Locked On Golden Knights - Daily Podcast On the Vegas Golden Knights

The Golden Knights had a successful road trip to say the least, as they collected nine of ten points going 4-0-1.  VGK rounded out the trip Saturday with 3-2 win at Columbus.  Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb scored his first goal of the season to give VGK the win.  Mitch Marner had three assists in the game bringing his road trip total to seven points.  The Golden Knights collected nine of ten road points.  We also discuss whether Noah Hanifin will make the USA Olympic Team.  And, two trades will impact the Pacific Division. 

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The Golden Knights were beneficiaries of a huge turnover in overtime as Travis Koneckny fanned while attempting to clear the puck and Jack Eichel picked it up and waited for Mark Stone to crash the net before sending a dime across the crease for the Captain to bury.  VGK also had a Stone power play and a Zach Whitecloud goal in the contest.  The Golden Knights 3-2 victory gave them seven points on the road trip.  We preview Saturday's game vs CBJ.  The Blue Jackets are slumping as they have lost four straight.  And we have our WTF comments. 

Will Carter Hart face his former team amid controversy and ESPN hype?  VGK meets an improved Flyers team tonight in Philadelphia.  As of press time we aren't sure if Carter Hart will get the start between the pipes against his former team.  He has missed 22 months of action due to his legal issues and signed with VGK when his league-mandated suspension was over. The Flyers are playing solid defensively and are in the Top 10 for fewest goals allowed.  Rick Tocchet's coaching style has his team playing strong in the neutral zone.  We talk about a projected Canadian Olympic roster that...

VGK blew a 2-0 lead in the first period and had to rally late to force overtime. But the Golden Knights fell in a shootout in four rounds, as two players failed to even put the puck on net.  The poor performance in shootouts remains a concern as VGK dropped its ninth overtime/shootout game of the season.  Pavel Dorofeyev scored his first goal in ten games late in the contest to force the extra period and give VGK a point.  We discuss Carter Hart's usage, as he started his second consecutive game.  Why have the Golden Knights used him...

The Golden Knights might be facing their most difficult task of the road trip tonight as they face the Islanders - a team that beat the Lightning twice and handed Colorado just its second regulation loss in 29 games.  VGK is looking to extend its win streak to five games and stay undefeated on this road trip.  The VGK oppose hot goalie Ilya Sorokin, who was named the NHL's First Star of the Week.  VGK needs to have more ice time for Tomas Hertl.  His expected goals with two sets of linemates rank in the Top 20 according to Money Puck. And...

After taking a 1-nothing lead through the first period on former Ranger Brett Howden’s goal, VGK saw New York put 17 shots on goal in the second period.  Luckily, Carter Hartand the Golden Knights did weather the storm.  The Rangers scored twice to take a 2-1 lead.  VGK tied the game late in the third period Thomas Hertl scored his 13th goal with just 52 seconds to go. Eichel's goal came with just :08 to go in overtime lifting VGK to its fourth straight win and second on this road trip.  The Golden Knights blanked the Devils on Friday in New Jersey...

VGK rides a two-game win streak into the Prudential Center in Newark Friday night, against the Devils, who have dropped three straight.  VGK's goalie situation remains unsettled as Jesper Vykman was called up early Friday morning.  The Golden Knights then travel to New York to meet the Rangers Sunday. Each opponent is missing a key cog - the Devils are without Jack Hughes, the Rangers are playing minus Adam Fox. New Jersey has declining attendance and the Rangers are a team that can't win at home. We also have our WTF segment with fan comments. 

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Mitch Marner has been lining up on the second line lately as the left wing.  Maybe one of the reasons why he doesn't seem comfortable is because he is a right-handed shooter playing out of position. He is comfortable at the point on the power play unit, but as we've pointed out, he's moved around and still hasn't found his footing.  But Marner still is scoring at nearly a point per game clip. Marner needs to settle in.  We discuss the challenging road trip and we predict the amount of points the VGK is expected to gain.  And, we talk...

Bruce Cassidy finally called on Shea Theodore in the fourth round of the shootout vs Chicago Tuesday night.  Theo responded with the game-winner and improved to 9-20 on the shootout in his career.  Chris was critical of Cassidy not using Theodore in the shootout loss to the Senators a week ago.  The win lifted VGK to its first OT/SO victory in eight chances.  Tuesday also marked the first appearance for goalie Carter Hart, who comes off his NHL-mandated suspension for the Hockey Canada incident.  Both he and Hawks goalie Spencer Knight sparkled at times, especially in the OT perio...

Bruce Cassidy would not say who will start in net for VGK Tuesday night against the Blackhawks. Both Carter Hart, who is eligible to play following his suspension, and Akira Schmid were on the ice at Monday's practice.  The Golden Knights are looking to close out the homestand with a win before they hit the road. Meanwhile Bruce Cassidy rotated Brendan Saad and Reilly Smith on the third line Monday. Both players were scratched in the previous game vs San Jose.  We could see these two battle for playing time.  And we have our Locks of the Knight. 

Carter Hart has been called up to VGK.  His suspension is over, and there have been reports that he will start in net vs the Blackhawks Tuesday night. Hart has been playing in AHL Henderson until his suspension was lifted.  He had a 3.07 goals against average and a .839 save percentage.   We also discuss Bruce Cassidy scratching two regulars Saturday night: Brandon Saad and Reilly Smith.  We recap VGK-MTL and VGK-SJS. 

