Golden Knights would be nightmare playoff opponent (if they make it)

When the 2021-22 NHL season began the Vegas Golden Knights were one of the league’s top Stanley Cup favorites, and for good reason.

They were coming off another trip to the Conference Final/Semifinal round, had a great roster on paper, and were considered a favorite to land Jack Eichel from the Buffalo Sabres in a trade (which they eventually did). In what looked to be a watered down Pacific Division they should have been a shoe-in to cruise to the top spot and go on another lengthy postseason run.

It has not at all played out that way.

They enter play on Thursday on the outside of the Western Conference playoff picture, right on the bubble in a three-team battle for two playoff spots. They are three points back of the Los Angeles Kings for the third spot in the Pacific Division and three points back of the Dallas Stars for the second Wild Card spot. Either one seems attainable as they have one head-to-head matchup remaining with the Stars and still have two games in hand on a Kings team that is fading fast and dealing with the absence of its top defender (Drew Doughty) for the remainder of the season.

The playoffs are far from a lock, but they seem way more possible than they did just a couple of weeks ago. Especially as the Golden Knights have gone on an 8-3-1 run over their past 12 games and are starting to get healthy with Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone both back in the lineup.

The rest of the Western Conference better hope a healthy Golden Knights team does not find a way to sneak in, because they might again become one of the top favorites just based on the roster they are going to be putting on the ice.

The biggest problem for the Golden Knights this season has been a matter of health, and then eventually a salary