Golden Knights Listed as Top 5 Stanley Cup Contender After Taking 2-1 Lead in Series with Sharks

• Vegas leads San Jose 2-1 in their first-round playoff series
• Mark Stone leads the playoffs with six goals and eight points
• The Golden Knights have the top three playoff scorers, none of whom were on the team for their run to the Stanley Cup last year

It’s time to start respecting the Vegas Golden Knights.

Nobody can blame you for fading them during their expansion season that saw them lose in the Stanley Cup Finals to the Washington Capitals. But now? We’ve seen them have enough success at this point to believe they are not only capable of reaching the finals again, but of winning it all.

Odds to Win 2019 Stanley Cup

*Odds taken 4/15/19. Click on the link in the table above to see odds for all available teams.

In the odds in sportsbooks, you can see that, well, Vegas likes Vegas, and you should too. You can also see the evidence in our Stanley Cup Odds tracker.  Here’s the case that they are not only providing some value, but actually the most value on the board.

instant classic ??? pic.twitter.com/fpXpWWj92Z

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) April 15, 2019

New Additions Leading the Way in Vegas

The top three players in playoff scoring are Mark Stone, Paul Stastny, and Max Pacioretty.  All three are Golden Knights and all three played elsewhere last season. While Vegas didn’t lose any big pieces from last year’s team they’ve done an incredible job adding to the great roster they had only a year ago.

? Stastny: It was really loud tonight and we fed off the crowd. That's what home ice is all about. pic.twitter.com/B00ZsYXfi9

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) April 15, 2019

Stone, in particular, has been a huge success. He started slow after being acquired at the deadline tallying only 11 points in 18 regular season games, but once the playoffs started he’s taken his game to a whole new level. His eight points lead the postseason, and his six goals are twice as many as any other player.

Stone’s eight points lead the postseason, and his six goals are twice as many as any other player.

When you consider the added depth these three gives Vegas it really poses problems for opposing coaches, even ones that have defenseman like Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson at their disposal.

Offensive Success Coming Against Elite Competition

In addition to two Norris Trophy d-men, Martin Jones is one of the best goalies in the league and put up sparkling numbers for the San Jose Sharks this season. In the playoffs, he ranks dead last among the 17 goalies to dress in both goals against and save percentage. His 5.23 GAA and .849 SV% are by far and away the worst in the playoffs and it’s thanks to sustained pressure from the Golden Knights. Their team speed and overall depth leads to wave after wave of offense, and it’s beginning to wear down the Sharks.

Sharks tied to Martin Jones for 5 more years at $5.75M. Unless, of course, they find one of the three teams he’s willing to accept a trade to… pic.twitter.com/sh3nTky4kx

— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) April 15, 2019

The Golden Knights have people doubting if Jones should be the Sharks’ starting goalie, which is crazy when you think of all the success he’s had.

Vegas entered this series as an underdog, but proved last night on home ice they are a team to be reckoned with. Now that they have home ice in this series, expect them to move past the Sharks and onto a series with the winner between the Calgary Flames and Colorado Avalanche.

With three stars added to a lineup that went to the final last year, jump on the value still sitting there and take Vegas to win the Cup at +800.

Pick: Vegas Golden Knights (+800)