5 Under-Appreciated Golden Knights Since Their Inaugural Season

Since their first season in 2017-18, the Vegas Golden Knights have maintained a historic level of success. Year after year, they’ve defied expectations and cemented themselves as Stanley Cup contenders.

A smorgasbord of talented players typically goes hand in hand with success, and the Golden Knights are no exception. From superstars like Jack Eichel and Marc-André Fleury to middle-six scoring threats like Reilly Smith and William Karlsson, fans have been kept well-entertained over the years.

Fans have appreciated every player who donned the jersey. However, certain players– often ones responsible for doing the thankless jobs– deserve more acknowledgement than they’ve received.

Countless players could make a case for a spot on this list, but I’ve tried to narrow it down. So, without further ado, here are the top five underappreciated Golden Knights since the 2017-18 season.

5 Underappreciated Golden Knights

5. James Neal

The Golden Knights were a problem right from the start, and William Karlsson’s 43-goal, 78-point season rightfully gets a lot of credit for that. So, too, does Marc-André Fleury and his .927 save percentage.

When it comes to the Golden Knights’ year one success, James Neal all but flies under the radar. Oh, he gets his flowers. In 71 games, he scored 25 goals and finished the season with 44 points. But six of Neal’s 25 goals were game-winners, and his dominance continued through the postseason.

Neal cemented his Golden Knights legacy early on, scoring six goals in their first four games. Of course, nothing was more memorable than his two-goal game against the Dallas Stars that gave the Golden Knights a win in their inaugural game. 

As a one-hit wonder, I can’t rank Neal higher on this list. But during a year that defined the Golden Knights’ identity, he was the Real Deal.

4. Michael Amadio

Michael Amadio played 193 regular season games with the Golden Knights, and he made every single one of them count. He was a takeaway machine and relentless on the forecheck. And if you said that the Golden Knights still missed his speed in the middle six– well, I wouldn’t argue with you.

With 41 goals and 72 points in 193 regular season games, Amadio was never a top-six offensive superstar. That being said, he was a smart, reliable player who always seemed to show up when the Golden Knights needed an unexpected hero. If the ‘clutch gene’ is real, Amadio certainly had it. 

If you need an example, look no further than the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Golden Knights faced the Winnipeg Jets in the first round. The Jets took Game 1 in alarming fashion; in Game 2, the VGK responded in kind and evened the series. In a pivotal Game 3, Amadio stepped up and buried the game-winner 3:40 into the second overtime.

Did the Golden Knights need to win Game 3? Who’s to say– that year, they looked like a damn team of destiny. But they had blown a 4-1 lead in the third period and allowed the tying goal with just 22 seconds remaining. Michael Amadio turned what would have been an utterly devastating loss into a resilient win.

3. Mark Stone

I know, I know. Mark Stone is the captain. He’s a 33-goal scorer, a perennial Selke candidate, and a powerplay wizard. So how could he possibly be underappreciated?

Allow me to make my case.

He’s the pinnacle of consistency– every single season, he hovers around a point-per-game. And despite his less-than-ideal injury history, he has 108 goals and 323 points in 340 total games with the Golden Knights.

He’s also an absolute pain to play against. The last time he played a full season– 2020-21– he led the league in takeaways. Even though he played just 66 games last season, he still finished in the top ten in takeaways among forwards. And when the Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup in 2023, he led all players in the postseason in takeaways with 31 in 22 games.

He blocks shots, goes to the dirty areas, and does all the thankless jobs night in and night out. The Golden Knights have earned a reputation for being a defensively responsible team– by now, it’s their identity. And every game, it’s their captain who leads the way.

2. Brayden McNabb

On a team of big, tough defensemen, Brayden McNabb is the biggest and the toughest, and it’s been that way for quite a while. (Okay, Nic Hague had two inches and 30 pounds on him.)

Since joining the Golden Knights in 2017, McNabb has routinely been among the league’s top defensemen in blocked shots. Despite missing 13 games, he led the league in 2021-22 with 179 blocks. 

McNabb takes some serious abuse throughout the season, but he doesn’t let the wear-and-tear show. He’s missed just 13 regular season games since 2021-22. Every night, he shows up and shows out, doing the ugly jobs that no player truly wants to do. 

In the almighty words of Wolverine: Brayden McNabb is the best at what he does, and what he does best isn’t very nice.

1. Chandler Stephenson

When you think of the all-time best Golden Knights, Chandler Stephenson isn’t the first player to come to mind. No, I bet you think of 2023 Conn Smythe-winner Jonathan Marchessault and his franchise-leading 192 goals and 417 points. 

After Marchessault, Stephenson probably isn’t the second or third player you think of, either. But make no mistake– despite not being anywhere near the franchise lead in games played, Stephenson is top-ten in every category that matters.

Stephenson hasn’t been a Golden Knight since 2024, but he’s 7th in goals, 6th in assists, and 7th in points. He’s 10th in even-strength goals, 5th in game-winning goals, and 7th in powerplay goals. He’s even 3rd in shorthanded goals.

Players like Stephenson rarely get their flowers. He probably won’t ever score 30 goals or be a point-per-game player. But what he brings to the table is just as important. 

Stephenson excels in the intangibles–  if I needed someone to win a defensive zone faceoff, there are few players I’d trust more. With his blazing speed and elite vision, he’s dangerous in transition. When the Golden Knights lost Stephenson, they lost a real part of their identity– and they haven’t yet gained it back.