Daily Nuggets: Golden Knights Lead Way; Fleury Honored, Crosby Breaks Record

Good morning everyone. It’s been three long days without Vegas Golden Knights hockey, but the wait is over. They’ll face the Chicago Blackhawks tonight, presumably without defenseman Alex Pietrangelo. The Golden Knights lead the league in home attendance numbers, averaging well over a sell-out for every game. Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals honored former Golden Knights goaltender Marc-André Fleury after a 4-2 Minnesota Wild win, shocking the hockey world.

Elsewhere in the Daily Nuggets, another team was eliminated from playoff contention– we’re up to three now! Sidney Crosby broke what was perhaps Wayne Gretzky’s most impressive record. The Oilers are floundering, and the Flyers parted ways with disgruntled head coach John Tortorella.

Golden Knights News

Marc-André Fleury, the Vezina-winning former Golden Knight, will retire at the end of this season. On Thursday, after the Minnesota Wild won on home ice, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin instructed his team to shake Fleury’s handbefore leaving the ice. Now, Fleury has been on a retirement tour. He received a hero’s sendoff after his final starts in his hometown, Montreal, and Pittsburgh, where he spent the first 13 seasons of his career. But this is different; this is almost unheard of.

Across the league, Thursday night was very kind to the Golden Knights. The Seattle Kraken eviscerated the Edmonton Oilers 6-1. The Avalanche blanked the Los Angeles Kings in Colorado and won 4-0. There’s still time, but the Golden Knights are beginning to run away with the Pacific Division title.

The Athletic ($): They’re number one! The Athletic released a graph of every NHL team and their attendance record, and the Golden Knights led the way with an average capacity of 102.6%.

Golden Knights Prospects News

On Thursday, the Golden Knights signed top goaltending prospect Cameron Whitehead to a two-year, entry-level contract. With his reflexes and tracking ability, I’d be surprised if he didn’t develop into an NHL goaltender. He’s just 21 and has quite the resume.

It was a thrilling day of college hockey on Thursday in the 2025 NCAA Tournament; there were upsets, double-overtime heartbreakers, and late-game heroics. It all continues on Friday, and Golden Knights fans can watch their top prospect, Trevor Connelly, when the Providence Friars take on the reigning National Champion Denver Pioneers on ESPN+. Puck drop is at 2:30 p.m., so it won’t even overlap with tonight’s Golden Knights game.

NHL News, Rumors, & National Hockey Now

The Athletic ($): The Minnesota Wild have struggled offensively after losing star winger Kirill Kaprizov to injury two months ago. Kaprizov skated with the team for the first time on Thursday– but there’s a long way to go before he returns.

Edmonton Journal: The Oilers have become increasingly dependent on Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl over the years. With both players out with injuries, cracks in the roster are finally starting to show. And it’s not pretty.

Nashville Post: The Nashville Predators’ season was one to forget. They spent big in Free Agency and were widely expected to make the postseason. On Thursday, they became the third team eliminated from playoff contention. 

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: On Thursday, Sidney Crosby broke a record that many previously considered untouchable. With a goal against the Buffalo Sabres, Crosby recorded his 20th consecutive point per game season.

Chicago Hockey Now: When the Golden Knights play the Blackhawks on Friday, they’ll see a newer, younger team than the one they faced a month ago.

Florida Hockey Now: Brad Marchand is on track to make his Panthers debut on Friday.

Philly Hockey Now: Well, I think everybody saw this coming. On Thursday, the Flyers fired head coach John Tortorella.