Michael Amadio

Forward • No. 22 • Age: 27 • Acquired: waiver claim from Toronto (October 2021)

Amadio exemplifies how so much of what the Golden Knights touch turns to gold. Amadio was a great goal scorer in junior hockey but didn’t reach that level of productivity at the NHL level … until joining Vegas. He has scored 27 goals in two seasons with the Golden Knights, including a career-high 16 this past season. He then tallied 10 points in 16 playoff games, including the game-winning double-overtime goal in Game 3 against Winnipeg.

Ivan Barbashev

Forward • No. 49 • Age: 27 • Acquired: trade with St. Louis (February 2023)

You could call Barbashev the missing piece to the Golden Knights’ championship puzzle. When he arrived in Vegas before the trade deadline, he was in the midst of a disappointing run for a lackluster Blues team. Then he joined the Golden Knights, became a top-line mainstay alongside Jack Eichel and Jonathan Marchessault and proved to be a true difference-maker. Barbashev had 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 23 regular-season games, then wrecking-balled his way through the playoffs with 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists). Barbashev played a huge role in winning his second Cup (the first came with teammate Alex Pietrangelo in St. Louis in 2019), and he’s due for a big payday this offseason as an unrestricted free agent, from Vegas or some another team.

Teddy Blueger

Center • No. 53 • Age: 28 • Acquired: trade with Pittsburgh (March 2023)

The Golden Knights felt they needed some defensive help down the middle, and Blueger fit the bill. He wound up playing a key role while Nicolas Roy dealt with an injury late in the season, playing 18 games as the fourth-line center and chipping in six points (two goals, four assists). Starting with his Golden Knights playoff debut in Game 5 against Edmonton, Vegas reeled off six straight wins.

Laurent Brossoit

Goaltender • No. 39 • Age: 30 • Acquired: signed as free agent (July 2021)

After backing up Robin Lehner during the 2021-2022 season, Brossoit fought hard to return to competition following offseason hip surgery. Once healthy, he became the

veteran leader of a young Henderson Silver Knights squad. And then, following Logan Thompson’s post-All-Star break injury, Brossoit came up to fill the gap … and did far more. Brossoit went 7-0-3 during the regular season (who could forget his save-of-the-year candidate versus Dallas on February 25?), and then helped Vegas eliminate his former team, the Winnipeg Jets, in round one of the playoffs. A injury against Edmonton knocked Brossoit out of action for good, and he’ll be a free agent this summer, but he was vital to Vegas’ championship run.

William Carrier

Forward • No. 28 • Age: 28 • Acquired: expansion draft from Buffalo (June 2017)

Carrier proved this year that he’s more than a fourth-line grinder ready to hit everything in sight. Given the opportunity to play a larger role, he took advantage, scoring a career-high 16 goals before suffering a lower-body injury late in the season. He returned for Game 5 against Winnipeg, bolstering the depth that helped propel the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup. One of six players remaining from Vegas’ inaugural season, Carrier could continue to thrive on the fourth line or move up as the goal scorer we saw this season. He’s come a long way since Year 1.

Paul Cotter

Forward • No. 43 • Age: 23 • Acquired: drafted in fourth round (June 2018)

Cotter proved he’s a capable NHL player this year. A star of the preseason and training camp, he went on to score 13 goals in 55 regular season games. He was a scratch throughout the playoffs, but he’s shown versatility and he has room to get better and claim an elevated role.

Pavel Dorofeyev

Forward • No. 16 • Age: 22 • Acquired: drafted in third round (June 2019)

Dorofeyev stormed onto the scene in March when the Golden Knights needed bodies, and he exceeded expectations with seven goals during a 10-game stretch. He didn’t see any playoff time, but he earned consideration for a future role with the NHL club.

Jack Eichel

Center • No. 9 • Age: 26 • Acquired: trade with Buffalo (November 2021)

If there was any doubt about Jack Eichel being a superstar, it’s been obliterated. Not only did he take his place among the world’s top players, he did it during his first taste of playoff hockey. His 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) led all players this postseason, and, as importantly, he took the next step toward becoming a complete 200-foot player, showing an emphasis on improvement in the defensive zone. Only linemate Jonathan Marchessault had a better 5-on-5 rating than Eichel during the playoffs. Eichel has been through a lot since his days in Buffalo—getting traded, recovering from neck surgery, missing the playoffs last year … but all that’s behind him. His 26 points rank third all-time by a player in his first postseason. It could be just the beginning of Eichel’s ascension.

