The Vegas Golden Knights held their year-end media availability on Tuesday at City National Arena. Below are quotes from general manager Kelly McCrimmon, head coach Bruce Cassidy, and select Golden Knights players.
Kelly McCrimmon
On the 2023-24 season as a whole...
“2023-24 was a good season in that we became a playoff team for the sixth time in seven years. We are disappointed to be having our final media availability following the first round. There’s one team that’s happy when exit meetings are held at the end of the year. Last year, we were fortunate that that was us. When I look at the playoffs, it was a really good series between two very good hockey clubs. Felt more like a Conference Final than an opening round.”
On his team's roster this season...
“I believe it’s the best team we’ve ever had in Vegas. I know when I talked to our players today, to a man, really consistent messaging…a real feeling of missed opportunity, a lost opportunity, when you’ve got a team this good. We just didn’t quite have the time for it to gel.”
On the offseason...
“We need to use our time to our advantage. We need make sure we get everybody back to full health. We need to be in great shape, we need to use our offseason time to train and be focused and ready for training camp to start mid-September.”
On the high regard he has for his players and staff...
“Really proud of our team, the men that they are. The job of the coaches, the players, the training staff, the equipment managers, all of the people that are involved with the organization—it’s a high-character group. They care a lot. They have extremely high expectations. They’re disappointed, as we all are, because they really feel we could’ve moved on with the goal of repeating. I just wanted to thank our players, our organization, the people in it, for everything that they did this season.”
Bruce Cassidy
On if the team had enough time together to gel...
“Sometimes you need a round to get going, especially in our situation. We didn’t have a lot of time to get our team up and running, that was going to play in the playoffs. Credit to [Dallas] for doing that.”
On how tight the Dallas series was...
“The margins were slimmer than we would have liked. Looking back, we should have allowed the margins to be larger for us overcome some of that. How do you do that? You win one of those two games at home.”
On his team's effort in the postseason...
“I’m proud of the way we competed. I don’t like the end result, no one does. We expected more out of ourselves. But it wasn’t for lack of effort, it was a little bit lack of cohesion down the stretch.”
On the players...
“It’s a terrific group of guys, they would tell you that to a man. They love each other, they play for each other, and as a coach, you don’t get that everywhere. You want that. I’m appreciative of that and the fact that they worked hard for one another and bought into what we were trying to do. As a coach, nothing more you can ask for.”
On his team's game in the playoffs...
“Your game needs to grow from Game 1 to Game 7. I just believe that. I felt even though we won we can grow our game whether that was right or not. In hindsight, we didn’t win.”
On the composition of the Golden Knights
“I think, how we play the game, our makeup of our team, is a good formula. We just got to tweak a few things and we have to get better…where we fell short. Well, that’s on me to make sure we go through that. We won last year, and we felt there were areas we had to get better on…But I believe in our formula and our formula was one goal away from advancing to the final eight. We just had to play it better.”
**Mark Stone**
On his expectations for the team before the playoffs...
“Definitely felt like we had a team that could win a championship. Believe we will have a team that can win a championship going forward, as well.”
On where things went wrong in Round 1...
“We were right there. Winning the first two games and losing four and five was disappointing. Put ourselves in a good spot to go on another run and came up short.”
On using the offseason to get ready for 2024-25...
“You got to get ready to go battle 82 games to get back to where you want to be, which is playing playoff hockey. Hopefully, the guys can kind of unwind here for the next couple weeks and get back on the saddle, get the bodies ready, and have that chip again going back in next season.”
**Adin Hill**
On the team's high expectations...
“I feel like we never got to where our game can be. Last year, we saw what we can do in this locker room. I think you can argue we might have had a better team on paper this year. We didn’t play the same way on the ice, I don’t believe.”
On excitement for next season...
“The nice thing is, we know what we have in this locker room, and we’ll come back hungry next year.”
