Why the Vegas Golden Knights will be back in the playoffs in 2023
The Vegas Golden Knights missed out on the playoffs this past season for the first time in their history when they finished with the 2021-22 season with a record of 43-31-8.
The Golden Knights accumulated 94 points in their race for the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2021-22 leaving them just three points shy of the final wild card in the Western Conference.
The Knights looked like the favorites to win the Pacific Division when the 2021-22 season started, now a year later they are looking to get back into the mix and prove this past season was a fluke.
The Golden Knights are already starting next season at a disadvantage without goalie Robin Lehner who will miss the season with an injury. While losing Lehner will hurt the team, it definitely won’t stop them from getting back into the playoffs.
The Golden Knights were not going to rely on their goaltending to win games this upcoming season. They have stars like Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, William Karlsson, Reilly Smith, Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Theodore and Alec Martinez leading the charge on the ice. While we can sit and debate the direction this team is going in the next five seasons, the immediate future is still looking bright.
The Golden Knights will have a little over six million in cap space when the season starts once goalie Robin Lehner is placed on LTIR. This means they can go out and add a few more players in free agency to help build their roster for the season.
Vegas will find a way to make another splashy move before the season starts, and whatever they do will make them a better team next season.
Another big reason the Golden Knights will make the playoffs this upcoming season is their coach. Bruce Cassidy was a great addition to the team. Cassidy did great during his time in Boston and will consistently make the Golden Knights a tough team to play against in 2022-23.
The Knights struggled last season with injuries and they never really got into a groove all year. Despite their struggles, they were just three points shy of the playoffs. That is just another two wins away from making the postseason.
This will be the first full year of Jack Eichel with the Golden Knights, and there is no doubt this team will be a fun team to watch night in and night out. Vegas might have faltered in 2021-22, but they will not spiral out of control after one down season. This will be the Knights’ sixth season in the NHL, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this year ends with them playing for the Stanley Cup, stranger things have happened.