Nicolas Hague

Defenseman • No. 14 • Age: 24 • Acquired: drafted in second round (June 2017)

Hague emerged from an initial Golden Knights draft class that also included Cody Glass, Nick Suzuki and Erik Brannstrom, and he has proven to be a valuable asset. Hague chipped in with six points in 22 games during the playoffs, but it’s his work on the defensive end that mattered most. His chemistry with Zach Whitecloud has formed a valuable pairing, rounding out arguably the deepest defensive unit in the NHL. Hague won’t be the last draft pick to make Vegas’ NHL roster, but he’ll always be the first of them to hoist the Cup.

Adin Hill

Goaltender • No. 33 • Age: 27 • Acquired: trade with San Jose (August 2022)

The Golden Knights needed more goaltending insurance heading into training camp after Robin Lehner and Laurent Brossoit both underwent offseason hip surgery. Enter Adin Hill, a 2015 third-round pick who had appeared in 74 total games during five seasons with Arizona and San Jose. Backing up Logan Thompson, he’d put together the best regular season of his career with Vegas: a 16-7-1 record, 2.50 goals against average and a .915 save percentage). Hill, who had never started an NHL playoff game, was thrown into the fire in Game 3 against Edmonton when Brossoit suffered an injury … and Hill went on to become a Las Vegas folk hero. He won 11 of his playoff 14 starts, allowing just 2.17 goals per game and posting a .932 save percentage. He also delivered the best save T-Mobile Arena might ever see—his sprawling paddle stop against Nick Cousins in Game 1 of the Cup Final. (Talk about erasing the memory of Braden Holtby’s stick save against Vegas in 2018.) Hill becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer, and his price tag surely skyrocketed with that playoff performance. Whether he stays or goes, he’ll be forever etched in Vegas lore.

Brett Howden

Forward • No. 21 • Age: 25 • Acquired: trade with New York Rangers (July 2021)

Howden, a former first-round pick from 2016, earned his spot in the VGK lineup after finding a welcoming home with Vegas. He tallied 10 points in the playoffs and proved to be an important complement to the Chandler Stephenson/Mark Stone line. His two goals in Game 4 in his hometown of Winnipeg, days after his son Charlie was born; his game-winning overtime goal in Game 2 against Dallas; and his highlight-reel goal in Game 2 against Florida will be endlessly replayed by Golden Knights’ fans, on screen and in their memories.

Ben Hutton

Defenseman • No. 17 • Age: 30 • Acquired: signed as free agent (October 2021)

For 31 games this season, Hutton provided a valuable depth presence on the blue line. With Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb out at times, Hutton stayed steady and reliable when called upon. The veteran made his Stanley Cup Playoff debut in Game 5 against Winnipeg and contributed his usual solid minutes.

William Karlsson

Center • No. 71 • Age: 30 • Acquired: expansion draft from Columbus (June 2017)

The man who scored 43 goals during the Golden Knights’ inaugural season has now been compared to one of the greatest two-way centers the NHL has ever known (Patrice Bergeron) by Bruce Cassidy, who has coached them both. And then, when it mattered most, Karlsson’s goal scoring returned—11 after just 14 during the regular season. But the Original Misfit found ways to contribute all year, racking up a career-high 39 assists in the regular season and then helping to stifle Edmonton superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in the second round of the playoffs. Wild Bill’s legend truly took flight when he went between his legs for a 2018 goal against San Jose, so it’s fitting that he did so again on an assist to Reilly Smith for what proved to be the game-winning goal in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Phil Kessel

Forward • No. 8 • Age: 35 • Acquired: signed as free agent (August 2022)

The NHL’s iron man is a three-time Stanley Cup champion. What was already seen as a Hall of Fame career for Kessel is now further cemented after he played all 82 regular season games (to up his record total to 1,064)and contributed some in the playoffs. Though his time with Vegas will likely last just one season, the veteran was a key locker-room presence for the title team.

