Five Questions The Golden Knights Must Answer

It is a much better feeling wondering how your team will respond after winning a Stanley Cup than wondering how they will respond after missing the playoffs. That is the exact spot the Vegas Golden Knights are in.

It is a new season with new storylines to watch. Can the Golden Knights repeat as Stanley Cup champions? Here are five questions that must be answered in order to do so.

Is there enough depth in the net? This ties directly to the health of Logan Thompson and Adin Hill. The two combined for 64 appearances last regular season. The Golden Knights have plenty of depth in the net as long as Thompson and Hill can combine for 75 appearances.

The depth comes into question if Thompson or Hill suffers a long-term injury. The next man up is Jiri Patera. Patera has two starts to his NHL resume.

It is fair to assume general manager Kelly McCrimmon has a plan for goaltender injuries.

What is the identity of the third line? William Karlsson will center the third line. His wingers are a question mark. Paul Cotter, Michael Amadio, and Pavel Dorofeyev figure to compete for the wings beside Karlsson.

Cotter-Karlsson-Amadio would be a physical line that is tough to play against. Dorofeyev-Karlsson-Amadio would offer more scoring potential but could become a defensive liability.

How long can Mark Stone stay healthy? Stone played 80 of a possible 164 regular-season games over the last two seasons. The pressure of the playoffs brought out the best in Stone as he accumulated 24 points in 22 games.

The Golden Knights need Stone to be healthy and rested come playoffs. Will the Golden Knights have a plan to limit Stone’s workload throughout the season?

Can Jack Eichel take another step forward? Eichel had 66 points in 67 games last season. Bigger than his offensive output was the growth of his two-way game.

Coach Bruce Cassidy has used Patrice Bergeron as an example of the type of player that Eichel can strive to become. We are a long way away from comparing Eichel to Bergeron. Eichel will need to work on getting his faceoff percentage up if he wants Selke consideration.

What is the remedy for a Stanley Cup hangover? Visiting teams may have found a cure for the Vegas flu. Remedying the Vegas flu might just be the remedy for a Stanley Cup hangover. Everyone wants to knock off the Stanley Cup champion. The Golden Knights will have to be at the top of their game most nights.

A competitive regular season may just be what the doctor ordered to cure the Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup hangover.