(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)
Now that playing at home appears to be on the fritz, the Golden Knights will turn their attention to playing in Western Canada, where it appears they’ll stay if they have success early in the playoffs.
With Edmonton and Toronto being chosen as the two NHL Hub cities, the question most often asked now is, which of the two will play host to the Stanley Cup final and Conference finals?
The answer, apparently, is Edmonton.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) July 2, 2020
Vegas will have the ability to set up shop in Alberta and stay for the entirety of the postseason, or however long they last. That shouldn’t be an advantage considering the oddities surrounding this format, but the raw numbers suggest staying west could benefit the Golden Knights.
Overall, the Golden Knights proved for a third straight season that they were a Western Conference challenger. Unsurprisingly, when on the road, they’re at their best when playing inside Pacific Division buildings.
VGK at Pacific Division
19-20: 7-3-1 (.682)
18-19: 9-5-1 (.633)
17:18 – 10-3-2 (.733)
Total: 26-11-4 (.683)
VGK at Central Division
19-20: 3-4-0 (.429)
18-19: 4-6-0 (.400)
17-18: 4-5-1 (.450)
Total: 11-15-1 (.426)
VGK at Eastern Conference
19-20: 7-6-3 (.531)
18-19: 6-9-1 (.406)
17-18: 8-6-2 (.563)
Total: 21-21-6 (.500)
The numbers really skew against the Golden Knights when you take into account who they were playing. Most of the wins were against the below-average Eastern conference teams as seven of the nine losses came at the hands of East playoff teams.
With the regular season over, points percentage no longer matters. When you only look at wins and losses, it’s visible Vegas struggled in Atlantic and Metropolitan buildings. So playing exclusively in a Western Conference, specifically a Pacific Division, arena could give the team a small boost.
Not to bring up bad memories, but two years the Golden Knights traveled East to play a really important series and things didn’t go so well in Washington. Not only did Vegas fall into a 3-1 series deficit but they were outscored 9-3 in the two games. Of course, things were different (or normal) then because there were 18 thousand Capitals diehards in the building.
Stepping back for a minute, it’s a neutral site so some of the disadvantages for Vegas can be ripped up. We only have numbers to show how the Golden Knights fared against the Eastern Conference and inside their own buildings. So chances are their low winning percentage against those teams would improve at a neutral sheet of ice anyway.
While the travel to Edmonton really shouldn’t hinder the two teams departing Toronto, there will still be timezone and ice adjustments that the western winner won’t have to deal with. Sure, it’s only a two-hour shuffle but if Vegas is still alive by the conference finals they’ll be situated in the mountain time zone for more than a month, not to mention having playing multiple series at Rogers Place. These might be minuscule advantages but if the Golden Knights get to the Cup Final, you’d rather have them than be facing them.
Marsh Munroe
Anyway u could make a list of players who have left VGK siince start. And where are they now?
Thank you Marsh
Juan Merrill’s Stalker
Can you also make a list of the players still here and where they were before?
Doktor Hockey
I wish we would just make comments on WHAT the article is talking about! No offense, but what does “Vegas players who have left since start” have to do with this? ….. Anyway ….. Yes I agree, if the cup finals are held in Edmonton, it will benefit the Western team. Makes sense.
Marsh Munroe
Excuse the fuck out by of me mr wonderful
Doktor Hockey
That’s it, cuss away dude. I said no offense. Don’t be so thinned skinned. Oh, and by the way, you’re welcome!
THE hockey GOD
ignore him MM, the hockey duck a few tools short in his toolbox !! All he does is troll people.
btw I predicted that the NHL would have only Canadian teams, check my comments from a few weeks ago.
Also, I wouldn’t be surprised if they have an outbreak since there is no way to control this. Masks are “marginally effective” but the virus molecule is orders of magnitudes smaller than the mesh “gird” size of majority of masks. A recent study posted on internet said as much. Everyone is blaming “opening” the economy. But is has more to do with people getting out of their homes. Masks are marginal at best. I used to work in biotech industry and prescribed PPE and safety gear for clean rooms. Worked in many hazmat environments, trained in this area. With refresher trainer. So I know what I am talking about. Sad to say. The best thing to do is to stay away from people, wear a full face shield with appropriate respirator. Carry a can of lysol and spray it where ever you go. And avoid the idiots in the streets who are clueless and hate America , domestic terrorist party members (Aka DNC); burning churches, killing cops, mugging people, and taking over sections of cities.
THE hockey GOD
canadian cities I meant to say, not teams.
Daryl
Thank you Hockey God,
As I stated before these masks are almost useless. If you are worried then go out and buy a N95 or P100 as those two are the only truly effective masks
Tim
Ken the stats you gave are interesting but since Pete DeBoer took over you can throw those stats out the window. DeBoer is 15-5 -2 since taking over. He’s cut down on shifts has made some defense adjustments, picked up Martinez and has given Chandler Stephenson a larger roll and also picked up Robin Lehner and Nick Cousins . So this is not the same team and stats that Gallant had. As much as we liked Gallant there’s no doubt the team has been revitalized since the arrival of DeBoer. Now we may not win but I feel were in a pretty good spot.
Daryl
You have to also take into account the personal struggles MAF was going thru. If his head was fully in the game I think those stats would look slightly different
Tim
Daryl good point another reason to feel better about the team now.
Marsh Munroe
Keep smoking those cigars!
Jim
One day in and defending champs swamped with positive tests…as I keep saying…pipedream.
Put a fork in it……see everyone in 18 months……
Mike StG
Jason, Nice article with some interesting takes. I agree the West team will have some advantages. A round robin team like Vegas will have played from 12 to 21 games there to reach the final. And played every game there for 6 weeks straight. Twenty-one games amounts to half a regular season at home. An advantage for sure. Good job!
Marsh Munroe
Really afraid no professional sports for rest of 2020 hope i am wrong.
Summerlin AndyB
Another great article Ken!
This feels like pre-game analysis so is getting me revved up.
Next up, Shane and Dave, then back to the studio…..