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Welcome to What Went Wrong where we’ll look at each team that failed to make the playoffs. We’ll also end each article by highlighting some players of particular interest on the squad. Those are players who either left something to be desired during the 2021-22 campaign, have significant untapped upside, or have some big underlining questions surrounding them going into the offseason.
We’ve already covered the Montreal Canadiens, Arizona Coyotes, Seattle Kraken, Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils, Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres, Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Islanders, Winnipeg Jets and Vancouver Canucks. Today we finish off the series with the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Vegas Golden Knights failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in franchise history after posting a 43-31-8 record, Vegas finished three points behind Nashville for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.
Vegas stared out with a mark of 22-12-0, which was the fourth-best record in the league, but slipped to 21-19-8 once the calendar changed to 2022. The Golden Knights sat 22nd in goals for per game played (2.96) during that span despite ranking sixth in shots for per game played (35.1).
The offensive difficulties extended to the power play. The Golden Knights ranked 25th in the league on the man advantage and placed 26th with 39 power-play goals. It is probably worth mentioning that Vegas was 22nd on the man advantage during the 2020-21 campaign. During the 2021 postseason, Vegas finished in the basement with a success rate of 9.3% by way of four goals on 43 opportunities.
There were several key players missing from the lineup for the Golden Knights during the 2021-22 season. They missed big chunks of the year and it doesn’t come as a surprise that Vegas’ offensive struggles, especially when it came to finishing plays, were especially evident during that second-half downfall. Max Pacioretty was limited to just 39 games, while Mark Stone played in 37 matches. Those are two chasm-sized holes on the top line that would be difficult for any team to overcome. Pacioretty and Stone were the top-two scorers on the team in each of the previous two years. Reilly Smith, who provides secondary scoring, suited up in 56 contests, while blueliner Alec Martinez only played in 26 games and number one netminder Robin Lehner made 44 appearances. Additionally, Jack Eichel dressed in 34 games after he recovered from disk replacement surgery.
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It typically feels like a cop out to blame injuries, but it certainly played a significant factor and the long list of Golden Knights on the sidelines brought on issues with the salary cap. Vegas has played it fairly fast and loose with the cap since coming into the league, while frequently going after high-profile players via trade and free agency. The team has been largely successful, while maintaining a win-now mindset, but it was bound to catch up to them eventually. Vegas may have to get creative this offseason in order to be cap compliant and getting some space for some additional flexibility should be an essential part of the game plan to avoid the problems that arose in 2021-22. Vegas was finally able to move Evgenii Dadonov with a trade to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Shea Weber’s contract. Weber isn’t expected to play again due to injuries. A deal that sent Dadonov to Anaheim prior to the trade deadline was invalidated by the NHL because the forward’s limited no-trade clause was not complied with by the Golden Knights. It was an embarrassing turn of events for the organization. The trade for Weber, who will end up on LTIR, is a start, but more moves will need to be made over the course of the offseason.
The penalty kill experienced a far more dramatic drop off than the power play after going from first overall in 2020-21 to 21st in the NHL this past season. Only 12 teams gave up fewer power-play goals against than Vegas, but the Golden Knights were shorthanded a league-low 208 times.
The organization decided to move on from head coach Peter DeBoer in the offseason and Vegas was able to scoop up former Boston Bruins bench boss Bruce Cassidy after he was surprisingly let go. DeBoer managed to land on his feet as well with a head coaching job for the Dallas Stars. Cassidy is expected to improve the special teams play of the Golden Knights. Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon said that was a major point of emphasis behind the decision to hire Cassidy.
Vegas emerged on the NHL scene in 2017-18 and flourished in their inaugural year en route to a playoff run that ended in the Stanley Cup Final. The Golden Knights lost in first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2019 before bowing out at the Conference Final in 2020 and losing in the Semifinal round in 2021. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Vegas was back in the playoff picture next season. The team still has all the pieces in place to be a top contender and the Pacific Division isn’t particularly imposing. The Golden Knights were just five points behind Los Angeles for the third spot despite their inconsistencies. With a new, and motivated coach, as well as the return to health of several key players, Vegas stands a great chance of avoiding the dubious distinction of being featured in the What Went Wrong series again next year.
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Players to Watch:
Robin Lehner – Lehner was in and out of the lineup in 2021-22 due to injury. He posted a 23-17-2 record with a 2.83 goals-against average and .907 save percentage. Obviously, those aren’t the type of numbers you want to see from your starting goaltender, especially after Vegas traded away 2021 Vezina Trophy winner Marc-Andre Fleury. Fleury and Lehner combined to win the the William M. Jennings Trophy for the fewest goals scored against. His backup to start the 2021-22 campaign was Laurent Brossoit, who dealt with his own injury problems, and then Logan Thompson became the team’s favored option between the pipes. It came during a strange time when reports swirled that Lehner would need season-ending surgery. DeBoer denied them and the Vegas was on the bench for the team’s next game before it was announced a day later that Lehner would have a season-ending procedure on his shoulder. The situation was a complete mess, especially since reports of his injuries, which included a knee issue, began in February and he wasn’t shut down until late in the year. Assuming the relationship between the two sides hasn’t been damaged and he recovers from his ailments, Lehner has plenty of bounce-back appeal in 2022-23.
Jack Eichel – Eichel made his Vegas debut on Feb. 16 after he was acquired from Buffalo and recovered his neck procedure. He accounted for 14 goals and 25 points in 34 appearances. Eichel was also credited with 133 shots, 35 blocks and 45 hits. Eichel was acquired to center the top line between Stone and Pacioretty, but because of their injuries his most frequent linemates were Dadonov and Chandler Stephenson. It’s reasonable to expect more from Eichel in 2022-23 and he should improve with Stone and/or Pacioretty as wingers on his line. Cassidy’s arrival could also give the power play a much-needed boost. Having a full training camp will also be beneficial to Eichel.
Mark Stone – Stone attempted to play through a back issue for most of the 2021-22 season. He had been bothered by the problem since the end of last year’s postseason. Stone suited up in 37 games and compiled 30 points, including 21 assists. His absence was a colossal hole for Vegas due in large part to his superb play at both ends of the ice. The Golden Knights went 12-13-1 without him during a 26-game span from early February to early April. Stone underwent a lumbar discectomy in mid-May and he is projected to be ready for training camp. If he is healthy then he has plenty of rebound upside.
Max Pacioretty – Pacioretty was limited to 39 games during the 2021-22 season due to injuries. When he was in the lineup, he accounted for 19 goals and 18 assists. Pacioretty led the Golden Knights in points per game (0.95) and tied for the fourth-most power-play points (12) on the team despite missing more than half of the year. He piled up seven points, including three goals and 27 shots, in the final six games of the season. Pacioretty’s health will be a question mark going into 2022-23, but he is worth the risk because of his scoring ability and his knack for racking up shots on target.