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The Golden Knights dropped their eighth overtime decision to the Ottawa Senators 4-3, this time in a shootout.  Pavel Dorofeyev, Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner were all blanked in the shootout period.  Shane Pinto scored the only shootout goal.   The game marked the return of Mark Stone.  He had some big hits and scored the equalizer in the third period.  VGK got off to a poor start again and dropped its seventh consecutive overtime/shootout decision.  These are trends that Bruce Cassidy wants to reverse.  We have previews of the upcoming games versus the Canadians and the Sharks and we have...

Ottawa, the only Canadian team in playoff contention at American Thanksgiving, visits the Fortress tonight.  VGK tries to get back on track after going 1-2-2 in its last five home games.  Ottawa is a team that is 2-1 on its current road trip.  There is a chance that Brady Tkachuk could be in the lineup for the first time since October, as he has been skating on the road swing.  VGK needs to make sure it protects the puck and wins board battles against the Sens.  We talk about Nashville and Vancouver looking to unload some of their veter...

The Mammoth’s Logan Cooley scored four straight goals on a five point night as Utah defeats the Golden Knights 5-to-1.  Cooley had two empty net goals as VGK lost board battles.  Bruce Cassidy said VGK is not a good starting team and Utah is.  The Mammoth scored twice, including Cooley's first goal in the opening period.  Cassidy said VGK responded well in the second period, but all they had to show for it was a Ivan Barbeshev goal.  Cooley signed an eight-year, $80-million contract extension last month.  We talk about Jack Eichel's increase in turnovers this season.  And, what will...

VGK fell in overtime 4-3 to the Anaheim Ducks Saturday night at the Pond.  It was a Mitch Marner turnover in front of his own net that gifted the Ducks Cutter Gauthier with the game winner.  The loss in O-T dropped VGK to 1-7 in the extra period and the Golden Knights have lost six straight overtime games.  VGK gave up leads of 2-0 and 3-2.  For the first time this season an opponent had more than 30 shots on goal.  Jack Eichel had two more assists, Tomas Hertl scored on the power play, and Braeden Bowman and Shea Theodore also...

The Golden Knights points streak reached five games as they took down the Utah Mammoth in SLC last night 4-1.  Jack Eichel broke out of his slump with two goals and an assist in the contest.  Braeden Bowman and Ben Hutton also added goals.  Akira Schmid stopped 25 of 26 shots on net.  We preview VGK-Ducks for Saturday night and we have a 10-game check-in.  Plus our WTF segment.

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The Golden Knights will face the slumping Mammoth in SLC twice in the next three games.  Utah has lost the past three games in overtime all by identical 3-2 scores. Utah had a seven game win streak at one point, but have gone 2-8 since.  The key is to keep the Mammoth under three goals. The are 1-7 when they score two or fewer goals. VGK will try to continue its power play scoring spree with 5 goals on the man-advantage over the past three games. We also size up the next dozen games in which VGK plays only four co...

The Golden Knights hung on to defeat the NY Rangers 3-2.  It halted a Rangers road six-game win streak and put an end to a VGK four-game home ice losing streak for the VGK.   Braeden Bowman, Ben Hutton and Shea Thedore scored goals.  Two defensemen scored and there were two power play goals for VGK.  We talk about the VGK power play clicking again with five goals on the man-advantage in the last three games. Shea Theodore scored one of the power play goals.  He is stating to heat up with points in the past four games. 

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VGK comes off a three-point road swing in St. Louis and Minnesota.  The Golden Knights come home for a game vs the New York Rangers, a team that is tied for the NHL lead with road wins at 9.  VGK was able to get complimentary scoring on the road. Will they see some carryover tonight against a well-balanced Rangers lineup. VGK's Mitch Marner became the first player in franchise history to reach the 20 point plateau in just 18 games.  VGK will look for Marner and Jack Eichel to break through in the goal-scoring column.  We talk about the rankings for the top...

The Golden Knights split a pair of games over the weekend but banked three points in the process.  VGK had an easy time disposing of the slumping Blues in St. Louis Saturday night 4-1.  Brandon Saad and Noah Hanifin each scored their first goal of the season.  And, Braeden Bowman scored his first NHL goal.  Sunday, the Golden Knights forced overtime on a Reilly Sith third period goal.  But VGK fell in overtime on a Shea Theodore penalty giving the Wild a man advantage late.  Kirill Kaprizov potted the game winning goal with :09 remaining.  VGK walks away with three big poi...

J-G Pageau a shorthanded goal in overtime to send the Golden Knights to their fourth straight loss. The Islanders topped VGK 4-3.  VGK fell to 1-3-2 on the homestand.  The Golden Knights trailed 2-0 in the game but they battled back and took the lead 3-2 before Matt Barzal forced overtime after Patrick Roy pulled goalie Ilya Sorokin with three minutes left in regulation.  In the extra period, Shea Theodore and Tomas Hertl each hit posts.  The Islanders were penalized for too many men on the ice.  But Tomas Hertl lost the faceoff in his own end.  And, Pageau...

The Golden Knights are looking to break a three-game losing skid as the Islanders come to town Thursday night.  VGK looks to get a win in the compact Pacific Division, where they have momentarily slipped to fifth place.  The Isles have won two straight.  VGK needs to get depth scoring and clean up the stagnant power play unit if they want to prevail.  We discuss Carter Hart and whether the controversial goalie gets a start Saturday in AHL Henderson.   And, we have our Locks, Props and Chance for tonight's game.

