How do the Golden Knights stack up against their 2021 division foes?

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John Locher/AP

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Alex Tuch (89) falls onto Arizona Coyotes center Nick Cousins (25) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019, in Las Vegas.

Thu, Jan 14, 2021 (2 a.m.)

Typically, the NHL schedule is static. The dates change, but the opponents stay the same.

This year will be different. Border restrictions between the United States and Canada required the seven Canadian teams to form their own division for the year. The league then realigned the 24 American clubs into three divisions, creating new combinations of teams that will play each other repeatedly—and no one else until deep into the playoffs.

Vegas is stationed in the West Division, which includes traditional Pacific division foes Anaheim, Arizona, Los Angeles and San Jose along with usual Central Division opponents Colorado, Minnesota and St. Louis. The Golden Knights will play each of those teams eight times apiece, in chunks, either hosting or visiting one of them for two games at a time.

The top four from each division will make the playoffs and continue to play each other in a mini-bracket, with the No. 1 seed taking on the No. 4 seed and the No. 2 seed facing the No. 3 seed. The winners from the first two series will advance to play each other, meaning the NHL won’t feature a single nondivisional game until the playoffs’ final four. (Those four remaining teams will be reseeded by regular season point total.)

We’re going to get awfully familiar with the Golden Knights’ opponents this year, so here’s what to know about them going in …

Anaheim Ducks

• Last season: 29-33-9 (67 points), sixth in Pacific Division, 13th in Western Conference, did not qualify for postseason.

• Key players: Defenseman Cam Fowler, goalie John Gibson, center Adam Henrique.

• Versus VGK: The Golden Knights have beaten the Ducks more than any other team in the regular season, winning 10 of 12 all-time meetings. Vegas also allows only 2 goals per game when facing Anaheim, the lowest total of any team in the league.

Arizona Coyotes

• Last season: 33-29-8 (74 points), fifth in Pacific Division, 11th in Western Conference, lost to Avalanche in first round.

• Key players: Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, left wing Clayton Keller, goalie Darcy Kuemper.

• Versus VGK: The Golden Knights are 8-4 all-time against the Coyotes, including a big win last December in what was then a battle for first in the Pacific. Oddly, half of Vegas’ wins against Arizona have come in overtime or a shootout.

Colorado Avalanche

• Last season: 42-20-8 (92 points), second in Central Division, second in Western Conference, lost in conference semifinals to Stars.

• Key players: Center Nathan MacKinnon, defenseman Cale Makar, right wing Mikko Rantanen.

• Versus VGK: Colorado beat up on Vegas last regular season, winning both matchups by a combined score of 13-4, though Vegas did win in overtime of the postseason round robin. Since the Golden Knights routed the Avalanche in the inaugural year, they have beaten them just twice in seven meetings, with a -10 goal differential.

Los Angeles Kings

• Last season: 29-35-6 (64 points), seventh in Pacific Division, 14th in Western Conference, did not qualify for postseason.

• Key players: Defenseman Drew Doughty, center Alex Iafallo, center An‑e Kopitar.

• Versus VGK: Even as they’ve settled into a rebuild, LA has managed to fend off Vegas well enough. The Golden Knights have won just five of 13 all-time regular season meetings against the Kings, and went going 1-3 against them last year.

Minnesota Wild

• Last season: 35-27-7 (77 points), sixth in Central Division, 10th in Western Conference, lost in qualifying round to Canucks.

• Key players: Defenseman Jonas Brodin, left wing Zach Parise, defenseman Jared Spurgeon.

• Versus VGK: The Wild have had the Golden Knights’ number for three seasons, winning six of eight games and holding Vegas to 1.88 goals per contest, the Golden Knights’ worst output against any opponent.

San Jose Sharks

• Last season: 29-36-5 (63 points), eighth in Pacific Division, 15th in Western Conference, did not qualify for postseason.

• Key players: Defenseman Brent Burns, center Logan Couture, defenseman Erik Karlsson.

• Versus VGK: The Golden Knights’ chief rival fell off last season, going from Western Conference finalist to last in the conference. Vegas won three of last year’s matchups and lost in overtime in the fourth, gaining the current upper hand in the rivalry.

St. Louis Blues

• Last season: 42-19-10 (94 points), first in Central Division, first in Western Conference, lost in first round to Canucks

• Key players: Left wing David Perron, defenseman Torey Krug, center Ryan O’Reilly.

• Versus VGK: Vegas has never beaten St. Louis in regulation in the regular season, though they have won four of nine overall meetings in overtime. The Golden Knights defeated the Blues during last postseason’s round robin, but they’ve still mostly struggled in the series, with a -4 overall goal differential.

This story appeared in Las Vegas Weekly.

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