There are many ups and downs over the course of an 82-game, or close to it, season. The Vegas Golden Knights were sitting pretty, in first place of the Pacific Division, at the time the season unexpectedly halted. Things were clearly looking up for the VGK and many good times were had.
A first-place position is great. Where else would a team want to be? Season three was panning out to be yet another success. Memory lane is the place to be, now that we’re left without hockey. It’s time to look back – it’s all we can do right now – at some of the Golden Knights’ best moments of the 2019-20 season.
Nic Hague and Zach Whitecloud Debut:
This past summer was a particularly fun one due to the implied roster battle taking place on the Golden Knights’ blue line. While the organization’s weak spot has been widely considered the defense, the pipeline throughout the system is quite deep.
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Two of the biggest names coming into the preseason were Nicolas Hague and Jimmy Schuldt. Schuldt was an NCAA standout, a Hobey Baker Finalist, and to some a shoo-in for a full-time job at the NHL level. Unfortunately, for he and Hague, Zach Whitecloud was the defenseman standing out. Whitecloud would eventually go down with an injury just before the season began.
Hague saw his first action in Game Two of the season and wasted no time acclimating himself to the action. He was right in the middle of a scrum with the heated rival San Jose Sharks in their own territory. He was shoved and asserted himself without a thought. Checking in at 6’5”, he can do that type of thing. As a bigger body, he’s always been very open about embracing the snarl of the game. Hague logged 38 games at the NHL, due in part to AHL demotions.
Hague’s play didn’t necessarily get him sent down. The Golden Knights have an abundance of bottom-pair defensemen. Deryk Engelland, Nick Holden, Jon Merrill, and Whitecloud all got time in Hague’s absence. Whitecloud’s shot came after a long stretch in the AHL. He continued his stellar play from the summer and has stuck with the NHL club since his initial call. He and Merrill were particularly effective together.
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Both young men are great players and even better people. Both Hague and Whitecloud are quick to mention the off-ice responsibilities just as much as the hockey. Whitecloud is very interested in being “the best person” possible, crediting his upbringing for that cognizance. These two players making their debuts, after spending the summer getting to know them better, was one of my personal favorite moments of the season.
Cody Glass Makes the Team and Scores:
Speaking of making the NHL club, the first-ever first round pick of the Vegas Golden Knights did that out of camp. Cody Glass suited up for opening night, in Vegas, and promptly scored his first NHL goal. Glass’ big night was guaranteed by injuries to Alex Tuch and Cody Eakin. In their absence, he slotted between Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone as the second line center. Not a bad draw of opening night wingers.
The trio worked together seamlessly for the 20-year-old’s first goal. Glass started the sequence when pressured the Sharks’ breakout attempt. Stone ended up with the puck and got it to Pacioretty on the right side of the Sharks’ zone. The sniper in Pacioretty, who had become somewhat of a confidant for the rookie, swung a backdoor pass to Glass. The rookie didn’t miss, netting his first-ever NHL goal, past none other than the beleaguered Martin Jones.
“I knew (Pacioretty) was going to find me somehow…..I just tried to get as much of it as I could and it ended up in the back of the net.”
Similarly to the Hague and Whitecloud debuts, it was amazing to see the youngster make a lifelong memory. He experienced his own ups and downs in 39 games with the club and while his rookie totals of five goals and seven assists are underwhelming to some, they’re nothing to scoff at. He has room to grow and shows flashes of just what type of player he can become.
Bellemare’s Return:
It’s well-documented that the Vegas Golden Knights have never stitched a captains’ “C” on one of their jerseys. During his time with the team, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare quickly became a fan-favorite. He’s visibly a team guy. He high-fives everyone in the tunnel, he play fights with Marc-Andre Fleury, and it doesn’t hurt that he’s soft-spoken and a decent-looking guy.
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Furthermore, he is the type of player willing to grind minutes. He plays the tough minutes and is relied upon for big defensive moments, important faceoffs, and leadership. He wore the “A” in Philadelphia and for good reason, received one of the handful given out in Vegas. He retained the assistant captain role until his departure last offseason. If he remained, Bellemare would have made a great first-ever captain.
When he returned to Vegas, with his new Colorado Avalanche team, Bellemare showed the Golden Knights what they let go. He took the opening faceoff and eventually scored on that same shift. Not even two minutes into the game and it was 1-0 Bellemare. Soon after his first goal and before his two assists on the night, the Golden Knights ran a beautiful tribute video for their former assistant captain.
Captured by my buddies Ken and Jason at Sinbin.vegas
Bellemare admittedly would have loved to stay in Vegas. He retained his home here, something he alluded to on locker clean-out day, following Year Two. To this day, he speaks fondly of the city and particularly the first season as an expansion club. During a May 12 interview on the Avalanche’s Instagram account, Bellemare proclaimed, “It was pretty sick. Sickest year of my life.”
The versatile center was seeking a multi-year deal, for he and his family’s stability and must not have gotten that from the Golden Knights. His two-year, $1.80 million AAV deal signed with the Avalanche is a fair one. It surprising that deal wasn’t topped, as it would have been nice to have him back. Nonetheless, his return, even in a dominating effort, was nice for the Vegas faithful. He’s still missed by many throughout the fanbase and got a rousing ovation when announced as a star of the game.
Robin Lehner Trade:
George McPhee and Kelly McCrimmon for that matter, never hesitate to make a splash at the trade deadline. Last season, the big fish was Mark Stone and he landed in Vegas along with an eight-year, $76 million contract extension. This season, the biggest move went to the Golden Knights, when they acquired the reigning Masterton Trophy winner in Robin Lehner.
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Lehner is a big-time player, can handle working in a tandem with a guy like Fleury, and gives the Golden Knights the netminding stability they’ve been searching for. He also gives the fans and the media a fun personality to interact with. He’s very personable and he’s active on Twitter. His panda GIFs and witty one-liners are legendary. It’s no shock he’s up for “Best Follow” in the NHL Fan Vote Awards.
His short-lived tenure with the Golden Knights has been a success. In a 50/50 playing time split with Fleury, Lehner is 3-0-0 with a 1.67 GAA and .940 SV%. He seems to be fitting in quite well. Once the season resumes, the Golden Knights will enjoy one of the best goalie tandems in the league and likely a long playoff run. Resigning the 28-year-old should be a priority of the club this offseason. Fleury needs the help and they will be hard-pressed to find a better option.
Hopefully this season will resume and soon. The Golden Knights had a third-straight playoff visit on the horizon and it would be a damn shame to see it go wasted. They’ve got a solid goaltending tandem and promising offensive depth. They were playing their best hockey of the season, right as the COVID shutdown came. Until play resumes, just remember the good times.
Share your favorite moments in the comments below or over on the Twitter! You can catch me daily on Twitter, talking hockey like the season is still in full swing!
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