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How will the Golden Knights handle adversity?  VGK has fallen behind four teams in the Pacific. In the West – VGK is in a four way tie for ninth place overall.  If the Golden Knights defeat the Islanders Thursday, they can move up to second in the Pacific.  But after that, VGK goes on the road for five of six games.  There is parity in the Pacific because every team except for Calgary, made improvements over the off-season.  Should VGK have added depth pieces rather than spending $12m for Mitch Marner?  And we discuss how the injury bug has affected VGK so f...

The Golden Knights lost their third straight game on home ice falling to the Florida Panthers for a second time this season 3-2.  The Golden Knights spotted the Panthers a 2-0 lead after two periods. For a second game VGK outshot their opponents in the third period with a late push.  In Monday's game, VGK outshot the Panthers 14-1 in the final period, but the only shot for Florida was the winning goal on the power play by Sam Reinhart.  Over the past two games VGK outshot opponents 33-7.  Tomas Hertl and Ivan Barbashev scored goals for the Golden Knig...

A Shea Theodore turnover cost VGK a chance at a come-from-behind win against the Ducks Saturday night.  VGK charged back in the third period to force the game into overtime, tied at 3 and Theodore lost board battle in the Anaheim zone. Jacob Trouba goes five hole on Akira Schmid to give the Ducks two points. 4-3 final Anaheim. It was in the final seconds of overtime.  The Golden Knights outshot the Ducks 21-6 in the third, and scored twice to tie the game. VGK lost William Karlsson after he skated in the first period. He is listed as day-to-day.  VGK...

The Golden Knights dropped a 6-3 decision to the Tampa Bay Lightning Thursday night at the Fortress.  VGK started off hot behind a pair of Ivan Barbashev goals.  They took a 2-0 lead.  Bruce Cassidy said it was the best opening period they have had.  Mith Marner was back skating with Jack Eichel on the top line. Marner collected three points on the night. After that, it was all Tampa. Nikita Kucherov countered with a 3-point game including two goals.  Up next the Anaheim Ducks come to town, the Pacific-division leaders.  They have a good mix of youth and vetera...

VGK hosts Tampa Bay tonight looking to avenge an early season 2-1 road loss.  The Lightning have won five of six.  A report says Adin Hill will be out months.  And, our Locks, Predictions and Chance segment.

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Akira Schmid notched his first shutout for the Golden Knights, a 1-0 gem, as VGK defeated the visiting Detroit Red Wings at T-Mobile Arena.  Ivan Barbashev scored the only goal of the game off a rebound of a Brandon Saad shot. Barbashev poked the puck past John Gibson in the second period.  A second goal by Jeremy Lauzon in the third was waived off for a Brett Howden offside upon review.  We revisit the Jack Eichel trade four years later.  And we talk about the Henderson Silver Knights who are on a seven game win streak.

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The Golden Knights will try to bounce back against the Detroit Red Wings tonight.  VGK has won just once in the past four games at 1-2-1.  Meanwhile, Detroit is atop the Atlantic Division tied with Montreal.  The Wings have banked six of eight points on the road trip.  They have a good mix of youth and veterans.  We should see former Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson between the pipes tonight.  VGK should benefit with the return of Noah Hanifin, who has been out since the opening game of the season.  He will be paired with Zach Whitecloud.  Ben Hutton i...

VGK had just 23 shots on goal against the Avalanche Friday, and Bruce Cassidy was not happy with the team overpassing and not putting the puck on net more often.  The Golden Knights fell to the Avs 4-2.  They railed 2-0 early and Cassidy said the team is lacking a sense of urgency.  VGK's Jack Eichel is the NHL’s First Star of the Month of October. In 11 games Eichel had 19 points including eight goals.  And on Marner Monday, we talk about Mitch Marner's move to the top of the power play unit.

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The Golden Knights return home to the Fortress for a six-game homestand after a three-game road swing produced three points.  VGK will be playing without Noah Hanifin, who hasn't played since the opener, and Colton Sissons who missed one game on the road trip. VGK plays a potent Avs team which just signed forward Martin Nechas to an 8-year $10m AAV extension.  This will be just the second meeting between VGK and Colorado on Nevada Day.  We have our picks and predictions and our WTF feature.

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Noah Hanifin could return Friday for the Nevada Day matinee.  It will be the first time he will be in uniform with VGK since opening night.  He will definitely help the defensive corps.  Could Eichel and Dorofeyev keep up the pace?  Gawlik's Mik Carton. 

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Jack Eichel had a rough start on his birthday being crosschecked, hit and turning the puck over on a botched play that led to a Hurricanes goal.  But the league's leading scorer took over the game in the final five minutes scoring twice to lead VGK to a 6-3 win at Carolina.  The Golden Knights went 2-0 vs the Canes this season.  Eichel also had an assist.  He has 19 points through 10 games,  Pavel Dorofeyev also had two goals.  Mitch Marner had two assists.  Did a Brett Howden goal ignite secondary scoring for VGK?  Fans should hope so.  He centered the fourt...

VGK is hoping to score goals tonight in Charlotte against the Hurricanes.  They have just one goal in two games in Florida.  The injuries continue to add up. VGK could play without fourth line center Colton Sissons. He left the ice in the first period in Tampa and didn't return on Sunday. It's VGK's third game in four days.  The Canes return home after a six-game road trip. We have concerns about VGK's scoring drought and we offer our Locks of the Knight and Chris' chance bets.

