Jack Eichel is probably a lock to make the U.S. Olympic team, Noah Hanifin will have a hill to climb to join the team in Italy this winter.  Both have been invited to next week's team orientation.  A total of 44 players have been invited and the team roster has to be pared down to 25 before the Games.  We discuss VGK's current top-heavy lineup and what effect it might have on the team long-term.  And it's WTF day with fan comments. 

NHL Network released its Top 20 Centers list Wednesday and Jack Eichel moved up a spot from a year ago and is now ranked sixth on the list. Connor McDavid is the top center according to the list. Eichel had his best season in the league with 94 points last season.  He missed five games while flirting with the century mark.  We talk about confidence for the VGK front office, based on a new Athletic survey.  And former Golden Knights winger Victor Olofsson signs with Colorado.

We discuss Fantasy Hockey on today's episode.  Jack Eichel is rated the best in the NHL.com Top 200 at 12th.  Mitch Marner is ranked 24th.  In all there are seven VGK players in the Top 200.  We check out the Golden Knights on the ESPN Misery Index.  And Silver Knights fans aren't too happy about ticket and concession prices at their arena. 

With Toronto using similar 1-2-2 forechecking structure, Marner should prosper in Las Vegas. VGK also played a 1-2-2 power play as did Toronto.  All signs point to Marner feeling comfortable in the Vegas system.  Alex Pietrangelo and two other former Golden Knights are named to the NHL Network's all Quarter Century team (the others Jonathan Quick and Shea Weber.) And Canadian air travel to Las Vegas is down significantly. Will this hurt VGK at the gate.

VGK player rankings for Locked On's Top 100.  We put Marner over Eichel at #1.  We didn't do it to stir things up.  Listen for our reasoning. We also discuss how VGK has to break the habit of playing down to opponents.  And, it's WTF Day round here!

Shea Theodore was ranked 15th in the NHL Network's Top 20 Defenseman list, released Wednesday.  Theodore would probably be rated in the Top 10 if not for the injury he sustained in the Four Nations.  He scored a career-high 57 points.  Noah Hanifin was ranked 18th in last year's poll and fell off the list.  Cal Makar was the top defenseman again.  We talk about the VGK Mt. Rushmore list and wonder where is Mark Stone? And VGK has its doors open for 25 hours to get more season tickets, premium seats and suites sold.

What could be holding up Jack Eichel's contract extension? Could it be AAV, term?  It has been more than 40 days since VGK and Eichel's team started negotiations.  We have yet to hear anything about where the negotiations are headed, but the concern level grows the longer there is silence.  We talk about an expanded role for Tomas Hertl this season.  He will be centering Mitch Marner at some point, when Cassidy splits Eichel and Marner.  And we also talk about outside of goaltending and defense what is VGK's greatest concern?

Will Mitch Marner be able to produce the way he did in Toronto?  Paul Griser of Pro Hockey Rumors asks whether Marner will be the same player he was in Toronto.  Will he still be a 100-point player?  Marner's long-term contract has also been questioned. Also, as Father Time catches up with Mark Stone, we look at who might be the next VGK captain.  And, we talk about VGK's second period collapses and how they can improve in that area.

VGK's blueliners were the biggest culprits when it came to turnovers last season.  It's an area they will need to clean up if they want to be in te hunt for their second Stanley Cup. Turnovers plagued the team with 15.4 giveaways per 60 minutes.  Noah Hanifin had a team-high 112 giveaways this past season.  Shea Theodore holds the franchise record with 399 giveaways and he had some bad turnovers in the playoffs, especially. We also discuss where VGK should play an outdoor game and we have WTF comments.

Mitch Marner moves up from 10th to 5th in NHL Network's Top 20 list of best wings. We also talk about a Hockey Writers article about declining tourism, which could test VGK's Business Model  And, we highlight what newcomer Jeremy Lauzon brings to VGK.