Five reasons the Vegas Golden Knights continue to thrive as NHL's most-successful expansion team

Kevin Allen | USA TODAY

Marc-Andre Fleury was a Penguin a year ago. James Neal was a Predator. William Karlsson was a Blue Jacket.

Everyone on today’s Vegas Golden Knights roster was somewhere else, a member of a different team, a year ago. But today every member of the Las Vegas team is a character in one of the most remarkable NHL stories the league has ever authored.

The most successful expansion team in NHL history is now the only undefeated team in this season’s playoffs. A 7-0 thumping of the San Jose Sharks in the opening game of the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal Thursday gives the Golden Knights a 5-0 post-season record.

The NHL has never witnessed a team like the Golden Knights. They owned the fifth-best record (51-24-7) in the regular-season and now are making the NHL playoff grind look like a stroll down the Vegas strip. Thanks to Fleury’s MVP-like goaltending and a relentless attacking style, the Golden Knights have given up just three goals in five playoff games.

The Golden Knights played their opening game nine days after 58 people were killed in a mass shooting at a popular Las Vegas concert venue. In the pregame ceremony, Vegas defenseman Deryk Engelland, a 14-year Las Vegas resident, stood at center ice and thanked the first responders who saved many that night. He said he was proud to be from Las Vegas.

“Vegas strong,” he said in closing.

Some say that was the night Las Vegas fully embraced its team. The strong bond between city and team has undoubtedly been a factor in the team’s success.

Peaking too soon? Best round of the NHL playoffs is now

From babies to grandmas: Golden Knights' NHL show wows in Vegas

Playoff coverage: Inside NBC's plans for the Stanley Cup playoffs

But no person has had a greater impact on the success than general manager George McPhee. He developed the strategy used to build the Golden Knights’ roster. He had the final say on hockey operations. Here are his five best moves he made to develop this team:

1. Making Fleury the Foundation

Fleury is 33, not an ideal age for an expansion team. But McPhee didn’t care because he wanted Fleury for his talent, engaging personality and reputation as one of the league’s best teammates. Fleury has been a perfect fit. He’s the team’s most popular player. He is the marketing department’s dream performer. On the ice, he has been a superstar. In the Golden Knights’ first five playoff games, he owns a 0.54 goals-against average and a .982 save percentage.

2. Hiring Gerard Gallant

With his old school player’s approach, Gallant was the right choice to coach the Golden Knights' patchwork collection of athletes. Players believe in Gallant because he doesn’t play mind games. He’s direct, honest, and understands the game from a player’s perspective. He is former player who thrived in the NHL through grit, guile and hard work. The Golden Knights play hard for Gallant because they respect him.

3. Believing character matters

From the beginning, the Vegas Golden Knights placed as much emphasis on character as they did on skill when evaluating players. McPhee and his staff did their homework about players’ personalities and reputations. They had team chemistry in mind each time they made an expansion draft decision. They never lost sight that they were building a team, not creating a list of players. McPhee assembled a team of players who feel they have something to prove because their former teams let them go. That was by design.

4. Selecting Karlsson

Karlsson, 25, had scored 18 goals in 183 games when McPhee claimed him from the Columbus Blue Jackets. This season he blossomed into a star with the Golden Knights. He netted 42 goals while showcasing a strong two-way playing style. He has five points in the team’s first five postseason games.

5. Striking a balance

The way this team was built proves McPhee believed the team could be competitive immediately. But if you look at all the moves he’s made as a package, you see McPhee had a two-prong plan to compete now and also build for the future. Karlsson is still young. Nate Schmidt is 26. Shea Theodore is 23 and Alex Tuch is 21. He stockpiled draft picks and prospects to help in the future. The Golden Knights already look like a high-functioning organization.