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SUNRISE, Fla. — (AP) — Bruce Cassidy's Vegas Golden Knights lost eight of 10 games going into the All-Star break after leading the Pacific Division at the midway point of the NHL season. With 39 wins and 83 points through 51 games, Boston is on pace to break the record for the best regular season in NHL history. "Every point's going to be a dog fight, so it's going to be a fun 30 games down the stretch." Even since my first year, we’ve always been better in the second half, so we’ll definitely look to continue that. That being said, we’re not going to hang our hat on that and expect that to carry us to the playoffs.

The Boston Bruins are atop the NHL standings and running away with the Atlantic Division going into the second half of the season.

There are plenty of players who are being overrated by fantasy managers according to their average draft position. Hughes has compiled 146 of his 165 career points via assists since he transitioned to the NHL. He will continue to rack up points, but fantasy managers looking for help in other categories will be found wanting. Bennett currently sits with an average pick of 142, which ranks him ahead of some pivots with much better upside. Fantasy managers clearly expect big things from the first-overall pick from the 2021 NHL Draft because his average pick rate currently sits at 111.8.

The Columbus Blue Jackets made the biggest splash in NHL free agency, stunning the league by landing Johnny Gaudreau with a seven-year contract for $68.25 million.

NHL forward Jack Eichel arrives in Vegas with a set of questions for the Golden Knights.

Kraken Golden Knights Hockey The Seattle Kraken celebrate a goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Chase Stevens) (Chase Stevens)LAS VEGAS — (AP) — Max Pacioretty scored twice and the Vegas Golden Knights spoiled the Seattle Kraken's debut with a 4-3 win on Tuesday night. Seattle erased a 3-0 deficit and tied the game, but Chandler Stephenson’s goal midway through the third period held up. Pacioretty and Marchessault gave the Golden Knights a 2-0 lead on two of Vegas’ first three shots on goal. The Golden Knights improved to 91-0-1 in franchise history when leading by three goals.

Max Pacioretty scored twice and the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-3 in a battle of the two newest teams in the NHL.

The Canadiens won 4-1. (AP Photo/John Locher) (John Locher)LAS VEGAS — (AP) — Carey Price made 26 saves to lead Montreal to 4-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night, putting the Canadiens one win away from the Stanley Cup Final. The Canadiens lead Vegas 3-2 in the their best-of-seven series, with Game 6 scheduled for historic Bell Centre in Montreal on Thursday. The Golden Knights, who have scored 11 goals in the series, have gotten just four from their forwards. It was all the Golden Knights would get, as Price stopped the final nine shots he saw, and Suzuki - who never got to suit up for one regular-season game with the Golden Knights - made an empty-net goal to provide the final margin___.

Carey Price made 26 saves to lead the Montreal Canadiens to 4-1 road victory over the Vegas Golden Knight, putting the Canadiens one win away from the Stanley Cup Final.

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.

Jonathan Marchessault, Max Pacioretty and William Karlsson came through with timely goals for the Vegas Golden Knights in their 4-2 series win over Colorado.

Alex Pietrangelo scored his first goal of the postseason to break a tie and the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Colorado Avalanche 6-3 in Game 6 to advance to the Stanley Cup semifinals.

Golden Knights Avalanche Hockey Vegas Golden Knights left wing Max Pacioretty, left, fights for control of the puck with Colorado Avalanche defenseman Conor Timmins during the first period of Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Tuesday, June 8, 2021, in Denver. Max Pacioretty corralled the puck after a blocked shot and fed it to Stone, who was off to the races. Stone beat Philipp Grubauer on the glove side to hush what had been a boisterous crowd. Trailing 2-0 entering the third, the Golden Knights found another gear with Alex Tuch scoring 1:03 into the period and Jonathan Marchessault tying it up just 3:04 later. Before the game, Avalanche coach Jared Bednar switched up his lines in an effort to generate more energy and production.

Mark Stone scored on a breakaway 50 seconds into overtime as the Vegas Golden Knights overcame a two-goal deficit to beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 and take a 3-2 lead in their second-round playoff series.

Avalanche Golden Knights Hockey Vegas Golden Knights center Jonathan Marchessault (81) jumps in the air to celebrate after the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Colorado Avalanche in Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Sunday, June 6, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) (John Locher)LAS VEGAS — (AP) — Jonathan Marchessault had his fourth career hat trick to lead the Vegas Golden Knights to a 5-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday night to tie their second-round series at two games apiece. Two days after his tying goal sparked a come-from-behind win in Game 3, Marchessault got his third three-goal game with the Golden Knights. After Saad gave Colorado a 1-0 lead less than two minutes into the game, the Golden Knights dominated. Pietrangelo promptly sent a soft pass to Marchessault, who blasted a one-timer past Grubauer to push Vegas’ lead to two goals at 3-1.

Jonathan Marchessault had his fourth career hat trick to lead the Vegas Golden Knights to a 5-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche to tie their second-round series at two games apiece.

Jonathan Marchessault and Max Pacioretty scored 45 seconds apart in the third period to lift the Vegas Golden Knights to a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 3 of their second-round playoff series.

Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog each scored twice as the well-rested Colorado Avalanche made quick work of Vegas with their speed, beating the Golden Knights 7-1 in a skirmish-filled Game 1 of their second-round playoff series.

(AP Photo/Joe Buglewicz) (Joe Buglewicz)LAS VEGAS — (AP) — Mattias Janmark had his first career hat trick and the Vegas Golden Knights eliminated the Minnesota Wild with a 6-2 win Friday night in Game 7 of their opening-round series. It marked the first time the Golden Knights hosted a Game 7 after losing in San Jose in 2018 and defeating Vancouver in Edmonton last year. It was also the first time Vegas clinched a playoff series at home. Nic Hague, Max Pacioretty and Zach Whitecloud also scored for Vegas. Peter DeBoer improved to 6-0 when coaching in Game 7s, while Minnesota dropped to 3-1 all-time in a seventh game.

Mattias Janmark notched his first career hat trick as the Vegas Golden Knights eliminated the Minnesota Wild with a 6-2 win in Game 7 of their opening-round series.

Postseason experience can be a valuable asset in the NHL playoffs.

Vegas Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has stopped 63 of 65 shots from the Minnesota Wild over the first two games of their West Division playoff series.

The first-ever playoff game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers could be tough to top.

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CORRECTS TO SHOOTOUT, INSTEAD OF OVERTIME - St. Louis Blues center Brayden Schenn (10) scores on Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner (90) in the shootout of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)LAS VEGAS – Missing all their coaches, Max Pacioretty and the Vegas Golden Knights still managed to earn a point. David Perron and Brayden Schenn scored in a shootout Tuesday to give the St. Louis Blues a 5-4 victory over Vegas. Pacioretty got his seventh career hat trick for the Golden Knights, who were without their entire coaching staff because of COVID-19 concerns. The Golden Knights were 1 for 6 with a man advantage and are 3 of 26 (11.5%) this season.

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.