The Vegas Golden Knights are the defending Western Conference champs, but this year's team is arguably even scarier than last year's. While the first line is still comprised of Reilly Smith with Jonathan Marchessault, the second line now features Paul Stastny, Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty after Stone was traded to the Golden Knights by the Senators at the deadline.
Seeing Stone and Pacioretty on the same line may seem crazy, given that the two have a bit of a past from Stone's time in Ottawa and Pacioretty's stint in Montreal. The two were the faces of the Senators-Canadiens rivalry when they played for their respective teams, and after a 4-1 win against the Stars on Tuesday they were clearly still getting used to the way things are now.
"Yeah it was a little strange to have him join me in the celebration," Pacioretty said after the game, via The Athletic's Jesse Granger. "I almost put my hands up to protect myself."
"Never in my wildest dreams did I think he and I would be in a celebration together," Stone added, per SportsNet. Stone also said that Pacioretty was one of the first players to text him after the trade.
That Golden Knights second line is already shaping up to be a terror. Pacioretty had a pair of goals, and he took home the first star of the game with Stone getting the second.
With all of the talk about the race in the Central and the surprising Flames, the Golden Knights are out to remind everyone that they're still here. If nothing else, the addition of Stone should serve as a stark reminder for the league that they're still the team to beat out West.
