Look, I know that the Golden Knights are 7-4-4 entering Thursday’s game against the New York Islanders. The boys are injured, wounded, hurting, whatever you want to call it.
I also know that Bruce Cassidy has quite the reputation for, well, being a hot head. That might not deter guys like Mitch Marner from heading to Las Vegas. Still, he’s known for rubbing certain guys the wrong way.
However, it could be worse. Much worse.
The Toronto Maple Leafs media is suddenly calling for head coach Craig Berube’s head. An 8-8-1 record with 17 points has the Maple Leafs near the bottom of the Atlantic Division with the Buffalo Sabres. That’s not even mentioning that they just lost Auston Matthews to a lower-body injury. Don’t forget about the 2023 Stanley Cup that Cassidy won. That’s also important.
All of this culminates in a situation that’s more beneficial for Marner to stick around with Vegas than his boyhood team. Fans can’t forget that Marner’s on his way to becoming one of the first 100-point players in Golden Knights history. As of Thursday, he has 19 points (four goals and 15 assists) and is on pace for 104 points (22 goals and 82 assists). Imagine the chaos that would ensue if he broke the franchise mark.
As mentioned, Bruce Cassidy is well-known for having a hot temper. At one point, he was voted as one of the least desirable head coaches to play for in the NHL. But you must admit one thing about the former Bruins head coach: he wins.
In fact, he’s the winningest head coach in Golden Knights history. Cassidy boasts a record of 261-153-77 (.646 winning percentage), getting 337 points in the process. He also carries a playoff record of 24-16, making him the most successful Stanley Cup playoff head coach in franchise history.
While Berube doesn’t have the tenure that Cassidy has, it’s already looking like his Toronto stay is collapsing like the Blue Jays. A playoff record of 7-6 and a winning percentage of .631 pales in comparison to the Golden Knights’ bench boss, making Marner’s decision a no-brainer.
Heck, you can even see how Jack Eichel is doing compared to Auston Matthews and see that the Marner effect is alive and kickin’ (stats courtesy of MoneyPuck).
Player
Goals
Assists
Corsi
Fenwick
Primary Assists
Jack Eichel
8
14
55%
57%
4
Auston Matthews
9
5
51%
53%
2
While Matthews has become an independent goal-scorer, injuries and the absence of your main facilitator hurt you in many ways. Sure, Eichel hasn’t gotten as many opportunities with Marner as Matthews has. One can point to Cassidy’s endless lineup shuffles and familiarity with Berube’s system as perfect examples. However, Cassidy also has something that the Maple Leafs head coach doesn’t: a winning culture.
That’s partially why Marner left Berube’s Maple Leafs to join Cassidy’s Golden Knights. When you can leave a hawkish media that’s starved for a Stanley Cup like Homer Simpson on a hunger strike, you’ll take that chance.
With Marner, he’s already having a positive effect on the top units for Vegas. Pavel Dorofeyev has 10 goals this season, with six coming on the power play. Eichel’s trending towards 44 goals and a 100-point season himself.
Sometimes, the grass is indeed greener on the other side. That’s especially true if you’re looking to win a Stanley Cup and get past the second round. Luckily, Cassidy knows a thing or two about that. You can’t say the same thing about Craig Berube right now.
It’s been a tumultuous time for Sam Girard, who has been injured twice already since the start of training camp.
DENVER — Sam Girard has a reason to smile today.
The Colorado Avalanche have officially activated the defenseman from injured reserve.
The 27-year-old defenseman has been sidelined since October 11, absent from the past 15 contests. In the two games preceding his injury, Girard registered three hits and three blocked shots before a check into the boards resulted in an upper-body injury.
There had been hope that Girard might be available as early as this past weekend, when the team embarked on a two-game road trip to face the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks. However, he was ruled out for the series—a decision that, in hindsight, was likely wise given the challenges he’s faced over the past few months. His return is expected to provide a substantial boost to the defensive corps, particularly in puck movement and offensive transitions.
Injury Woes
Girard was a fixture at the team’s optional skates throughout August, bringing his usual energy and dedication to the ice. But after August 17, his absence from regular practices started to raise eyebrows. While he was still seen around the facility, he was no longer participating with the full group, fueling speculation that he might be dealing with an injury.
Those suspicions were confirmed when Girard joined a skate for injured players, sporting a red non-contact jersey. The Avalanche later confirmed he was rehabbing a lower-body injury that popped up during the summer. Unfortunately, his misfortune continued when he suffered the second injury. Hopefully this is the end of what has been a tumultuous series of months for the 27-year-old Girard, who has tallied 223 points (34 goals, 189 assists) in 550 career NHL games, 545 of them coming with the Avalanche.