John Locher / AP
Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury dives to make a glove save against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019, in Las Vegas.
Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020 | 2 a.m.
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Another year of Golden Knights hockey has come and gone, and 2020 begins with practice this morning and the first game of the calendar year Thursday. But 2019 was an eventful year for Vegas, so we decided to look back at the 10 biggest storylines of the year — good and bad — surrounding the Golden Knights.
No. 10. Kelly McCrimmon promoted to general manager
It was a way for the Golden Knights to keep their brain trust intact. McCrimmon was a trendy name for general manager jobs throughout the league and instead of risking losing him, Vegas promoted him from assistant general manager and transitioned general manager George McPhee to president of hockey operations. McCrimmon took over day-to-day operations, and the Golden Knights were able to maintain the group that built the team from the ground up.
No. 9. Ryan Reaves' feud with Evander Kane
Before everything that happened later in the playoff series between the Golden Knights and San Jose, the animus between Vegas' Ryan Reaves and Sharks forward Evander Kane was the biggest storyline. Kane called Reaves the Golden Knights' babysitter, and the two fought during Game 3. Kane called Reaves the Muffin Man after the fight, to which Reaves changed his Twitter photo to that of the Muffin Man. The two continued to trade barbs during the series, into the offseason and seemingly whenever the Sharks and Golden Knights meet.
No. 8. Valentin Zykov's suspension
Valentin Zykov was suspended Oct. 17 for 20 games. It was the second time a player for the Golden Knights was suspended for performance-enhancing substances. Zykov had finally broken through as a regular on the team, and when he came back, he declined to talk about specifics. He was waived, sent down to AHL Chicago, returned to play eight games and was returned to the AHL.
No. 7. Offseason trades of Erik Haula, Colin Miller, Nikita Gusev
The math didn't add up, and in a salary-cap league, it was clear moves would have to be made. The Golden Knights traded Erik Haula and Colin Miller within a week of each other and Nikita Gusev a month later. The Gusev trade in particular was intriguing, considering he had never played in the NHL. Vegas hasn't direly missed any of them and gained five draft picks and prospects out of the three deals. But most importantly, the trades got the Golden Knights under the cap for the season.
No. 6. Debuts of Cody Glass, Nicolas Hague
The Golden Knights built the rosters of their first two seasons on the backs of other organizations. They used the expansion draft, trades and free agents to build their roster. But this season, they got to use their own players. On opening night, Cody Glass became the first Golden Knight to have never played for another organization, and Nicolas Hague became the second two nights later.
No. 5. William Karlsson signs eight-year extension
There wasn't a bigger question last offseason than what the Golden Knights would do with their star center. William Karlsson took the league by storm in 2017-18, then came back down to earth with a still-respectable season in 2018-19. There were reports of a trade and the threats of an offer sheet before Vegas locked him up June 24.
No. 4. Mark Stone's playoff hat trick
Mark Stone was solid in the regular season for the Golden Knights. He had 11 points in 18 games, but everyone was still waiting for him to show why Vegas went out and got him. That came in Game 3 against the Sharks, his first home playoff game with the Golden Knights. He scored three times for the first playoff hat trick in team history. He, Max Pacioretty and Paul Stastny formed Vegas' best line that series, and Stone finished with 12 points in seven games.
No. 3. Marc-Andre Fleury's save
It was one of the best saves in team history, maybe in league history. Marc-Andre Fleury leaped across the crease and stretched to snag the puck out of the air. It not only brought T-Mobile Arena to its feet but preserved Vegas' lead in an eventual 4-2 win over Toronto. It was a stunning save and the best highlight of the season.
No. 2. Golden Knights trade for Mark Stone
It was the moment the Golden Knights told the hockey world they weren't just going be content with what they had. They were going to get the best players on the market. Vegas acquired Mark Stone minutes before the trade deadline and immediately went on a run, winning 10 of its next 11 games and coasting into the playoffs. The Golden Knights signed him to an eight-year deal. It was one of, if not the most, important transactions in team history.
No. 1. Cody Eakin's Game 7 major penalty
For better or worse, 2019 will be defined by one of the more controversial calls in NHL history. The Golden Knights were 3-0 in Game 7 against the Sharks when Eakin was called for a major penalty that the league later apologized for getting wrong. San Jose scored four times after the penalty to win the game and eliminate Vegas. It's far from a happy memory for the Golden Knights, but nothing bigger happened all year.