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The Golden Knights scored just one goal in two games over the weekend.  They were blanked by the Florida Panthers, 3-0 Saturday.  And, they lost in O.T. to the Lightning in Tampa Sunday, 2-1.  The Golden Knights looked lethargic in Saturday's loss.  The twice defending champions suffocated VGK in that game.  VGK had four days off before traveling to South Florida and they looked out of sync.  On Sunday, William Karlsson scored the only goal.  A Shea Theodore turnover in overtime led to Nikita Kucherov game winner.  Carl Lindbom got his first NHL start and stopped 26 of 28 shots.  And we di...

VGK will receive $2.5 million in LTIR cap space with Mark Stone on the long term injured reserve list.  He cannot return until November 15 at the earliest.  Stone has been on LTIR the past four years at some point of the season with a variety of injuries.  Currently he has a wrist injury.  We preview back-to-back games against two slumping teams.  Florida has won once in the last six games and Tampa started the season 1-4-2.  We should see the debut of VGK netminder Carl Lindbom Sunday.  And it's WTF with listener and viewer comments.

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It's next man up for VGK as Bruce Cassidy announced goalie Adin Hill is out week-to-week, which in NHL terms could be a while, at least a couple of weeks.  In his place VGK recalled Carl Lindbom from Henderson.  The Golden Knights also called up defenseman Jaycob Megna, the Silver Knights captain. VGK was playing with just six defensemen and didn't have any depth.  Noah Hanifin was added to the I.R. list - so he will miss the next two games at a minimum. He could return for VGK on Tuesday in Charlotte.  Brett Howden could return Saturday for...

Is VGK the top team in the NHL in the early-going?  Well CBS Sports currently ranks the Golden Knights as the top team in the league in its power rankings.  VGK and Colorado are the only two teams that havent suffered a regulation loss yet.  We talk about Pavel Dorofeyev's EDGE stats. His metrics show he's trending up.  And, VGK's defense has stepped up, especially over the past two games.

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Ivan Barbeshev's two point night (1G 1A) lifted VGK past Carolina 4-1 and knocked the Canes out of the unbeaten ranks. With VGK leading 2-1 i the third period, a controversial Barbeshev goal gave the Golden Knights an insurance goal.  He beat the Canes K'Andre Miller after a crossover move, but a replay shows it could have been a slash on the VGK player to get separation. No penalty was called however.  Pavel Dorofeyev, Jack Eichel and William Karlsson also scored a goal. VGK played without Mark Stone who is listed as week-to-week with a wrist injury. Goalie Adin Hi...

VGK comes off Saturday's romp over Calgary, 6-1.  Mitch Marner joined the party with his first two goals as a member of the Golden Knights. Jack Eichel and Mark Stone had four point games.  Eichel now leads the league with 15 points and Stone has an NHL best 11 assists. There is concern that Stone might have a wrist injury sustained in the win over Calgary.  He left the ice in the third period and didn't return.  We preview VGK-Carolina tonight and we have our Locks of the Knight.

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William Karlsson potted the game-winner on a power play goal in VGK's 6-5 victory over the visiting Boston Bruins.  Karlsson also had a shorthanded goal in the win.  Pavel Dorofeyev also notched his 6th goal and Jack Eichel became the first player to tally 10 points this season in the NHL.  We address the controversial signing of Carter Hart and how VGK handled the announcement.  And, it's WTF Day. 

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VGK will put its five-game win streak against the East on the line against the Bruins at T-Mobile Arena tonight.  The Golden Knights, who have banked points in all four games this season, are still looking for their first home win.  They will face a Boston team that has a 3-1 record in the early going.  Bruce Cassidy will face his former team. We talk about what could be holding up a deal for Carter Hart.  And, we have our Locks, Props and Chance segment. 

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The Golden Knights came back from a 2-0 deficit last night to defeat the Flames in Calgary 4-2.  VGK struck three times in the third period.  Calgary now has been outscored in the final period of its last three games 10-1.  VGK lost goalie Adin Hill to a lower body injury.  He stayed in the game in the first period but was replaced by Akira Schmid, who made 19 saves, stopping every shot he faced.  Jack Eichel had two goals to lift VGK.  He's up to a league-leading 9 points. We are also on Carter Hart Watch today as its the first...

The Golden Knights visit division opponent Calgary tonight on the road at the Saddledome.  Each team is trying to get its second win on the young season.  VGK is still hoping to score the first goal of the game for the first time this season.  VGK has been playing from behind in its first three games, for the most part.  The Flames only win was against Edmonton in a shootout.  They are looking for more consistency and to play a complete game.  We also talk about the new $9m AAV x 8 contract for 21-year old Lane Hutson in Montreal becaus...

Pavel Dorofeyev becomes a restricted free agent at the end of the season.  VGK is probably already working on a strategy to resign him.  Kyle Stitch of AFP Analytics tells us Dorofeyev's value during the off-season was $7.2 million times five years.  We are sure that number went up after the hot start by the VGK forward who has five goals, including four on the power play, in three games.  This is the next order of business - to lock down Dorofeyev long term. VGK has banked four points in three games, and fortunately they have that many points.  Saturday in Se...

The Golden Knights pulled out a 4-3 overtime victory Thursday night in San Jose when Alex  Nedeljkovic  came all the way out to his blue line to try and move the puck.  Reilly Smith poked the puck away and Shea Theodore fed it to Smith who was all alone for what amounted to an empty netter. The Sharks were on the verge of closing out the game but William Eklund couldn't put in the clinching goal on an empty net.  First he shot wide, then his wraparound attempt was blocked by Shea Theodore.  Jack Eichel's dump-in took a wicked bounc...

