(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)
The Golden Knights are cooking offensively through six games this season. They’ve scored a whopping 26 goals to lead the league and a few individual players are posting gaudy numbers to open the year.
Jack Eichel currently leads the NHL in points with 15. Mark Stone is right behind him in 2nd with 13. Stone also leads the league in assists with 11. Pavel Dorofeyev’s six goals are behind only Shane Pinto. Eichel leads the league in shots on goal with 30. Jeremy Lauzon’s 26 hits ranks in the Top 10. Brayden McNabb’s 21 blocks has him one off the league lead despite playing one fewer game than Boston’s Andrew Peek (22 hits).
This team has started out hot under Bruce Cassidy in each of his four seasons in Vegas, so it may feel like the individual numbers are like this every year, but they really aren’t. Here’s a look at the leaders in each statistical category through the first six games of each Golden Knights season.
Goals (thru 6 games)
6 – Dorofeyev (25-26)
6 – Neal (17-18)
5 – Eichel (25-26)
5 – Marchessault (22-23)
Assists (thru 6 games)
11 – Stone (25-26)
10 – Eichel (25-26)
8 – Eichel (24-25)
7 – Stone (24-25)
Points (thru 6 games)
15 – Eichel (25-26)
13 – Stone (25-26)
10 – Eichel (24-25)
9 – Stone (19-20)
Rating (thru 6 games)
+7 – Marner (25-26)
+7 – Theodore (22-23)
+7 – Theodore (20-21)
+6 – Pacioretty (20-21)
Shots (thru 6 games)
32 – Eichel (23-24)
30 – Eichel (25-26)
24 – Pacioretty (20-21)
23 – Smith (22-23)
23 – Marchessault (18-19)
Hits (thru 6 games)
30 – Reaves (19-20)
29 – Cotter (23-24)
27 – Kolesar (21-22)
27 – Reaves (20-21)
26 – Lauzon (25-26)
Blocks (thru 6 games)
24 – Martinez (22-23)
22 – Martinez (20-21)
21 – McNabb (25-26)
19 – McNabb (23-24)
17 – McNabb (22-23)
As you can see, this type of offensive explosion to begin the year is not common in Las Vegas. Last year’s team scored 23 goals through six games, the year before had 25, and the 19-20 team tallied 24, but never before have the points and goals been as concentrated as they have this year.
Eichel is on pace for 205 points, Stone for 150 assists, and Dorofeyev for 82 goals. Of course, none of that will happen, but, have fun with it while it lasts, because these starts could be in the VGK record books for a while.
