Golden Knights use preseason odds and predictions as fuel for Cup run | Ed Graney | sport

At the beginning of the season they will play the “no respect” card, the “nobody believes in us” card.

And that's okay.

Whatever creates motivation. Whatever makes your skates a little faster, your shot a little harder, and your defense a little stiffer.

It's an act that Michael Jordan and the Bulls always displayed when they won championships, for heaven's sake. This also applies to Georgian football when it won its recent national titles.

It has been a proven tactic for countless winning teams and athletes over the years.

But the Golden Knights, who opened their eighth year as a franchise with an 8-4 win over Colorado on Wednesday night at T-Mobile Arena, also need to know this: Nobody is buying it.

Predictions vary

There may be several new and younger players in the locker room this season, but there is no dire forecast for this team. It really hasn't happened – not at a higher level – since an expansion team we all remember well made a Stanley Cup Final.

Predictions vary as to where the Knights will end up in any given year, but few, if any, have ever completely written them off before a puck is dropped. That's crazy. They were too good.

The odds change here and there – the Knights are not among the favorites to win the Cup when the new season begins – but the team is never a minor player. They shouldn't be either.

“I think players need motivation, but to what extent that motivation comes is a good question,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “Are you too old? Is your window closing? There is a certain motivation there. But we were champions. We play right. We have a great organization.

“But I think it's good for players to have something like a (chip on their shoulders) on the ice every day to be better and good professionals. It gives them a little more juice, so why not? It's a long year.

“Now, how much you use it is something to keep an eye on. If you do it every night, the message can get old. But to get off to a good start, I think we can use it.”

They tried it some time after winning the Stanley Cup in 2023, an idea they had little hope of repeating. And ultimately, instead of winning back-to-back titles, they lost to Dallas in seven games in the first round of the playoffs last season.

That undoubtedly gave the Knights the idea that there are few underdogs on board to compete for the Pacific Division title or have another strong postseason win. It gave them the perfect amount of fuel.

“I think it always motivates you, every time you win and have the same expectations the season after and come up short,” said defenseman Shea Theodore. “It leaves a sour taste in our mouth.

“We want to get back to where we were. We obviously have some changes in the room, but we brought in a lot of good players and a lot of good character types that will fit in really well.”

Jordan could play

The thing is: talented professionals often play better and win more when they have something to prove. The juice Cassidy is talking about – no matter how contrived – is a real source of incentive.

This stuff actually works sometimes.

Michael Jordan was pretty good.

“You try to find things to hang your hat on,” defenseman Brayden McNabb said. “We struggled with a lot of injuries last season, now it's time to prove it. Try to stay healthy during the regular season and playoffs. We're a better team when we have something to prove and have that chip on our shoulders. There are a lot of people who write us off.

“But we believe in this group. We believe in this organization.”

The No Respect Card is a popular platform.

It can also prove to be one of the best remedies to use.

Ed Graney, winner of the Sigma Delta Chi Award for sports column writing, can be reached at [email protected]. He can be heard Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. on The Press Box, ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM. Follow @edgraney on X.