The Golden Knights lost the home opener to the L.A. Kings 6-5 in a shootout last night.  There was a lot of buzz before the game as Jack Eichel signed a new contract that will keep him in Las Vegas for eight more years. The opener also marked the debut of Mitch Marner.  Eichel had a four point night with one goal.  He had five shots.  Marner had two assists.  But it was Pavel Dorofeyev who tallied his third career hat trick, after coming back from a preseason injury. VGK battled back from a 3-1 deficit. They tied it at...

It's a new era for VGK as tonight marks the debut of superstar winger Mitch Marner, who was acquired by the Golden Knights from Toronto in the off-season.  He will open on the same line as Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbeshev.  There have been a lot of reports that both sides are trying get a deal done for Eichel before the season starts this evening. Emily Kaplan last night said she’s heard there has been a lot of urgency to get a Jack Eichel contract extension done. VGK faces division rival L.A.  The Kings will come in on th...

With Conner McDavid signing a two-year, $25 million contract extension, we opine whether Jack Eichel will sign a team-friendly, short term deal.  Eichel's contract expires at the end of this season.  Will Eichel look for a long term contract of 7 or eight years?  Will he sign for a shorter deal due to the escalation of the salary cap?  He is rumored to want AAV to be between $13-14 million.  Also, we talk about the VGK opening day roster.  And, our thoughts on why Bruce Cassidy deserves an extension.

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The Golden Knights lost to the San Jose Sharks 4-1 Friday and head into the season at 3-4 in exhibition play.  Adin Hill was not impressive in the final dress rehearsal.  The Golden Knights Alexander Holtz scored the only goal for his team.  Holtz is making a strong push to make the roster or be the first callup.  And, Eichel and Marner are top 15 players in our Locked On Network Top 100. 

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The Golden Knights will look to play well tonight vs the Sharks in the final preseason tuneup.  Adin Hill said he's hoping VGK wins to take some momentum into Wednesday's season opener.  We will see most of the regulars in the lineup against the Sharks.  VGK will also try to get the upper hand as they play at San Jose in a week in the second game of the season.  We talk about VGK's final roster cuts.  And, it's WTF - What the Friday. 

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Bruce Cassidy was pleased with the forechecking and effort of the top line in Wednesday's win over the Avs. The line consisted of William Karlsson, Mark Stone and Reilly Smith.  Their efforts paid off as Karlsson scored what Cassidy called a "greasy goal" in the third period off assists from his two linemates.  It was the game-winner as VGK prevailed 2-1 over Colorado.  Jack Eichel had the night off and Mitch Marner was on the second line with Tomas Hertl centering.  We also talk about the competition for a final roster spot. 

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Is the third time the charm for the Edmonton Oilers? Will Mitch Marner take the Vegas Golden Knights back to the Stanley Cup Final? Can Dustin Wolf do it again for the Calgary Flames? And are the Los Angeles Kings destined to lose in round one to Edmonton forever? In a special Pacific Division Contenders round table preview, Nick Zararis (Locked On Oilers), Jess Belmosto (Locked On Flames), Chris Gawlik (Locked On Golden Knights) and Eddie Garcia (Locked On Kings) take stock of the top of a division that only produced three playoff teams last season. They predict whether...

With Kirill Kaprizov's record $136 million dollar deal signed, we discuss how the $17m AAV contract will affect the free agent market, including VGK center Jack Eichel.  Meanwhile, NHL insider Frank Seravalli said he still expecting Eichel to sign an extension before the start of the season next week.  The signing also affects the other free agents, including Connor McDavid and other superstars.  We can expect the dominoes beginning to fall.  Seravalli also said VGK is "well down the track" to sign Carter Hart who is was part of Team Canada.  His signing will be contraversial.  And, we recap the VGK-Av...

Preseason is winding down for VGK.  The team has a back to back with Colorado starting tonight in Denver, then has a game against San Jose at home Friday to wrap up the preseason.  Bruce Cassidy said we will see the starters on Wednesday at home.  The club still has to move eight players before opening day.  Two players still missing - Pavel Dorofeyev and Jeremy Lauzon.  Players like Alexander Holtz are getting a chance to get valuable ice time.  We preview the VGK-Colorado game.  And, NHL Network has Eichel and Marner in the Top 15 players overall.

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The Golden Knights made another round of cuts as they look to get down to the league roster size of 23 by opening day.  VGK sent all of the players in this round to Henderson of the AHL.  VGK did release two goalies Jesper Vikman and Cameron Whitehead.  Carl Lindbom remains in camp with Adin Hill and Akira Schmid.  Chris evaluates Mitch Marner's role on Marner Monday.  And, we noticed Golden Knights defensemen have been shooting more in the preseason. 

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VGK got its first preseason win but they had to rally from a 2-0 deficit to beat the visiting Utah Mammoth 3-2 in overtime.  It was the first time Mitch Marner appeared for the Golden Knights and we had a glimpse of what it will be like with two superstars - Marner and Eichel - skating on the same line.  Marner made an elite backhanded pass through traffic that found Eichel and he put the puck home.  Marner put a lot of pucks on or near the net. Eichel later scored the equalizer then also had an assist on the...

We hopefully will see the anticipated debut of Mitch Marner tonight at T-Mobile Arena, along with his camp linemates Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbeshev as the Golden Knights meet the Utah Mammoth.  We could also see the Theodore-McNabb defensive pairing seeing its first action. We preview tonight's contest and we talk about fan concern over lack of scoring in the preseason.