Keegan Kolesar

Forward • No. 55 • Age: 26 • Acquired: trade with Columbus (June 2017)

Keegan Kolesar’s impact goes beyond being the Golden Knights’ enforcer. He has shown improvement each year since becoming a full-time NHL player, earning trust from coach Bruce Cassidy as a key cog on the fourth line. Coming off a career-high 24 points last season, Kolesar set another career-best with eight goals this season. He’ll still drop the gloves to stick up for teammates, but he has become an important player in other key situations, too.

Jonathan Marchessault

Forward • No. 81 • Age: 32 • Acquired: expansion draft from Florida (June 2017)

Think of how good the Golden Knights were in the playoffs, between Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, Adin Hill, William Karlsson and Chandler Stephenson, to name just a few. And yet it was Jonathan Marchessault who won the Conn Smythe Trophy. The Original Misfit went the first seven games of the playoffs without a goal … and finished with 13, tied for first in the postseason. Those goals were timely. They were clutch. They were the work of a pure goal scorer, which has been Marchessault for his entire Vegas tenure. He ended the playoffs on a 10-game point streak. And the 5-9 winger is one of the biggest reasons the Golden Knights are Stanley Cup champs. In November 2021, Marchessault was asked about just being a member of the Golden Knights. He said, “VGK is the pride of my career.” That says it all.

Alec Martinez

Defenseman • No. 23 • Age: 35 • Acquired: trade with Los Angeles (February 2020)

All Alec Martinez does is score goals in the Stanley Cup Final. And he did it again in Games 2 and 5 for the Golden Knights en route to his third career championship. Martinez made a name for himself by scoring the Cup-clinching goal in 2014 for the LA Kings, and he has remained a solid stay-at-home defenseman ever since. During three seasons with the Golden Knights, he has led the NHL in blocked shots and been a valuable veteran presence who continues to get things done in his mid-30s, working as a rock-solid defensive partner with Alex Pietrangelo. Martinez’s career might be winding down, but the “warrior” continues to state his case as one of the most accomplished defensemen around.

Brayden McNabb

Defenseman • No. 3 • Age: 32 • Acquired: expansion draft from Los Angeles (June 2017)

There were four players on the stage at T-Mobile Arena on the night of the 2017 expansion draft. Brayden McNabb is the last one standing from that group–and now he’s a Stanley Cup champion. McNabb has become one of the most reliable stay-at-home defensemen in the league, and his powerful hip check always sends the Vegas crowd into a frenzy. One of six remaining Original Misfits, McNabb has played 420 games with the Golden Knights after just 238 during the first five years of his career. A softspoken, introspective player, McNabb goes about his business until the job is done.

Alex Pietrangelo

Defenseman • No. 7 • Age: 33 • Acquired: signed as free agent (October 2020)

For Alex Pietrangelo to leave St. Louis, it had to be for a special city and team. Las Vegas and the Golden Knights became just that for him. The former Blues captain, who led that team to the 2019 Stanley Cup, has been as advertised since signing a seven-year deal with the Golden Knights in 2020. He tied his career-high with 54 points this season and led Vegas in ice time during the regular season (23:59) and playoffs (23:25). Pietrangelo was a key player in all three areas for the Knights—a 5-on-5 shutdown defenseman with offensive ability who also excelled on the power play and the penalty kill. Now, he’s a two-time Stanley Cup champion and just 29 points from becoming the ninth active defenseman to reach 600 points. It feels like a Hall-of-Fame résumé is being carved out.

Jonathan Quick

Goaltender • No. 32 • Age: 37 • Acquired: trade with Columbus (March 2023)

It seemed like a Twilight Zone moment when the Golden Knights acquired Quick before the trade deadline, but it turned out to be a shrewd move for Vegas. The longtime LA linchpin went 5-2-2 in nine starts with his new team, helping the Golden Knights hold off Edmonton for the top spot in the West and home ice during the playoffs. Quick didn’t get into the net during the postseason, but he hoisted the Cup for a third time in his life.

Nicolas Roy

Center • No. 10 • Age: 26 • Acquired: trade with Carolina (June 2019)

Nic Roy arrived in Vegas to little fanfare when the Golden Knights added him in a trade that sent popular player Erik Haula to the Carolina Hurricanes. Four years later, Roy is a rock-solid player who can slot almost anywhere in the lineup and contribute. He began the playoffs skating on the wing with William Karlsson and Reilly Smith, then moved back to his familiar position as fourth-line center once everyone got healthy. Roy finished with 11 points in the postseason, becoming one of 12 players to reach double digits for the Golden Knights during their championship run.

