ALEC MARTINEZ

After making the postseason in each of their first four years in existence, including a trip to the Stanley Cup Final to cap a remarkable inaugural season, the Vegas Golden Knights are watching the playoffs this year. “We’re still sitting here ... and we’re not playing,” veteran defenseman Alec Martinez said. After making the conference final under coach Peter DeBoer in his first two years with the club, there were high expectations for what was supposed to be the team’s most talented roster yet.

NHL Moves Hockey FILE - Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Blue Jackets during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Sunrise, Fla., in this Tuesday, April 20, 2021, file photo. Sam Bennett re-signed with the Florida Panthers on Monday, July 26, 2021, inking a four-year contract with the team that has been a good fit for him since joining at the trade deadline. Bennett put up six goals and nine assists for 15 points in 10 regular-season games with the Panthers after they acquired him from Calgary. Next up could be a new contract for forward Sam Reinhart, whom they got from Buffalo on Saturday. Walker got a two-year deal worth $750,000 annually when he's in the NHL.

The Florida Panthers have signed restricted free agent forward Sam Bennett to a $17.7 million, four-year contract.

Expect a fast and furious NHL offseason to unfold in the coming days and weeks.

Canadiens Golden Knights Hockey Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield celebrates after the goal by teammate Tyler Toffoli during the first period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup semifinal playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights, Wednesday, June 16, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) (John Locher)LAS VEGAS — (AP) — Carey Price made 29 saves and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 on Wednesday night to tie the Stanley Cup semifinal series at a game apiece. Price improved to 9-4 in the playoffs, his most victories in a postseason. Paul Byron, Joel Armia and Tyler Toffoli scored for Montreal, with Bryon making it 3-0 with 2:45 left in the second period. Edmundson fired a shot that deflected back to Armia, who one-timed it past Fleury’s right skate.

Carey Price made 29 saves and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 on Wednesday night to tie the Stanley Cup semifinal series at a game apiece.

Shea Theodore had a goal and an assist, Marc-Andre Fleury made 28 saves and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 in the first game of the Stanley Cup semifinal.

Mikko Rantanen scored a power-play goal 2:07 into overtime, Philipp Grubauer outdueled fellow Vezina Trophy finalist Marc-Andre Fleury and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 to take a 2-0 lead in their second-round playoff series.

APTOPIX Wild Golden Knights Hockey Minnesota Wild left wing Jordan Greenway (18) celebrates after scoring against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, May 24, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) (John Locher)LAS VEGAS — (AP) — Cam Talbot made 37 saves and the Minnesota Wild beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 despite having only 14 shots on goal to stave off elimination in their opening-round playoff series on Monday night. Vegas, which was looking to close out a playoff series at home for the first time, leads the series 3-2. Mark Stone and Alec Martinez scored for the Golden Knights. It marked the first time the Golden Knights allowed three goals in a playoff period in 11 games, dating to the postseason bubble last season.

Cam Talbot made 37 saves and the Minnesota Wild beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 despite having only 14 shots on goal to stave off elimination in their opening-round playoff series.

Joel Eriksson Ek’s goal at 3:20 of overtime lifted the Minnesota Wild past the Vegas Golden Knights 1-0 in Game 1 of their first-round series.

Avalanche Golden Knights Hockey Colorado Avalanche left wing J.T. Compher scored a go-ahead goal in the third period, Philipp Grubauer made 36 saves, and the Colorado Avalanche preserved their chances to finish in first place in the West Division with a 2-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday night. Andre Burakovsky also scored for the Avalanche, who trail the Golden Knights by two points atop the division. Vegas has game left, Colorado has two. Alex Pietrangelo scored for the Golden Knights.

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Vegas Golden Knights right wing Alex Tuch (89) races for the puck against the Colorado Avalanche during the first period of of Outdoor Lake Tahoe NHL hockey game at Stateline, Nev., Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli))STATELINE, Nev. – Nathan MacKinnon scored a dazzling goal more than nine hours after assisting on another to highlight a most unusual and lengthy outdoor game at Lake Tahoe that the Colorado Avalanche won 3-2 over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday. Although it’s fair to say that none of those had the picturesque setting of this rink located on the 18th fairway of a golf course on the shores of Lake Tahoe and surrounded by trees with snow-covered mountains towering in the background. Fleury made 36 saves for Vegas and fell to 0-3 in three career outdoor game starts. AdPART 1The Avs controlled the play under the sun, getting an early goal from Girard and outshooting Vegas 17-8 in the first 20 minutes.

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) reacts after scoring a goal against the San Jose Sharks during the second period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Josie Lepe)SAN JOSE, Calif. – Jonathan Marchessault scored the first of Vegas’ three power-play goals and the Golden Knights spoiled San Jose’s first home game in nearly a year with a 3-1 victory over the Sharks on Saturday. San Jose was given the unbalanced schedule because of local restrictions that banned contact sports and practices, forcing the Sharks to hold training camp in Arizona. He was hired last January by Vegas but hadn’t faced San Jose until Saturday. SIMEK SIDELINEDSharks D Radim Simek left in the second period after taking two hard hits from Marchessault.

The Vegas Golden Knights have agreed to terms on a $61.6 million, seven-year contract with top free agent Pietrangelo, a person with direct knowledge of the move tells The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)Alex Pietrangelo is Vegas bound, and the Golden Knights are shuffling the deck to fit him in. Pietrangelo signed a $61.6 million, seven-year deal with Vegas on Monday that carries an $8.8 million annual salary cap hit through 2027. Before registering Pietrangelo's contract, the Golden Knights traded defenseman Nate Schmidt to the Vancouver Canucks for a 2022 third-round pick, clearing his $5.95 million cap hit off the books. The 30-year-old leaves the St. Louis Blues after serving as captain of their 2019 Stanley Cup championship team.