Jeff Paul: Round One Breakdown: Golden Knights vs Sharks

Well you’re a homer. Way to over value your 3rd line. Knocking a 30 goal scorer like Kane? Not sure if you’re desperate or dumb

I know you are a Vegas writer but you really need to brush up on your Sharks before doing a series breakdown.

- Thornton is the 3rd line center and 7th in points among forwards, great depth player but no longer a center piece of this teams forward group.
- Pavelski doesn't play center
- Hertl and Couture center different lines so it is very hard for them to be a duo.
Also, Hertl is very likely the best forward on either team

My favourite and most laughable comments were around how much you undervalue Kane and overvalue Paciroetty. You call Patches a bonafide 25-30 goal scorer when he hasn't cracked the 25 mark in the past two seasons, while Kane has just missed 30 in each of the past 3 seasons.

But you are completely correct about Vegas having a significant advantage in goal assuming MAF is healthy and on his game going off injury.

This series has the making of a good one with both teams having strengths that make the match up compelling - Could be a physical series or it could be a clean series where both teams try to play to their strengths and not get caught behind due to silly penalties.

Think MAF might be the difference maker - But the VGK need to get out in front early by getting a game on the road to remove home ice from SJ.

if this series does go 7 games, it might be tough for the winner in the next round as this could be a tight 6 or 7 game and the next round opponent might just sit back and watch these two wear themselves out

Imperative IMO, that the VGK get one win in SJ before game 3 at T-Mobile

Well you’re a homer. Way to over value your 3rd line. Knocking a 30 goal scorer like Kane? Not sure if you’re desperate or dumb
- halo63

I still think the VGK depth could be the difference maker - How beat up are the Sharks ??

Pavelski is a great player but really best American player still playing this game?
Kessel??? Patty Kane?????

Knights in 7

Their depth runs dry? They have 8 forwards with 50+ points

I know you are a Vegas writer but you really need to brush up on your Sharks before doing a series breakdown.

- Thornton is the 3rd line center and 7th in points among forwards, great depth player but no longer a center piece of this teams forward group.
- Pavelski doesn't play center
- Hertl and Couture center different lines so it is very hard for them to be a duo.
Also, Hertl is very likely the best forward on either team

My favourite and most laughable comments were around how much you undervalue Kane and overvalue Paciroetty. You call Patches a bonafide 25-30 goal scorer when he hasn't cracked the 25 mark in the past two seasons, while Kane has just missed 30 in each of the past 3 seasons.

But you are completely correct about Vegas having a significant advantage in goal assuming MAF is healthy and on his game going off injury.
- herschel

I do not really build up Pacioretty much. I feel like he has mostly lost his game here. Kane scores in bunches and I really liked that signing, but in the Vegas games, he has been pretty hard to notice aside from dumb penalties. I was trying to go from a matchup standpoint rather than a general "this team is better" angle. I know the captain has been on Couture's wing as well. When I referred to Couture and Hertl, it was as a pair of guys, not necessarily a line and have changed the wording to make that less confusing.

Thanks for the imput!!

I still think the VGK depth could be the difference maker - How beat up are the Sharks ??
- vermin_one

They're actually getting close to healthy, at the perfect time. Karlsson may have been pulling a Fleury and getting extra rest while "hurt".

Wow, what an unbiased, non-homer, fresh, outsider perspective on this series! (dripping with sarcasm...) The fact that you'd take Vegas' 6-unit defense over San Jose's is laughable, I'm pretty sure I'd rather have Vlasic, Burns, and Karlsson over ANY of Vegas' Dmen.
I would say the forward units are dead-even too. Vejas obviously has the nod in goal with a healthy MAF, BUT not with Subban. Jones is far superior, regardless of his poor season (so far), but he's been decent/great in the playoffs before.

If Fleury is indeed healthy, Vegas in 6, but if it's Subban, SJ in 5, Subban is worse than DELL. The key for San Jose will be managing counter-attacks/odd-man rushes, that's been their weakness all season. Burns and Karlsson tend to be overly aggressive offensively, and their forwards don't always cover.

Pavelski is a great player but really best American player still playing this game?
Kessel??? Patty Kane?????
- Psenerch

Austin Matthews? Johnny Gaudreau?? Matthew Tkachuk? Jack Eichel? Dylan Larkin?

This is a series that I am looking forward to and I don't think I am alone. Only disappointing part is that it is a 1st round match up and not later in the playoffs. Sad that one of these teams will be leaving the playoffs this early.

Saturday @ 10:31 AM ET
Pavelski is a great player but really best American player still playing this game?
Kessel??? Patty Kane?????
- Psenerch


Austin Matthews? Johnny Gaudreau?? Matthew Tkachuk? Jack Eichel? Dylan Larkin?

Blake Wheeler?

Wow, what an unbiased, non-homer, fresh, outsider perspective on this series! (dripping with sarcasm...) The fact that you'd take Vegas' 6-unit defense over San Jose's is laughable, I'm pretty sure I'd rather have Vlasic, Burns, and Karlsson over ANY of Vegas' Dmen.
I would say the forward units are dead-even too. Vejas obviously has the nod in goal with a healthy MAF, BUT not with Subban. Jones is far superior, regardless of his poor season (so far), but he's been decent/great in the playoffs before.

If Fleury is indeed healthy, Vegas in 6, but if it's Subban, SJ in 5, Subban is worse than DELL. The key for San Jose will be managing counter-attacks/odd-man rushes, that's been their weakness all season. Burns and Karlsson tend to be overly aggressive offensively, and their forwards don't always cover.
- quinneroma

I agree with the top-end of SJ's defense being better than Vegas', but their deployment with a true offensive threat on all three units gives Vegas the edge as a unit in my mind. Trust me, I'm the least pro-Vegas coverage for VGK that you'll find, regionally.

Blake Wheeler?
- 2.0

Joe has the track record, Patrick Kane is right there too. Probably should be Kane, but I'm a Pavelski fan.

Austin Matthews? Johnny Gaudreau?? Matthew Tkachuk? Jack Eichel? Dylan Larkin?
- quinneroma

Kane is the closest in my mind. The others don't have the track record of Pavelski and Kane. It's astounding to see how long those two have been producing. No doubt, at their current pace, that those guys will be there in a few seasons.