If you know of my past writing, you know I’m all for gimmicks. This year, with the inclusion of the Vegas Golden Knights, couldn’t have given me a better gimmick than to compare them to the expansion teams of the past or at least back to the 1990s. So, every two weeks or so, I’ll check back here and give a little look-see at how the soon-to-be-if-a-copyright-strike-gets-them Sand Knights are doing to their expansion cousins.

THROUGH FIVE GAMES PLAYED:

Vegas Golden Knights (2017-18) 4-1-0, 8PTS, 15GF, 11GA
Tampa Bay Lightning (1992-93) 2-2-1, 5PTS, 17GF, 15GA
Florida Panthers (1993-94) 2-2-1, 5PTS, 15GF, 15GA
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1993-94) 1-2-2, 3PTS, 12GF, 17GA
Atlanta Thrashers (1999-2000) 1-2-2, 3PTS, 12GF, 20GA
Nashville Predators (1998-99) 1-3-1, 3PTS, 8GF, 13GA
San Jose Sharks (1991-92) 1-4-0, 2PTS, 16GF, 23GA
Ottawa Senators (1992-93) 1-4-0, 2PTS, 12GF, 27GA
Columbus Blue Jackets (2000-01) 1-4-0, 2PTS, 9GF, 19GA
Minnesota Wild (2000-01) 0-4-1, 1PT, 8GF, 17GA

The Knights are keeping a solid pace for themselves against the other new teams that came in. Of course, many could argue that the talent pool was a little bit deeper and the rules were a little bit more skewed to help Vegas indirectly with the salary cap and all.

Whether or not they’re able to keep this pace or not remains to be seen. With some key injuries happening, especially to M-A Fleury– there’s a chance for a decline, as an expansion team is supposed to be. This is a team that many pundits and bookies said wouldn’t get over 70 points on the season. While it’d be a helluva effort to keep that pace, the fact is there’s going to be a downslide sooner or later.

Just enjoy the wins as they come, enjoy the atmosphere of the T-Mobile Arena (despite the amount of visiting fans coming into the building), and embrace this new team that has gotten plenty of buzz of for what they’ve done so far.