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VGK had several opportunities last night,  but only scored once on a goal by defenseman Villiam Kmek. The Kings won the game 3-1, but there was concern for the team's leading goal scorer Pavel Dorofeyev, who left the game with a muscle strain or pull in the first period, according to Bruce Cassidy. Jack Eichel and Jeremy Lauzon have had similiar injuries in camp.  The Golden Knights had several chances, but couldn't capitalize.  Mark Stone and Reilly Smith hit the post. It was encouraging to see VGK put 10 shots on net on four power plays. We talk about Jack Eic...

Alex Pietrangelo met with the media Monday to talk about his current injury condition. He didn't rule out a return to the ice some day, but said he hasnt had surgery and is rehabbing his injured hips with the team doctors.  Pietrangelo is still in Las Vegas and has been doing a lot of activities with his family.  He said he has been at the facility, misses hockey and has been a "sounding board" for the younger players.  VGK looks to take a step forward in tonight's preseason game against the Kings.  We could see a more veteran lineup for...

The Golden Knights lost the preseason opener 3-0 in San Jose Sunday night.  VGK played a lot of younger, inexperienced players against a lineup of primarily veterans in the game. The VGK goaltenders played well - Carl Lindbom and Jesper Vikman shared the net.  The Golden Knights gave up a power play goal, but Cassidy said the team hasn't worked on special teams in camp yet.  We also talk about some minor injuries in camp.  And, it's our weekly Marner Monday feature. 

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Jack Eichel didn't come out to skate for the second session Thursday on opening day of camp at City National.  Eichel tweaked something according to Bruce Cassidy and he sat out as a precautionary measure.  Earlier, Eichel and Mitch Marner were linemates on the top line.  We look at all the line combinations from opening day.   Kelly McCrimmon addressed the media.  And, it's WTF Day!

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A roster of 64 players will take the ice Thursday on the first day of VGK's preseason camp.  There are three sessions, including one for seaso ticket holders.  One of the surprise players on the roster is RFA Alexander Holtz, who hasn't signed an offer sheet.  But there are a lot of talented players, including some who made an impression in Rookie camp.  There are also six goaltenders in camp and there could be a strong competition for the backup goalie position.  We talk about some of the young players that can make an impression.  And, Conner McDavid says he will t...

With VGK's training camp opening Thursday, we give some insight into what offensive changes could be ahead as Bruce Cassidy said after last season that the team will change its structure to put more pucks on net.  We also talk about the correlation to scoring more with drawing more penalties.  And, Cale Makar told ESPN most players favor the 1 to 8 playoff format, which was changed over 11 years ago.

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There could be a number of position battles in VGK camp, which begins Thursday.  We will see battles for playing time in the D corps with Ben Hutton, Jeremy Lauzon and Kaeden Korczak.  We can even add Zach Whitecloud to the mix.  There are other battles such as the backup goalie competition between Carl Lindbom and Akira Schmid.  We highlight other battles as well.  Nic Hague tells the Review-Journal VGK reneged on a contract extension.  And Pete DeBoer surfaces for the first time since getting fired in Dallas.

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Will the Golden Knights show interest in free agent goalie Carter Hart, despite his involvement in the Hockey Canada case?  Hart hasn't played since the 2023-24 season, but VGK has a dilemma with the lack of its experience behind Adin Hill.  Hart last made close to $4 million, but should sign for less carrying the baggage of charges levied in Canada.  VGK's Rookies won both games in Colorado this weekend.  Several players shined including both goaltenders.  Combined Carl Lindbom and Cameron Whitehead stopped 60 of 63 shots.  And, it's Marner Monday! Mitch Marner says he will face his return to Toronto "head on" wh...

With Alex Pietrangelo on the shelf, we are wondering if VGK will select one or more Alternate Captain's this season to fill his spot.  Pietrangelo was an alternate for the past five seasons. VGK has also had multiple Alternate Captain's for home and away games, in the past.  We name our candidates.  VGK Rookies are scheduled to play this weekend in the Showcase in Colorado.  They will be without the services of Trevor Connolly, the top prospect, who is listed as week-to-week with a knee injury.  We also have our WTF comments from fans.

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Kirill Kaprizov rejected a record-setting $128 million dollar offer from the Minnesota Wild Wednesday.  His rejection of the offer could impact the rest of the free agent market including VGK's own Jack Eichel, who told ESPN Wednesday he loves it in Las Vegas and wants to stay here. Eichel and VGK have been at the bargaining table since July.  Kelly McCrimmon is confident the two sides will come to an agreement.  We also discuss a new Health and Wellness plan aimed at helping former NHL players. 

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How will VGK be cap compliant come playoff time?  Teams have to keep a roster of 20 players that are at the cap when the playoffs begin this season under the new CBA.  How will VGK factor in Alex Pietrangelo's salary?   The NHL Media Tour hit Las Vegas the past couple of days. The highlight was Mitch Marner donning a gold VGK uniform for the first time. It almost broke the internet seeing #93 on the ice.  And we talk about the lack of VGK prospects on Top 25 and Top 50 lists. 

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Ivan Barbeshev was a moveable piece for VGK last season.  He was on the top line for the most part and moved around in the 2nd and 3rd lines.  We talk about where Barbashev could fit in this season. His name was out there in trade rumors all summer.  He still had 51 points for VGK and 23 goals last season, despite being moved up and down the lineup. VGK announced the Rookie Camp lineup this week and we speculate which players could move up to the next level to play for the Golden Knights this season. 

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Kelly McCrimmon spoke to Pierre LeBrun from the Athletic last week.  McCrimmon called Mitch Marner elite and also said he doesn't know if Marner needed a change of scenery, he's just happy Marner is here in Las Vegas.  McCrimmon also said he feels the roster is set for this upcoming season.  And, we talk about FanDuel's point props for each team in the Pacific.  

