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The Vegas Golden Knights can clinch their first Stanley Cup in franchise history with a win Tuesday night. Head coach Bruce Cassidy is only in his first season with the team. However, he recognized some of those who have been with the team through their entire six-year history.
Cassidy kicked off Game 5 by icing a lineup full of Golden Knights originals. Jonathan Marchessault, Reilly Smith, and William Karlsson made up the forward group. And the defensive pairing consisted of Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore.
It's a classy gesture to extend to a group of guys who have been through the ups and downs with Vegas. Each of them came to the Golden Knights as essentially a band of misfit toys. But they all thrived in the Sin City, in their own way.
Marchessault and Smith came from the Florida Panthers, who play Vegas in the Stanley Cup Final. The Panthers traded Smith to the Golden Knights to ensure Vegas would select Marchessault in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft.
The Golden Knights acquired a first and second-round pick from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for selecting Karlsson in that draft. Furthermore, Vegas received Shea Theodore in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for selecting defenseman Clayton Stoner.
McNabb, meanwhile, was the ninth selection of the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. He previously played for the Los Angeles Kings and the Buffalo Sabres before heading to Vegas.
All five of these players experienced the pain of losing in the 2018 Stanley Cup Final to the Washington Capitals. They are just one win away from avenging that loss. Let's see if they get it done Tuesday night.