Reilly Smith

Forward • No. 19 • Age: 32 • Acquired: expansion draft trade with Florida (June 2017)

There was some chatter last offseason that another team could offer Smith more money, and that it might entice him to leave. But the Original Misfit had no intentions of leaving. He represented himself in negotiations during free agency and came away with a three-year extension to stay put in Vegas. And why not? Since arriving here in 2017, Smith has been a consistent presence on both ends of the ice—and in all situations. He posted 14 points in the playoffs and remained his ever-reliable defensive self in his own zone. Florida tossed him to the Golden Knights as an enticement to take Marchessault from their roster in the expansion draft. The world will never know how differently things might have turned out for Vegas without that two-fer, and Smith helped make sure his own Florida-to-Vegas journey had the ultimate signature moment—the game-winning goal in the Cup-clinching Game 5 win.

Chandler Stephenson

Center • No. 20 • Age: 29 • Acquired: trade with Washington (December 2019)

It’s clear now that the Golden Knights’ front office saw something in Chandler Stephenson that no one else did. The two-time Stanley Cup champion has blossomed into an All-Star with the Golden Knights, developing amazing chemistry with linemate Mark Stone and even inching into the Conn Smythe Trophy conversation after tallying 20 points in 22 playoff games, including two goals in Game 4 to put Vegas on the brink of its championship. The speedy Stephenson remains one of the best bargains in the NHL at $2.75 million, and he’s entering a contract season. The Golden Knights will surely do everything they can to keep him.

Mark Stone

Forward • No. 61 • Age: 31 • Acquired: trade with Ottawa (February 2019)

Mark Stone is an emotional human, and he has every reason to be right now. After undergoing his second back surgery in less than a year, the Golden Knights’ captain worked tirelessly to return to the ice and help his team make another deep playoff run. And he didn’t just make it back; he often looked like the Stone of old, racking up 24 points in 22 postseason games, including an unforgettable hat trick in the Cup-clinching Game 5 win over Florida. And, of course, he became the first Vegas player ever to hoist the Stanley Cup, as his teammates raucously cheered him on. Former VGK coach Pete DeBoer once said a team can’t win a championship without a captain, and Mark Stone has proven to be a perfect choice to wear that letter on his sweater for the Vegas Golden Knights.

Shea Theodore

Defenseman • No. 27 • Age: 27 • Acquired: expansion draft trade with Anaheim (June 2017)

It’s truly incredible that all it took for the Golden Knights to get Shea Theodore was to agree to select Clayton Stoner in the expansion draft. Stoner never played a game for Vegas, while Theodore has blossomed into a Norris Trophy-caliber defenseman with room to get even better at age 27. One of six remaining Original Misfits, Theodore would be a No. 1 defenseman on many teams, but in Vegas, he put up 41 points in 55 games this season on the squad’s second pairing. His highlight-reel dangles, his smooth skating and his blistering speed have helped him make him a popular Golden Knight—and now a Stanley Cup champion.

Logan Thompson

Goaltender • No. 36 • Age: 26 • Acquired: signed as free agent (July 2020)

Thompson’s season ended prematurely, but he deserves of a lot of credit for the Golden Knights’ championship run. In his first full season as the starting goalie, he went 21-13-3 and earned an All-Star nod. A February non-contact injury cut his run short—he tried to make one more start a month later but couldn’t finish the game, but the 26-year-old is still considered the goaltender of the future in Vegas, and he showed that he can handle that workload.

Zach Whitecloud

Defenseman • No. 2 • Age: 26 • Acquired: undrafted free agent (March 2018)

From undrafted to the AHL to a mainstay on an NHL blue line, Zach Whitecloud has grown with the Vegas organization. He has played 186 games with the Golden Knights, teaming with Nic Hague to provide reliable third-pairing play. He’s also a fan favorite. A man proud of his heritage—a member of the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation—Whitecloud becomes the first member of his tribe ever to win the Stanley Cup. He’s signed for five more years and should only continue to get better.

Click HERE to subscribe for free to the Weekly Fix, the digital edition of Las Vegas Weekly! Stay up to date with the latest on Las Vegas concerts, shows, restaurants, bars and more, sent directly to your inbox!