Over or under? Take your pick with these Golden Knights props
Things tend to break a team’s way when it goes on to win a Stanley Cup.
The Golden Knights were no different, given they stayed close to injury-free throughout the playoffs and went 5-2 in one-goal games en route to the franchise’s first championship.
Now it’s time to see if fortune smiles in the Knights’ favor again with every other team chasing them. What do our Knights writers think will happen? Check out our annual predictions, as we make picks on over/under props for the team.
Jack Eichel goals (28.5)
Ben Gotz: UNDER
The Cup run showed what an incredible player he can be. That player was also on a 22-goal pace.
Ed Graney: UNDER
This is shooting just a bit high, no matter how much he shoots.
Adam Hill: OVER
While he often prefers to pass, his confidence should be at an all-time high after a run as the best player in the playoffs last season.
David Schoen: OVER
He’s two years removed from the artificial disk replacement surgery and looks primed to challenge the 40-goal mark for the first time in his career.
Mark Stone points (40.5)
Ben Gotz: OVER
If Stone stays healthy (a large if), passing this total should be no problem.
Ed Graney: UNDER
Has to prove he can stay healthy. Question mark of the season.
Adam Hill: UNDER
Injuries are always the question with Stone. If he plays 50 games, he will go over with ease, but the Knights might be better served managing his minutes to prepare for another postseason run.
David Schoen: OVER
As long as he avoids minor leaguers taking runs at him and his back holds up, the captain should blow past this mark by the All-Star Game.
Jonathan Marchessault goals: (29.5)
Ben Gotz: OVER
If Eichel isn’t scoring, it’s because this guy is finishing off his passes.
Ed Graney: OVER
You can’t stop the Conn Smythe winner. You can only hope to grab a few quotes from him on deadline.
Adam Hill: OVER
It’s just what he does now.
David Schoen: OVER
It’s a contract year, and the 32-year-old will be motivated to show he is worth a bump in salary. Plus, he has Jack Eichel feeding him pucks.
Chandler Stephenson points (63.5)
Ben Gotz: OVER
One thing Stone’s back issues have done is show how good Stephenson is in his own right.
Ed Graney: UNDER
But barely.
Adam Hill: OVER
He’s finished at 64 and 65 the past two seasons. So, 66 this season?
David Schoen: UNDER
Another motivated player in a contract year. He could produce a third straight 60-point season and still not hit this number.
William Karlsson points (51.5)
Ben Gotz: UNDER
Not sure he can get there without Reilly Smith as his running mate on the third line.
Ed Graney: UNDER
There’s a guy in Pittsburgh who would have sold me on the OVER here.
Adam Hill: UNDER
The Knights really don’t need him to score, and he still might be hung over from the parade.
David Schoen: UNDER
His linemates are most likely to be Michael Amadio and a mystery winger on the left. Not exactly the Misfits.
Shea Theodore points (52.5)
Ben Gotz: OVER
It would be a career high, but he’s capable of doing this if he stays healthy.
Ed Graney: OVER
It’s another one of those Stone theories, but this one suggests Theodore will remain healthy.
Adam Hill: OVER
His career high is 52, so this basically is asking whether he will top that mark. It’s his time for a big statistical season.
David Schoen: OVER
He probably would have gotten there last season if he didn’t miss 27 games. But this comes down to whether he produces on the power play.
Alex Pietrangelo points (50.5)
Ben Gotz: UNDER
The Knights don’t need him to carry the load offensively.
Ed Graney: UNDER
Shea Theodore will be grabbing some of these points.
Adam Hill: UNDER
Another player whose workload the Knights should probably look to manage, as he’s coming up on 34 and just went through another long playoff run.
David Schoen: UNDER
He has to slow down eventually. Right?
Team points (103.5)
Ben Gotz: OVER
Another 111-point season might be a stretch. But 103 points was only good for 11th-most in the NHL last season.
Ed Graney: OVER
Back-to-back, Jack! (Or Bruce).
Adam Hill: OVER
There is too much talent on the roster and too many mediocre-to-bad teams in the Western Conference to not post a great record.
David Schoen: UNDER
Everything seemed to break right last season. But it’s an improved Pacific Division, and every team will be motivated to face the Stanley Cup champions.