Comments / New

Knights Notes of Note: Stanley Cup Edition

Posted on by Tom Urtz Jr.
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone skates with the Stanley Cup after the Knights defeated the Florida Panthers 9-3 in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals Tuesday, June 13, 2023, in Las Vegas. The Knights won the series 4-1. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
  • Knights Notes of Note is a concept I debuted back in November, ran in December, and then it went on hiatus when all the crazy stuff went down at our former home which resulted in us going independent here, but now’s a great time to bring it back to recap the Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup victory.
  • Jonathan Marchessault was rightly awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs. You can read more about that below.

Jonathan Marchessault wins Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP
The Vegas Golden Knights completed a sensational postseason run with a 9-3 blowout win over the Florida Panthers in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final Tuesday night at T-Mobile Arena. Golden Knights thrash Panthers 9-3 in Game 5 to clinch first Stanley Cup in franchise historyThe Vegas Golden Knights
Knights On IceJillian Wagner

  • Per NHL Public Relations: Marchessault became the first undrafted player since Wayne Gretzky in 1988 to win Conn Smythe Trophy.
  • Among players to make their NHL debut since the first draft in 1963, Marchessault is the seventh different undrafted player to claim playoff MVP honors, following Gretzky (2x), Bernie Parent (2x), Bobby Orr (2x), Yvan Cournoyer, Serge Savard and Roger Crozier.
  • He was an absolute menace in the playoffs, and he led the team with a 66.74 xGF%, a 55.83 CF%, and was 2nd with a 79.49 GF% in 5v5 situations. Michael Amadio posted a 84.62 GF%, but appeared in 194 minutes whereas Marchessault skated 383 minutes.
  • Then there’s Jack Eichel, who finished 1st in scoring with a line of 6-20-26 in 22 games, and a player who is the team’s biggest superstar.
  • Eichel’s advanced metrics were just as strong as Marchessault, and he finished with a slash line that includes a 63.82 xGF%, a 53.6 CF%, and a 77.78 GF% in 418 minutes at 5v5.
  • He “only” scored 6 goals, but Eichel was dynamic throughout the postseason run. He was a dual threat capable of sniping a shot at any moment that could just as easily thread a pass through a tight seam, and the opposition struggled with shutting him down for an extended period offensively.
Breaking T
  • Then there’s the captain Mr. Expressive. Mark Stone underwent two significant back surgeries in a short period of time, and worked very hard to get back into the lineup where he could be a significant contributor for the Golden Knights which was punctuated with a hat trick in Game 5.
  • Stone finished 3rd in team scoring with a line of 11-13-24, and was a strong 200-foot player that generated his own offense by making smart defensive plays.
  • He got the team on the board in Game 1, and it was the quintessential Mark Stone play.

0:00

/

TNT
  • There was also this goal in Game 1 which game the team some breathing room, and in a way set the tone for the series.

0:00

/

TNT
  • Chandler Stephenson hoisted the Stanley Cup for the 2nd time in his career on Tuesday, and it was also the 2nd time he did so at T-Mobile Arena. He was part of the Washington Capitals squad that dispatched the Golden Knights during their inaugural campaign, and he was an even more impactful player age 28 than he was when he debuted at 23.

  • Stephenson had a career year in points with 65 in 81 games while averaging 19:01 a night. In the playoffs he ran the Golden Knights’ 2nd line flanked by Brett Howden on the left, and Stone on the right. The trio ended the playoffs with a 56.48 GF%, a 46.99 CF%, and a 54.69 xGF% which was very solid.
  • Individually, Stephenson had a slash line that included a 55.17 GF%, a 46.53 CF%, and a 54.33 xGF% to go along with his 10 goals and 10 assists. He gave Vegas exactly what they needed, and overall had an exceptional year.
  • Before the trade deadline there were rumors that the Golden Knights would be part of the Timo Meier sweepstakes.

Source: Golden Knights ‘in hard’ on Sharks’ Timo Meier trade sweepstakes
Could the Vegas Golden Knights put together a trade package for Sharks forward Timo Meier?
Yahoo SportsSheng Peng

  • It seemed unlikely that he’d end up in Vegas given that the San Jose Sharks are a rival and there’d be teams who would likely give up more, and he ultimately ended up going to New Jersey.
  • The team’s major trade deadline acquisition was Ivan Barbashev, a player that had a career year with the St. Louis Blues in 2021-22 that saw him post a line of 26-34-60 in 81 games.

Vegas Golden Knights Acquire Ivan Barbashev from St. Louis Blues
The Vegas Golden Knights have made a move to add some depth to their team for the rest of the season and playoffs, and have done so by acquiring Ivan Barbashev. Trade: Vegas has acquired Ivan Barbashev from the Blues for a prospect. — Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) February 26, 2023 Update:
Knights On IceTom Urtz Jr.

