Fresh from capturing their first Stanley Cup, the Vegas Golden Knights are looking to repeat next season. Normally, this isn’t an easy task. You have the other 31 teams vying for NHL supremacy, along with superstars like Connor McDavid and David Pastrnak.
Still, it’s possible to repeat if Vegas makes one addition (or two). This issue has been a boogeyman for the Golden Knights since their inaugural season. However, fixing this problem will make them a full-blown juggernaut.
No, this issue is not injuries. Injuries happen in sports all the time, especially in the NHL. Hockey is a physical sport with plenty of contact. What has happened in the past couple of years for the Golden Knights happens in other sports, too.
Here’s the offseason move the Golden Knights must make to repeat as Stanley Cup champions. You can say this move will give them more… power.
The Golden Knights Need A Better Power Play
In 2022-2023, the Golden Knights had a power play percentage of 20.3%. Not only was that below the league average of 21.31%, but their power play was 18th in the NHL.
This has been a problem that’s bugged the Golden Knights for so long. Before their Stanley Cup victory, their last two playoff appearances saw stats of 18.2% (2019-2020) and 9.3% (2020-2021).
The man advantage has always been an array of disorganization for the Knights. The guys are never in position, the attack is always too fast-paced, and players try too hard to make plays. It’s been a catastrophic mess that doomed Stanley Cup hopes for Vegas in the past.
Before this season, the past six Stanley Cup champions had solid power play attacks, ranking in the top ten or better. The worst was the St. Louis Blues, who placed 10th in the NHL in this category (21.10%). Vegas was fortunate to buck the trend in the playoffs when the power play cranked it up.
How Does Vegas Fix This?
Getting solid special teams for ages establishes dynasties in the NHL. Back in the late 1990s-early 2000s, the Detroit Red Wings were an unstoppable force. No, it wasn’t just because of Steve Yzerman, Nicklas Lidstrom, or Mike Ilitch’s checkbook.
A big part of Detroit’s dominant run was because of a player named Tomas Holmstrom. The Swede made his living on the power play, scoring 122 power-play goals in his career. That is good enough to rank third all-time in Red Wings history.
Holmstrom would camp out in front of defensemen and netminders, sacrificing his body to make their lives miserable. Without him, Detroit doesn’t establish itself as the dominant force in the NHL during the 1990s and early 2000s.
Vegas needs a guy like this to take abuse upfront and cause chaos. With this, the Golden Knights will unlock their man advantage further, making them an unstoppable force. They acquired Jack Eichel in 2021-2022 and bolstered this unit, so why not make it even better?
Who Do They Go To?
No, Connor Bedard isn’t going to the Golden Knights and make everything better. He definitely won’t be on the board at No.32. But Vegas can get a bigger body than the Regina Pats megastar.
Enter Charlie Stramel, formerly of Wisconsin Badger fame. Stramel is a sizable player, standing at six-foot-three and weighing in at 212 pounds. The center is a perfect fit for the Knights, who’ve become known as a sizable team.
He also demonstrates high-level hockey IQ and makes the necessary passes everywhere. In the past, Vegas has had issues with such aspects of the power play. This would be a welcome addition for a team looking to repeat.
Another prospect to watch for is Nick Lardis. While not as big as Stramel, Lardis has a knack for scoring. He’s a cerebral goal scorer at that, setting up his shots with precision while displaying excellent puck control. You also can’t go wrong with Daniil But, who’s an excellent finisher and has even more size.
Golden Knights Free Agent Targets
But what about the free agent market? What if someone like Stramel or Lardis doesn’t strike their fancy? They could try for a star like Ryan O’Reilly, who has 73 career PP goals and is a big body. Same thing with Michael Bunting.
But how much would the Golden Knights be willing to pay for such players? These options are unlikely since Bunting and O’Reilly would probably fetch good deals.
Perhaps they could take on a player like Eric Staal if they want cheaper options. They could also try to get back Ivan Barbashev on a hometown discount, especially since he’s become a fan favorite in Vegas.
I think it’s more likely that Vegas goes younger and cheaper, sticking with a draft pick to fill the role. The Golden Knights tend to make calculated moves, so a short-term deal or draft pick is possible here.
The Time Is Now
Next season, the Vegas Golden Knights will have a target on their back. Many teams will make the necessary adjustments to dethrone the Knights. Just look at the Colorado Avalanche and their acquisition of Ryan Johansen. It’s already happening.
The Pacific Division is getting better by the day, too. The Seattle Kraken have a youth movement that’s arriving. The Los Angeles Kings are one superstar away from becoming Stanley Cup contenders (Auston Matthews? Stay tuned).
Anaheim is building something nice in Orange County, and everyone knows about Edmonton. To fend off the competition, the Golden Knights must take advantage of the man advantage.
That starts and ends with some minor additions that’ll end up being major down the road. Luckily, Bruce Cassidy and Kelly McCrimmon have a plan. That’s what won them the Stanley Cup a couple of weeks ago, after all.
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