Vegas Golden Knights Expansion Draft Success, Flashback
With the 2020-2021 NHL season officially coming to a close we now look to the next event… The Seattle Kraken expansion draft. Luckily, the Vegas Golden Knights are exempt from this. However, Golden Knights fans are use to hearing that their successful team was handed to them via expansion draft. Let’s flashback to a couple players of the Golden Knights expansion success.
William Karlsson
Wild Bill! Karlsson was a huge accent in the inaugural season for the Golden Knights. He in fact was the player to record the first ever hat trick by a player for the Golden Knights. He also set a record that season for most goals scored by an expansion player in a team’s inaugural season with 43. After this fantastic season Karlsson was given a one year deal. That year he did not find himself as productive. It took the team some time but on June 24, 2019 he was resigned to an 8 year extension.
Ladies and gentlemen…
WILD BILL IS OFFICIALLY HERE TO STAY!!!!!! #VegasBornhttps://t.co/NTQ0CNyzXg
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 25, 2019
In his time with the Golden Knights during the four regular seasons, Karlsson has 96 Goals and 123 assists. He continues to be a expansion draft success for this team. In which we can thank the Columbus Blue Jackets for.
Johnathan Marchessault
The Golden Knights really need to thank Florida Panthers management for this one. The season before being left opened for the expansion draft Marchessault had success scoring 30 goals and 21 assists. There were talks the Panthers were trying to make sure the Golden Knights did not take him but clearly that did not happen. On January 3rd, 2018 he was signed to a 6 year extension deal. In the inaugural season Marchessault had 75 points in the regular season and 21 points in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. His recent playoff success Marchessault scored his first career playoff hattrick against the Colorado Avalanche on June 6th, 2021. For the four regular seasons with the Golden Knights, Marchessault has 92 goals and 133 assists.
Also important to note this same year the Florida Panthers traded the Golden Knights Reilly Smith. So really we got 2 great players for the price of 1 from this team.
Marc Andre Fleury
You know I could not write this article without highlighting Marc Andre Fleury. Flower is a staple in Golden Knights four year history. Before he was a Vegas Golden Knight Fleury was a Pittsburgh Penguin. In fact many people can see him heading back to this team if Vegas were to trade him or decided not to keep him. However, he is this years Vezina Trophy winner which is the first time he has won this award. Also this year he shares the Jennings Trophy award with Lehner. This was a year after the goalie controversy of how to keep both goalies. Fleury will be a tough loss if Vegas does not keep ahold of him. Bill Foley has said Fleury will retire a Golden Knight.
Owner Bill Foley told Marc-Andre Fleury he will retire as a @GoldenKnights. He addresses trade rumors here. 👇👇👇Unreal interview avail on all platforms. #Vegasborn @camandstrickpod pic.twitter.com/60zQkHA3t6
— Andy Strickland (@andystrickland) February 23, 2021
In his four regular seasons with the Golden Knights Fleury has a .918 save percentage. He has also become a player many associate this team with.
Expansion Success Summary
After four years though the Golden Knights only have 5 players from the expansion draft currently active. These three players along with William Carrier and Brayden Mcnabb are from the original 30 players taken. The Kraken can become the next team that people may use the phrase, “your team was handed to you.” If they play the expansion draft right they may find their franchise names or stars. But again, I will say thank goodness the Vegas Golden Knights do not need to think about this one.
Featured image credited (Apnews.com)
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