To say the Vegas Golden Knights'; 2017-18 season was surprising is an
understatement. It was astonishing and flat-out jaw-dropping. Coming into the
league as a first-year expansion team and completely shattering expectations
was artistry.

Sure, their relentless 100 miles per hour-esque style on offense and
rambunctious home-ice advantage played a role. However, the emergence of
forwards Jonathan Marchessault and William Karlsson as their top two scorers
may have been the most significant contributing factor.

Having a pair of youthful skaters with speed and a scoring touch goes a long
way in having long-term success in the NHL. Given their offensive skill sets
and young ages, can they become the NHL';s next greatest dynamic duo? Below is
why this may come to fruition.Both Recorded 75-Plus Points Last Season

It';s one thing to have a forward capable of racking up 75 or more points a
season. Possessing a pair of players who can break that statistical plateau is
another. The Golden Knights had that exact luxury in their inaugural season
with Marchessault and Karlsson, which came as a shock given that one of them
could not sniff the 30-point barrier in prior seasons.Golden Knights forward
William Karlsson was one of the NHL';s surprise breakout stars last season.
(Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Swedish-born Karlsson was the anchor of Vegas'; scoring machine, as he led
the team with 78 points and 43 goals in a full 82-game season. He also
registered 35 assists. What';s most stunning about his output was that he was a
 mere role player with the Columbus Blue Jackets the previous season. Karlsson
played all 82 games in the 2016-17 season and he recorded just six goals and 19
 assists for a career-high 25 points. Breaking the 40-goal mark and nearly
reaching 80 points was an unforeseen accomplishment for the 25-year old.

Marchessault was right behind his first-line compadre on the scoring list last
season. The Cape-Rogue, Quebec product notched 27 goals and 48 assists for 75
points in 77 games last year. His points and assists numbers were both
second-highest on the team, and it';s fair to believe he would have racked up
80-plus points had he played five additional matches.

Unlike Karlsson, though, the 27-year old centre displayed flashes of brilliance
 the season before his arrival in Vegas. During the 2016-17 campaign,
Marchessault put up 30 goals and 21 helpers for 51 points with the Florida
Panthers. Hovering around the 50-point range at a reasonably young age is
always promising, and Marchessault took that potential and elevated his game to
 another level with Vegas.Vegas Golden Knights center Jonathan Marchessault
emerged as a go-to scoring option for the Golden Knights last season. (Gary A.
Vasquez/USA Today Sports.)

Both players clearly had polar opposite performances the season prior to
becoming Golden Knights. But as soon as Karlsson and Marchessault landed in
Vegas, their offensive productions skyrocketed simultaneously and they emerged
as two of the NHL';s top-30 scorers. Not many teams in the league have the
privilege of possessing a top-30 overall scorer, let alone two who can rack up
75-80 points in a season. The Golden Knights are one of the lucky ones to have
a pair of efficient scorers who mesh really well.Their Skill Sets Compliment
Each Other

Marchessault and Karlsson have both demonstrated an ability to put points on
the board and significantly boost their team';s offensive output. A club can
have a pair of talented forwards with a scoring knack, but if the pair can';t
gel together, then the flow of the offense becomes clunky. Vegas does not have
that flaw because Karlsson and Marchessault compliment one another in a smooth
manner when they share the ice. And when the pair is clicking on all cylinders,
 the Golden Knights have one of the NHL';s most explosive attacks.

Last season, the Swedish-born winger cultivated into Vegas'; premier
goal-scoring option, while the former Florida Panther materialized into a stout
 playmaker. And when the pair took the ice together, it was a common sight to
see Marchessault moving the puck accurately in Karlsson';s direction to set up
a goal.

Out of Karlsson';s 43 scores, 18 of them were assisted by his Quebec-born
linemate. But the two forwards did not completely stick to their primary roles,
 as Karlsson would occasionally step into a playmaking position. The 6-foot-1
winger assisted on 11 of Marchessault';s 27 goals. It is important to note that
 the two offensive specimens were not linemates to begin the year, so its easy
to conceive how outstanding their chemistry could have been for a full
season.Karlsson celebrates after scoring a goal against the Colorado Avalanche
during the game at T-Mobile Arena on March 26, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
(Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images)

Establishing a solidified passer-to-scorer concept is vital for a solid
first-line duo, but having the ability to switch those responsibilities around
can be truly difference-making on a night-to-night basis. Both Marchessault and
 Karlsson pack some above-average speed in their skating, which fits perfectly
with Vegas'; relentless, end-to-end style of offense. Defenses already struggle
 to contain this duo because of their skills as scorers, puck movers, and
quick skaters. Do not be surprised to see defensemen across the league continue
 to strife when competing against this combo, as their ages allow them to only
enhance their chemistry.Both Players Are Quite Young

Karlsson and Marchessault are both younger than 30 years old and have yet to
enter their prime. That should strike collective fear into the hearts of all
NHL defenseman and goaltenders. Entering his fifth season as a pro, Karlsson is
 currently 25 years old and will turn 26 on Jan. 8, 2019. The former Florida
Panther is two years the elder of his teammate at 27, and will 28 on Dec. 27 of
 this year. Needless to say, both forwards have a significant amount of hockey
playing years left in the tank. Sure it';s not the Toronto Maple Leafs'; trio
of Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Mitchell Marner who are all under the
 age of 23, but Vegas'; duo is nowhere close to the end of the road.

Having a multitude of seasons with the dynamic pairing is a huge benefit for
the Golden Knights, as well as for the duo itself. Karlsson and Marchessault
can only elevate their chemistry to higher levels given their youthful age and
increased amount of time sharing the ice. They already have one season of
excellent production under their belt, so building on that success is
inevitable. There';s no denying some of the great dynamic duos in the game were
 assembled at younger ages. Pairings such as the Chicago Blackhawks Jonathan
Toews and Patrick Kane and Pittsburgh Penguins Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin
were formed whilst in their early 20s.Marchessault is coming off a career-high
75 points in the 2017-18 season. (Photo by David Berding/Icon Sportswire via
Getty Images)

However, the electric duo of Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov in Tampa Bay
truly blossomed the season at ages 24 and 27 respectively. The one-two punch in
 Central Florida is relatively similar to Karlsson and Marchessault in the age
department, which means a spectacular pairing does not always need to be
curated before the 25-year-old mark.

When looking at their success together last season, complimentary playing
styles, and reasonably young ages, the duo of Karlsson and Marchessault is
already one of the most enticing in the NHL. But with an abundance of seasons
left together, do not be surprised if this explosive pairing becomes one of the
 premier duos in the NHL a year or two down the road.

The post Marchessault & Karlsson: The NHL';s Next Dynamic Duo appeared first on
 The Hockey Writers.

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