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It's NHL Goalie Week and we discuss whether Adin Hill was snubbed by NHL Network on its Top10 list.  We feel Hill should be on that list as we compare his stats to others at his position.  We also name our Top Five VGK goalies of all time.  And it's WTF Day with fan comments.

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NHL insider Frank Seravalli says a Jack Eichel extension could happen before the start of the upcoming season.  He says Eichel could make between $13-13.5 million AAV.  Eichel was rumored to want around $15-million per year.  Eichel becomes a free agent after this season if he and VGK can't come to terms.  It would take a lot of stress if he signs before the puck drops on a new campaign.  The NHL post-season salary cap is discussed.  And, we talk about a Q&A between coaches and NHL refs in Detroit this week. 

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Who are the Pacific Division's Contenders, Pretenders and Dark Houses?  We break the teams down by grouping.  Have L.A. or Edmonton peaked? We rank the VGK prospects following the lead of an NHL.com article. And, why the lack of NHL trade activity since July 25?  Cap concerns and VGK working on Jack Eichel's contract extension could be factors in Las Vegas. 

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Mitch Marner might have been driven out of Toronto due to security concerns, especially when the Maple Leafs were eliminated from the playoffs.  Marner said he received threats and had to hire his own security people. "Great addition" said Jack Eichel on Marner's fit with VGK. And VGK that might surprise us this upcoming season. 

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We list our three biggest threats to VGK this upcoming season. What will VGK be like post-Olympics with Bruce Cassidy and possibly eight players going to Milan?  Will egos get in the way this season with two superstars on the ice?  Is the Pacific Division stronger from top to bottom?  We also discuss the reduction in term contract limits and it's WTF Day.

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VGK will be appearing on National TV 15 times this upcoming season.  That's one more game than a season ago.  The TV schedule was announced Wednesday and includes one appearance on ABC, four ESPN-televised appearances, four more on ESPN+, and six TNT appearances.  The much-anticipated VGK game versus Toronto will be aired on ESPN Jan. 15.  Jack Eichel says the expectation for Team USA is to win Olympic Gold in Milan.  And, don't count VGK acquiring Rasmus Andersson.  Flames Captain Michael Backlund says "it's obvious" Andersson will be traded, likely before the season begins.  

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Jeremy Tingley, of NHL Rumors, has VGK listed along with the Rangers and Panthers as potential landing spots for future Hall of Famer Evgeny Malkin.  This is expected to be his final season in Pittsburgh, and if the Penguins are out of the Cup race early, Malkin could be available by the trade deadline.  He could be a late rental for the Cup chase. He currently makes $6m a year.  We have VGK sightings on the ice at City National by Cris Gawlik. And, to no one's surprise, VGK is ranked near the bottom in Pipeline Rankings.

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Jack Eichel could command $15 million a year according to Frank Saravalli from Bleacher Report, as negotiations continue for a contract extension.  Eichel's contract expires after this season.   Initial reports said Eichel would want between $12.5 ad $13 million a year.  But now that number escalated.  Will Eichel test the free agency market?  Should VGK fans be concerned? We wonder how VGK would handle the cap with two superstars on the team.  William Nylander, Mitch Marner's former teammate, said this weekend that Marner was focused during the playoffs.  Despite scoring 13 points in 13 games, fans and media in Toronto feel Eichel might have been ch...

Jack Eichel is probably a lock to make the U.S. Olympic team, Noah Hanifin will have a hill to climb to join the team in Italy this winter.  Both have been invited to next week's team orientation.  A total of 44 players have been invited and the team roster has to be pared down to 25 before the Games.  We discuss VGK's current top-heavy lineup and what effect it might have on the team long-term.  And it's WTF day with fan comments. 

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NHL Network released its Top 20 Centers list Wednesday and Jack Eichel moved up a spot from a year ago and is now ranked sixth on the list. Connor McDavid is the top center according to the list. Eichel had his best season in the league with 94 points last season.  He missed five games while flirting with the century mark.  We talk about confidence for the VGK front office, based on a new Athletic survey.  And former Golden Knights winger Victor Olofsson signs with Colorado.

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We discuss Fantasy Hockey on today's episode.  Jack Eichel is rated the best in the NHL.com Top 200 at 12th.  Mitch Marner is ranked 24th.  In all there are seven VGK players in the Top 200.  We check out the Golden Knights on the ESPN Misery Index.  And Silver Knights fans aren't too happy about ticket and concession prices at their arena. 

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With Toronto using similar 1-2-2 forechecking structure, Marner should prosper in Las Vegas. VGK also played a 1-2-2 power play as did Toronto.  All signs point to Marner feeling comfortable in the Vegas system.  Alex Pietrangelo and two other former Golden Knights are named to the NHL Network's all Quarter Century team (the others Jonathan Quick and Shea Weber.) And Canadian air travel to Las Vegas is down significantly. Will this hurt VGK at the gate.

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VGK player rankings for Locked On's Top 100.  We put Marner over Eichel at #1.  We didn't do it to stir things up.  Listen for our reasoning. We also discuss how VGK has to break the habit of playing down to opponents.  And, it's WTF Day round here!

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Shea Theodore was ranked 15th in the NHL Network's Top 20 Defenseman list, released Wednesday.  Theodore would probably be rated in the Top 10 if not for the injury he sustained in the Four Nations.  He scored a career-high 57 points.  Noah Hanifin was ranked 18th in last year's poll and fell off the list.  Cal Makar was the top defenseman again.  We talk about the VGK Mt. Rushmore list and wonder where is Mark Stone? And VGK has its doors open for 25 hours to get more season tickets, premium seats and suites sold.

