress Connor McDavid every game is up in the air. Same can be said for the newest team in hockey. Seattle is the biggest wildcard in the division. Based on what the Golden Knights did in their inaugural season you’d be a fool to count out the Kraken. Calgary, San Jose and Vancouver are expected to finish below Vegas but one of those three teams could make a surprising push for the postseason.
All in all, the Pacific Division is still considered relatively weak but has improved. Vegas is the only team that isn’t being doubted by analysts across the league. The other seven teams have questions to answer and it should be a tight battle for two of three divisional playoff spots. Although the Pacific may have gotten better and could make it more difficult for Vegas to run away with the division but it’s still the Golden Knights to lose.
There’s really no polite way to put this, so I’ll just come out and say it, the Pacific Division is bad. Aside from the Golden Knights, there’s not another team in the division that would be shocking if they missed the playoffs, and it’s probable two or three teams are going to be in the hunt for the #1 pick.
Just two of the eight teams set to compete in the Pacific this year made the playoffs a year ago, and the division claimed spots #2, 3, 7, 8, and 13.
The William Hill Mobile Sports app recently released their season point totals for all 32 NHL teams. The Golden Knights checked in at 105.5 points, tied with Tampa Bay for the second-most in the league (COL 109.5). No one else in the division has a line set over 97.
Edmonton Oilers Over/Under – 96.5
The Oilers were easily the next best team in the division behind the Golden Knights last year, despite playing in a completely different division. The challenge with projecting Edmonton to get to 97 points is a combination of their miserable offseason and their reliance on two players. If either Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl miss any period of time, 97 points is toast, but even if they are healthy, the Oilers’ depth is so bad that it still might be tough to each the number. The saving grace for Edmonton is they’ve gotten solid goaltending and the division is putrid. Nonetheless, there are plenty of games outside the division to keep them from reaching the number, or challenging the Golden Knights atop the division. Pick: Under 96.5
