Just two years ago, the Vegas Golden Knights were the talk of the hockey world on their way to a 51-win inaugural season in the National Hockey League.
Coaches Gerard Gallant and Mike Kelly were being praised for a remarkable job of coaching a team playing together for the first time. The Knights were beating good, long-established teams on a regular basis, but yet were expected to level out at some point. They did not and carried that regular-season success right into the playoffs, coming three wins shy of winning the Stanley Cup.
No one ever thought that hockey would become so popular in Vegas and have such an impact with the fans. Incredible would be a good word to describe that record-breaking season for the NHL's newest team.
They were the hottest ticket around and merchandise sales were skyrocketing. Winning was having such a huge impact in building the brand and establishing a fan base everywhere. They easily became the most successful expansion franchise in the history of the NHL and the numbers prove it.
Summerside native Gerard Gallant and Mike Kelly, who grew up in Shamrock, P.E.I., were the biggest reasons for that success. There is no doubt about that.
A normal expansion team would be lucky to have 20 to 25 wins and no playoffs. Gallant has always gotten the best out of his teams and that was the case with Vegas.
The Knights made the playoffs last year, but were eliminated in a seven-game series in the opening round. They are in a tight race this year, but only three points from the division lead and will quite likely be a playoff team once again.
In my opinion, this team was never as good as management thought and their success can be attributed to great coaching. That is why it is hard to believe that both Gallant and Kelly were fired this week.
Rookie general manager Kelly McCrimmon thinks the team is better than their 24-19-6 (won-lost-overtime losses) record. Thus, the coaching change.
One would think that an overall record of 118-75-20 in just over 2 1/2 seasons – and having the success on the ice they had – would be enough to get Gallant and Kelly at least the rest of the year, but not so.
Being fired as they were was classless in mid-season and shows a total lack of respect for two fine hockey people and the job they did in establishing hockey in a market not many thought was possible.
Both deserve a ton credit for a fine job and it will not be long before both are behind NHL benches again, if that is their desire.
Western Capitals
The Western Capitals continue to motor on in impressive fashion and without doubt are the class of the Maritime junior Hockey League. Their 30-5-1 record is the best in the league and beating rival Edmundston Blizzard (23-8-1-4) by an 8-2 score on Thursday is a good indication of the Caps’ strength.
Last weekend's three wins in three games, with two on a long road trip to Bridgewater and Yarmouth, N.S., is an indication of a very good team. The loss of their fourth-leading scorer, Bennett MacArthur, to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan stung, but the pain was eased considerably with the signing of local boy Carson MacKinnon.
MacKinnon spent 4 1/2 seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He has 302 regular-season QMJHL games to his credit, mostly with the Rimouski Oceanic. He had 16 goals and 30 assists in 68 games with the Oceanic last year.
He got off to a great start with the Caps with a hat trick and two assists against Edmundston. MacKinnon deserves credit for wanting to finish his junior career in his hometown and he is a huge addition to the Caps.
The Caps have 16 games left in the regular season, which ends seven weeks from today. Ten of those games are on the road and only six at home, including tonight against Fredericton.
Rally For The Valley
The Western Atom A hockey team is showing some love for Sackville as they support Tyne Valley's bid for Hockeyville 2020. #rallyforthevalley2020 #krafthockeyville2020 pic.twitter.com/5WgNehDaz3
— Kraft Hockeyville 2020 - Tyne Valley Sports Centre (@KraftTyne) January 16, 2020
Sackville, N.S., withdrawing its Kraft Hockeyville entry in support of Tyne Valley is a heartwarming story. Tyne Valley is hoping to be this year's Hockeyville winner and the $250,000 prize that comes with it will be used to help to rebuild their rink after that devastating fire.
Jamie Munro was one of the organizers of the Sackville bid and like he said, we have a rink but Tyne Valley doesn't. It is nice to receive but feels a whole lot better to give and help others.
A kind and heart-warming gesture for sure.
Fast game
Pro hockey is fast paced and players are faster than ever. Connor McDavid is the world's best player and probably the fastest.
In a recent NHL game, the Edmonton Oiler was clocked at 44.2 kilometres-per-hour on a breakaway. That is 27.47 miles-per-hour and that is faster than the speed limit on most city streets.
Have a great week!
Joe MacIntyre is a local insurance broker. His column appears every Saturday. Comments and suggestions can be sent [email protected].
RELATED:
- Tyne Valley's Rally for the Valley spreads to Nova Scotia
- Cause of Tyne Valley Community Sports Centre fire ruled as 'undetermined'
- P.E.I. natives Turk Gallant, Mike Kelly fired by NHL's Vegas Golden Knights
- Peter DeBoer is determined to the help the Golden Knights make the next step
- MacArthur, MacKinnon, Muirhead combine for 17 points in Western Capitals’ win over Edmundston Blizzard
