Coach: Gerard Gallant (since 2017). 8.5/10
2018-19 record: 43-32-7, 93 points (3rd in the Pacific Division, 7th in the Western Conference).
Playoffs: Lost in Game 7 of Round 1 against the San Jose Sharks.
Departures: Nikita Gusev (LW), Colin Miller (D), Erik Haula (C), Ryan Carpenter (C), Pierre-Édouard Bellemare (RW), Maxime Lagacé (G).
Arrivals: Jaycob Megna (D), Garret Sparks (G).
Top forwards: Mark Stone (50-70 points), Alex Tuch (50-60 points), Paul Stastny (50-60 points), Jonathan Marchessault (50-60 points), Reilly Smith (45-55 points), Max Pacioretty (35 goals, 50 points), William Karlsson (50-55 points), Tomas Nosek (25-30 points), Brandon Pirri (20-30 points), Valentin Zykov (20-40 points), William Carrier (10-20 points).
Must-improve forward: Pirri, but just because I kind of have to put someone in here. With how stacked the top-six is, other players aren't going to get enough ice time to join in on the point-producing cart.
Top defensemen: Shea Theodore (30-40 points), Nate Schmidt (25-30 points), Nick Holden (10-15 points), Brayden McNabb (10 points), Jon Merrill (5-10 points).
Goalies: Marc-André Fleury (93/100), Malcolm Subban (77/100).
Top prospects: Cody Glass (20 years old, C, 6th-overall pick at the 2017 draft), Marcus Kallionkieli (18, C), Paul Cotter (19, C), Dylan Coghlan (21, D), Brayden Pachal (20, D), Jake Leschyshyn (20, C).
Analysis:
In just two seasons, the Golden Knights went from having a terrific balanced roster with former 40-goal scorers (James Neal) and plenty of youth, with an average age below 25 to one with two full 1B lines (including possibly the best one in hockey, comprised of Stone, Stastny and Pacioretty) and an average age closer to 30.
The defense remains a no-name brand (apart from Theodore and Schmidt), but they have proven that they can get the job done for two straight seasons (as long as Fleury's healthy in net).
For now, the only prospect that could make a serious dent in the line-up is Glass, who turn professional by force this year.
The team traded away a lot of its high-priced depth this year in an attempt to sign Gusev. They may have done better to trade Pacioretty and retained more bodies, because they may have a good, balanced offense, one of the best coaching staffs in the game and one of the five best goalies of the past three years (in each season, not just combined), they're two injuries away from needing to seriously hustle to get their playoff spot ahead of the lowly (but surging) Edmonton Oilers.
As it stands, however, no one in the Pacific can touch them, even if the Calgary Flames may come close at times during the regular season.
Prediction: 1st in the Pacific Division, 2nd in the NHL.
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