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What could be holding up Jack Eichel's contract extension? Could it be AAV, term?  It has been more than 40 days since VGK and Eichel's team started negotiations.  We have yet to hear anything about where the negotiations are headed, but the concern level grows the longer there is silence.  We talk about an expanded role for Tomas Hertl this season.  He will be centering Mitch Marner at some point, when Cassidy splits Eichel and Marner.  And we also talk about outside of goaltending and defense what is VGK's greatest concern?

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Will Mitch Marner be able to produce the way he did in Toronto?  Paul Griser of Pro Hockey Rumors asks whether Marner will be the same player he was in Toronto.  Will he still be a 100-point player?  Marner's long-term contract has also been questioned. Also, as Father Time catches up with Mark Stone, we look at who might be the next VGK captain.  And, we talk about VGK's second period collapses and how they can improve in that area.

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VGK's blueliners were the biggest culprits when it came to turnovers last season.  It's an area they will need to clean up if they want to be in te hunt for their second Stanley Cup. Turnovers plagued the team with 15.4 giveaways per 60 minutes.  Noah Hanifin had a team-high 112 giveaways this past season.  Shea Theodore holds the franchise record with 399 giveaways and he had some bad turnovers in the playoffs, especially. We also discuss where VGK should play an outdoor game and we have WTF comments.

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Mitch Marner moves up from 10th to 5th in NHL Network's Top 20 list of best wings. We also talk about a Hockey Writers article about declining tourism, which could test VGK's Business Model  And, we highlight what newcomer Jeremy Lauzon brings to VGK. 

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Prediction time!  We have our lists of players we feel will exceed expectations this season, who will fall below expectations and who to watch as wild cards.  What are the expectations for Mark Stone? Jack Eichel? Shea Theodore? Hanifin? etc.

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What are the expectations for Mitch Marner this upcoming season?  We give our input into how many points he might score in his first VGK season.  Marner has had no few than 26 goals in a seson and no fewer than 62 assists.  That's one subject we address on Marner Monday!  Marner and three other Golden Knights have been invited to the Team Canada Orientation, scheduled for sometime this month.  And, VGK could have issues like they are having in Dallas by controlling the sheets of ice around the Las Vegas. 

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We give our opinions on which VGK players have the best and worst contracts, inspired by a recent article in the Athletic.  Among our best: Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden.  The worst could be Kaeden Korczak, who enters a full-time role and will earn 4x his previous contract.  We talk about VGK's travel miles for the upcoming season.  And, it's WTF Day!

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The not-too-early power rankings were released by NHL.com and the Golden Knights are rated second behind two-time defending Cup champion Florida.  It might be too early to release power rankings in late July, but this could show the expectations for VGK this season.  Bruce Cassidy talked about Mitch Marner's role, Jack Eichel's leadership and how much VGK will miss Alex Pietrangelo on the Energy Line podcast.  And Jonathan Marchessault trade rumors are heating up again. 

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VGK has won the Pacific Division four times in its first eight seasons.  We felt the window might be closing after last season, but the acquisition of Mitch Marner, who will play on the same team as Jack Eichel, gives the Golden Knights more chances to contend for the Cup and make deep runs.  Both players are in the prime of their careers.  VGK has a good mix of vets and youth.  VGK prospect Trevor Connolly was injured in the World Juniors Showcase Monday.  He couldn't put weight on his right leg.  He has suffered other knee injuries on that r...

Our regular Marner Monday feature:  holds points streak record in Toronto, former teammate says Mitch Marner "brought everyone together.  Marner needed a change in scenery.  We also talk about VGK trades paying off more than developing players in the organization. And, it would be nice if.... 

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The Golden Knights have to improve in several areas if they are going to make another Cup run this season.  We outline some areas where improvement is needed like the penalty kill, 5 on 5 shooting percentage, etc.  The Hockey Writers had a good article on this topic. We discuss why penalties for VGK and the league are down.  And, it's WTF day on the show. 

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Who has taken over the reins of Most Clutch Player since Jonathan Marchessault left and who will earn that title in the upcoming season?  We have our views.  Would you take Pavel Dorfeyev over or under 35 1/2 goals?  And, is the new 84 game schedule too much for NHL players?

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Bruce Cassidy is headed for the Winter Olympics as a member of Jon Cooper's Team Canada coaching staff.  Cassidy will be an assistant and probably oversee the power play unit as he did with the Four Nations team.  NHL players will participate in the Olympics for the first time in eleven years in Milano Cortina this winter.  We talk about the success of VGK's power play unit this past season and what changes we might see with the acquisition of Mitch Marner, who has 50 career power play goals to go along with 178 assists on the man advantage. 

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It's Marner Monday and we have all sorts of Marner news including how Toronto is compensating for the loss of Marner.  We also talk about the reception Marner can expect when he returns there in January.  Should we be concerned about  the lack of news on Eichel's extension.  And, we explore an NHL play-in format.

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Starting with VGK-Toronto, we outline some of the top games that fans have to see at T-Mobile Arena this season. The Maple Leafs come into the Fortress on Thursday, January 15.  Games fans must-see include the Kings, Nashville Edmonton, Florida, and Montreal.  Former Golden Knights head coach Gerard Gallant is reportedly going to Russia to coach in the KHL.  And, it's WTF day with comments from fans.

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