Golden Knights Wrap: Vegas Hockey Now Highlights From 2021-22

On November 1st, 2021, I was hired full-time as the Vegas Golden Knights beat writer for National Hockey Now. It was a rigorous season as a 21-year-old senior in college on the beat for a Big-4 professional sports team.

But I have learned so much in just seven months.

I am grateful for the opportunity and more than excited to continue things full-time in Las Vegas next season. I graduate from Robert Morris University on Friday.

With the season over, I wanted to look back on some of the articles I wrote that still hold up (in terms of being outdated), and throw them in a daily for some offseason reading material.

I’m not trying to toot my own horn here as I link these articles. Rather, I want to pass them on to people who may have had them slip through the cracks this season.

Vegas Hockey Now Highlights

Let’s start with the recent ones– Which player played their last game as a Golden Knight this season? Reilly Smith? Laurent Brossoit? Mattias Janmark?

What does the Golden Knight’s offseason schedule look like?

Why are we here? Why did the Vegas Golden Knights miss the 2022 playoffs?

Cleanout day was on Tuesday, and Peter DeBoer announced that he would be meeting with Kelly McCrimmon and management to discuss his future.

The Golden Knights also revealed that Robin Lehner and Laurent Brossoit would have both have offseason surgery.

He may not be staying in Las Vegas but here is Peter DeBoer’s all-time team at 500 career NHL wins.

As the Stanley Cup Playoffs continue, here are National Hockey Now’s picks for the first round. Golden Knights fans seem to be rooting for the Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers as former Golden Knights make up their rosters.

At the NHL Trade Deadline, Evgenii Dadonov was seemingly traded to the Anaheim Ducks to free up cap space. But after an intervention by the NHL, Dadonov returned to the NHL with his head held high, back better than ever.

On January 30th, defenseman Brayden McNabb signed a three-year extension with the Golden Knights. With the team constantly up against the salary cap, what could this mean for the Golden Knight’s defense?

Speaking of the defense, Zach Whitecloud had an impressive season in 2021-22. He finished with 8 goals, 11 assists, and was a +21 (all career-highs). Whitecloud took the next step in his development as a potential top-4 man for the VGK.

A news article but still relevant– Golden Knights owner Bill Foley has confirmed that new jerseys are coming soon for the VGK, likely for next season.

It is rare to see a first-line center be traded in the NHL, but the Vegas Golden Knights were on the receiving end of one of these trades as they added Jack Eichel. How does the Eichel trade stack up against other first-line center deals in the NHL such as trades for Ryan O’Reilly, Tyler Seguin, and Mika Zibanejad?

Speaking of Eichel, once the trade was announced, everyone was projecting the Golden Knights as Stanley Cup favorites in 2022. But as it stands, Connor McDavid currently has a better shot of winning his first cup before Eichel does.

This one is more relevant than ever– what is Mattias Janmark’s role with the VGK?

The Golden Knights had to rely on their AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights more than ever this season. The hierarchy of Silver Knights call-ups was revealed over time for the Golden Knights.

Only seven original Golden Knights remain on the team’s roster. Who will last the longest?

Who is the first-ever player in every NHL team’s history? For the Golden Knights, it’s Reid Duke.

How many players selected in NHL expansion drafts went on to win the Stanley Cup with their expansion team?

NHL News, Stanley Cup Playoffs, and National Hockey Now

Stanley Cup Playoffs: COL leads NSH 1-0, MIN and STL tied 1-1, EDM and LAK tied 1-1, CGY leads DAL 1-0. PIT leads NYR 1-0, CAR leads BOS 2-0, TBL and TOR tied 1-1, and WSH leads FLA 1-0.

Games on Thursday: PIT/NYR 4:00, WSH/FLA 4:30, COL/NSH 6:30, CGY/DAL 7:00

Pittsburgh: Jason Zucker could return to the Penguins lineup Thursday night, but Casey DeSmith and Rickard Rakell are out. The Penguins are coming off a wild triple-overtime win thanks to Evgeni Malkin.

As called on Pittsburgh Penguins radio: pic.twitter.com/O69EuZ2Odj

— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) May 4, 2022

Boston: Down 0-2 in the series, the Boston Bruins are going with Jeremy Swayman in Game 3.

Washington: Tom Wilson will miss Game 2 between the Capitals and Florida Panthers.