  • At the time of the trade, Barbashev had just 29 points (10 goals and 19 assists) in 59 games. He skated in 23 games with the Golden Knights and potted 6 goals while picking up 10 helpers to finish with a very respectable 16 points.
  • “Barbie” continued to party in the playoffs as part of the Golden Knights’ top line, and was an active contributor that got to the dirty areas of the ice. He had a goals for percentage of 70, a 48.87 CF%, and an xGF% of 61.13 to go along with 7 goals and 11 assists.
  • He also played a very physical game, and was someone who made his presence known throughout the playoffs, especially the Cup Final.

  • In total, Barbashev skated in 45 games with the Golden Knights and tallied 13 goals and 21 assists for 34 points. He’s a pending free agent that deserves to get a nice raise, and he was the perfect complimentary player that the team needed.
  • Before we move on to defense and goaltending, just a few quick notes on some more forwards.
  • William Karlsson and Reilly Smith were also very solid for the Golden Knights, and two Original Misfits who were rewarded for their efforts.
  • Karlsson finished with 11 goals and 17 points, and was a monster in all three zones. He was someone that Jillian strongly felt was deserving of some Conn Smythe consideration, and the results back that up.

Knights On Ice Conn Smythe Watch Thoughts and Predictions
After the Stanley Cup Final, a group of voters will select the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as MVP of the playoffs. Here’s who we think could win.
Knights On IceTom Urtz Jr.

  • Smith had 4 goals and 10 assists, and was a tertiary option that played his role well after being one of the team’s main contributors in the regular season.

  • Then there’s Nic Roy, Michael Amadio, Brett Howden, William Carrier, and Keegan Kolesar. This group of forwards played in a variety of roles during the regular season, and in the playoffs served important roles.
Evolving-Hockey.com
  • At times they needed to play keep away with the puck cycling around. At other times they needed to just shut things down with great defense, and then there were moments they got physical to throw the opposition off their game.
  • Each worked well with their respective linemates and gave the team tremendous depth that allowed the top guys to get the rest they needed. No one was really a liability, and that’s not something you can say about the bottom and middle six of most playoff teams.
  • The defense corps for the Golden Knights performed very well in the post season, and collectively supported each other quite well.
  • In terms of time on ice, the team had two top pairs logging just over 321 minutes each. That includes Alec Martinez and Alex Pietrangelo as the top pair, and Nic Hague and Zach Whitecloud on the 2nd unit.
  • The pair of Martinez-Pietrangelo was on the ice for 65.2% of the goals for, had a CF% of 46.84, and an xGF% of 51.79. The Hague-Whitecloud duo respectively had a GF% of 71.14, a CF% of 45.64, and an xGF% of 51.54.

  • Lastly you had Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore, and the pair posted a GF% of 62.17, a CF% of 50.67, and an xGF% of 54.33.

  • Overall, the Vegas defense did an excellent job keeping Florida away from the slot and around the net. They forced shots to the outside, and controlled the middle of the ice which you can see from this visual created by Micah Blake McCurdy.
  • Last, and certainly not least, there’s the goaltending. This will be primarily about Adin Hill, although Laurent Brossoit did start the playoffs for the Golden Knights, and led the team to victory vs. the Winnipeg Jets.
  • Adin Hill entered the picture in Round 2 vs. the Edmonton Oilers after Brossoit was injured on May 6, and it was his first appearance since March 7. He stopped 4 shots in a Game that Vegas lost, and made his first start on May 8 which was a 24-save shutout.
  • The next game was a little tougher and saw him give up 4 goals on 33 shots, but from that point he got into a groove that saw him win 5 in a row with his next loss coming in overtime vs. the Dallas Stars.

  • Overall, Hill went 11-4 for the Knights while posting a .932 save percentage and a 2.17 goals against average. He also had 2 shutouts. He also has a GSAA (goals saved above average) of 12.4, and a GSAx (goals saved above expected) of 13.13.
  • It was a performance for the ages by Hill, and one that will be remember in Vegas for a very long time, especially his Game 1 save.
Breaking T
  • And finally there’s Bruce Cassidy, who was hired on this day one year ago.

  • The team needed something different after firing Pete DeBoer, and Cassidy proved the be right fit. He was a very successful coach for the Boston Bruins who luckily became available, and didn’t remain unemployed very long. He found lines that worked, was able to change things up when the team had injuries, and put a system in place that was able to work regardless of who was in net.
  • I am going to end things here because this is already pretty long. Be on the lookout for more content following the Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup win, and check this landing page out for some stories if you haven’t already done so.

Knights on Ice: Golden Knights Stanley Cup Round Up
June 13, 2023 will forever be known as the day the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Florida Panthers to capture the Stanley Cup.
Knights On IceTom Urtz Jr.

Stats via Evolving-Hockey and Hockey-Reference unless otherwise noted.

Talking Points