What we’ve learned about the Knights at the 25-game mark

The end of November is a checkpoint in the NHL season to make an evaluation: Who are the contenders and who’s fluttering toward the basement?

The Golden Knights have reason to feel good about where they are.

The Knights enter December at 15-7-3, good for first place in the Pacific Division and three points behind the Winnipeg Jets and Minnesota Wild for the top spot in the Western Conference.

Internally, the Knights would say that they expected to be in this position. But given all they lost in the offseason and the uncertainty with the roster, they’ll gladly take where they are.

Here’s what we’ve learned about the team as the calendar turns to December:

Eichel’s Hart case

What Jack Eichel is doing is unprecedented on multiple fronts.

He’s never been on a pace like this. The Knights’ No. 1 center has 36 points in 25 games, good for third-most in the NHL behind Minnesota’s Kirill Kaprizov and Carolina’s Martin Necas.

Eichel is on pace for 118 points, which would obliterate his career-high of 82 in 2018-19 with the Buffalo Sabres.

That’s just the offensive side. Eichel has become one of the Knights’ most reliable two-way players. His 12 takeaways are most among forwards on the team and are in the top 25 among forwards in the league.

Not to mention he’s used on every unit from first power play to first penalty kill.

Eichel is also on the cusp of having the best individual season in Knights history. Eichel is already 42 points away from tying center William Karlsson’s mark of 78 set in 2017-18.

“I think he’s taking another step in our locker room,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “When you take out other veteran guys, I feel like he’s more of a voice now, and that translates on the ice. A guy who knows he needs to be a really good player for us to win most nights.”

That sounds like a valuable player. Perhaps the most valuable player.

No player in team history has been in high discussion for the Hart Trophy, the league’s MVP award. Captain Mark Stone’s ninth-place finish in 2020-21 is the highest a Knights player has ever landed.

Health is the only hindrance to having Eichel in the conversation. He missed 19 games last season after knee surgery and 15 games the year before with a lower-body injury.

Eichel deserves to be in the conversation, and should continue to be if he stays healthy and the Knights keep winning at the pace they have been.

Defense is a question

Here’s something that was never a thought with a Cassidy-coached team: The Knights are struggling defensively.

The Knights have built an identity the past two seasons on being a strong defensive team in a goalie-friendly system. So far, allowing 3.12 goals per game and allowing the fourth-most goals at five-on-five in the league (55) is anything but that.

Things didn’t look any better in Saturday’s 6-0 loss to Utah, as the Knights gave up four goals in the first period by way of poor puck management.

The uptick in scoring has helped balance things out for the Knights, but the bread and butter of why they’ve been successful the past two years has been defense. Through 25 games, it hasn’t been consistent.

Hill’s charge for Canada

The timing couldn’t have been more perfect for Adin Hill.

The No. 1 goaltender has played his best hockey of the season over his past six starts, going 4-1-1 with a .923 save percentage and only 12 goals allowed.

Just in time for Team Canada to name its goalie tandem for the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Hill was anything but a lock after giving up three goals or more in eight of his first 10 starts. Since the Nov. 11 loss to Carolina, the Knights’ netminder allowed two goals or less in five straight starts before being on the hook for three against Winnipeg on Friday.

Cassidy, who is an assistant coach on Team Canada, admitted that he got away from his rotation with Hill and Ilya Samsonov so Hill could get more action in front of Canada’s decision makers.

It almost backfired in the beginning, but it’s paying off now as Hill has turned a corner at the right time.

“He just looks more comfortable in there,” Cassidy said. “He’s more engaged in the game.”

4 Nations rosters

Speaking of the international best-on-best tournament in February, all signs point to the Knights being heavily involved in the four-team tournament when the rosters are unveiled Wednesday.

Eichel was one of the first six selected for the United States, and Cassidy joins Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper’s coaching staff.

Defensemen Shea Theodore and Alex Pietrangelo will also be in the conversation for Canada as the Knights’ top two scorers from the blue line. If healthy, captain Mark Stone may also join Canada.

Center William Karlsson, though missing nine games this season, should be a lock on Sweden’s roster.

Despite his struggles to start the season, defenseman Noah Hanifin should be in the mix for the U.S. with Eichel.

The NHL’s schedule has been condensed with a lot of games in a short amount of time. The two-week break due to 4 Nations is a big reason for that. While many players will get some time off, the Knights could be one of the most represented team in this tournament.

There could be no rest for the Knights’ top players following that break.

“You’re going to play a lot of hockey in a short period of time,” Pietrangelo said. “A lot of teams are going through tough stretches right now. Can’t really use that as an excuse.”

Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.