On Wednesday the NHL shared a list of notable stats from 2021, and the Vegas Golden Knights were highlighted for their amazing performance during the last calendar year.
Viva Las Vegas: The Golden Knights (61) will finish with the most regular-season wins among all teams in 2021. They are the sixth team in NHL history with 60+ regular-season wins in a calendar year (also Pittsburgh: 65 in 2013; Chicago: 64 in 2013; Philadelphia: 60 in 1985; Detroit: 60 in 1995; Montreal: 60 in 1978).
The Golden Knights will play their final game of 2021 tomorrow vs. the Anaheim Ducks, and will look to earn their 22nd win of the 2021-22 season, and their 62nd victory of 2021.
In 2021, Mark Stone led the team in scoring with 84 points in 74 games, Max Pacioretty led the team in goals with 36 in 64 games played, and Shea Theodore was the leader in points by a defenseman with 65. If Jonathan Marchessault were to record a hat trick in his next game, with Pacioretty simultaneously being kept off the scoresheet, he would become Vegas’ 2021 leader in goals.
For context, Stone was 15th in the league in scoring during this timeframe, Pacioretty was also 15th in goals although everyone ahead of him played more games. If you filter it to goals per 60, Pacioretty’s rate of 1.88 is second to only Auston Matthews’ rate of 2.19. Theodore’s 65 points put him seventh among all defenders, trailing Kris Letang, Quinn Hughes, Cale Makar, John Carlson, Victor Hedman, and Adam Fox.
Among goalies, former Golden Knights netminder Marc-Andre Fleury was one of the best goalies of 2021, and it makes sense considering he is the reigning Vezina winner. With the Golden Knights, Fleury posted a GSAA (goals saved above average) of 18.77 which was fourth in the NHL. His GSAx (goals saved above expected) was 19.87 which was No. 1 in the league, and put him 4.49 goals ahead of second place finisher Frederik Andersen per Evolving-Hockey.com.
Overall, it has been quite an impressive run for the Golden Knights, a team that should only become more dangerous and dynamic once Jack Eichel enters the lineup. Vegas is on quite a run right now with a record of 8-2-0 over the last 10 games played, and things are shaping up for 2022 to be an even better year.