Dave Goucher On T&R: Golden Knights Are Not Your Typical Expansion Team
BOSTON (CBS) -- Dave Goucher is back in town as his new team, the Vegas Golden Knights, roll into Boston for a rematch with the Bruins. Now the TV play-by-play announcer in Las Vegas, Goucher joined 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich live in the studio about how his new gig is going and what to expect from the surprisingly good Golden Knights on Thursday.
Despite being assembled from the ground up just last summer as they poached unprotected players from throughout the league in the expansion draft, the Golden Knights are not playing like a typical expansion team. They are 8-3 so far on the season and have the third-most points in the Western Conference, behind only the Blues and the Kings. The Bruins got a taste of how good the Golden Knights could be when they lost 3-1 in Vegas on Oct. 15.
Goucher had a simple explanation for the team's hot start, though: they're just a more talented squad than the league is used to seeing with expansion clubs.
"The way that the expansion draft was constructed this time around, they were going to have a pretty good team, and they do," Goucher said. "They'll come back to the pack a bit, but this isn't the [Atlanta] Thrashers or Columbus [when they were expansion teams]."
A city like Las Vegas could conceivably present a good advantage against visiting teams for the Golden Knights, who are 6-1 at home so far this season. You would think that visiting teams would have a hard time avoiding the trappings of the city and losing some focus on hockey in the process - but Goucher doesn't necessarily see it that way.
"I don't know how much of that happens now," said Goucher. "I'm sure they have their fun, but do they run around like maniacs for two days in Vegas? I don't know."
Goucher also talks about his experience riding on the team bus with NESN's Jack Edwards and his advice for new Bruins radio play-by-play man Judd Sirott. Listen to the full interview above!
Tune in to 98.5 The Sports Hub Thursday night to hear the Bruins take on the Golden Knights, starting with pregame coverage at 6:30.