**Alex Pietrangelo**
On disappointment in how this season finished...
“Any time you have a team that’s competitive, that’s a good team, that you think has a chance and you don’t do it, it’s obviously disappointing, right? I think everybody feels the same way. So, what do you do? You take some time, process everything, and then get back to work. You want to still be playing, but we got to get ready for next year.”
On what the Golden Knights did well against Dallas...
“I thought we did a really good job of keeping our heads on straight and just keep playing. They were pretty much all one-goal games. Bounces here and there can change the series.”
On Vegas' window to keep contending...
“You only have so many opportunities with good teams. I’ve been fortunate to be on a lot of good teams, so it’s frustrating when we don’t get an opportunity to capitalize. But, I think, as you get older too, you find a way to flip the switch, coming into the next season refreshed.”
**Ivan Barbashev**
On the team's positive mindset in the locker room...
“The locker room [is special]. You can say it about every single guy in the locker room. It’s always fun to be around. Even though we had some tough stretches this season, it’s fun to be coming into the locker room. It’s always a good mood, lot of jokes going around, and I think they are probably the best teammates I’ve ever had in my career.”
**Tomas Hertl**
On his performance in Round 1...
“It was tough for me when we lost it because I know I can help way more than I did during the playoffs.”
On his ability to play with anyone in the Golden Knights' lineup...
“I should be a player who can play with anybody in this league after a long time, but I just couldn’t find my 100% game.”
On his offseason plans...
“I just want to now get fully healthy, stronger, and just be ready for the season. Hopefully, I enjoy all 82 games, full season, and help this team to win.”
On his optimisim for next season...
“This team still has potential. This team will be back here when we finish even better and have, hopefully, a longer run.”
**Jonathan Marchessault**
On the team the Golden Knights had in the playoffs...
“We’ve never had a stacked lineup like that. I really feel like we missed an opportunity here.”
On missed opportunity in the postseason...
“Do I think we can beat Dallas? Yeah, we could’ve. But we were one goal short. At the end of the day, it’s to their credit and their honor. They worked hard to be in that situation all year…I just see it as 2024 was a year that we missed out.”
On wanting to keep winning with the Golden Knights...
“I’m proud. Sitting here today, I can tell you what I’ve done for the Golden Knights, I’m proud. I’m happy with what we’ve accomplished. I think we’ve accomplished a successful organization. We are in the mix six out of seven years. Am I satisfied? I don’t think I’ll ever be, personally. I want to do it again.”
**Brayden McNabb**
On the tight series against Dallas...
“It’s frustrating. We had a good team put together, for sure. We obviously want to go on a run and do it again, right? They’re a good team, it was a hell of a series. There wasn’t a whole lot of room. Almost felt like a Western Conference Final, Stanley Cup Final kind of series. We were one goal away from playing today. It’s frustrating.”
**Jack Eichel**
On the belief the team had in itself...
“I think if you asked every guy in the room, we all believed we were going to win again. I really thought we had the team to do it. Hockey is such an interesting game. Doesn’t owe you anything. I think we played seven one-goal games against Dallas. You come to learn pretty quickly, you get a bounce here and there, you could be on the other side of it.”
On motivation heading into next season...
“I think [the way this season ended] should fuel all of us. There’s only one team that’s satisfied at the end of the year. We happened to be that team last year. This year, there’s only going to be one team that feels satisfied about what they did this season and that’s not where we are going to be. We want to get back to that point. It should fuel everyone. I know I’m sure going to use it as motivation and come back and be as prepared as possible to have a good season.”
**Noah Hanifin**
On his future with the Golden Knights...
“Now knowing I’m going to be here for the next eight years, I owe it to this organization to come in and be my best self, on the ice, off the ice. I’m just going to try and get better, keep improving.
On becoming a Golden Knight...
“It’s a great culture here. That’s what happens when you have a room full of guys that have gone the distance and won. I want to get to that point.”
