Coach Explains Brett Howden's Breakout in Stanley Cup Finals
When you look at the Vegas Golden Knights roster, household names like Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, and Mark Stone are the first players that you think of.
But it might be Brett Howden who has been the most important player on Vegas as they look to win the Stanley Cup against the Carolina Hurricanes in this year's finals.
After scoring just 12 goals and 22 points during 58 regular-season games, Howden has scored 13 goals and 16 points in 18 postseason games. He leads the field in postseason goals and is third overall in points.
So, how is he doing it?
John Tortorella Explains Brett Howden's Breakout
On March 29, the Golden Knights fired former head coach Bruce Cassidy and replaced him with John Tortorella as the team's interim head coach with just eight games to go in the regular season. Under Tortorella's watch, the Golden Knights went 7-0-1 down the stretch and won the Pacific Division.
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They have since flourished in the playoffs, beating the Utah Mammoth, Anaheim Ducks, and Colorado Avalanche to get to the Stanley Cup Finals against Carolina.
Howden has been a big part of that. But how?
"I think he's in the moment. I just think he likes the situation he's in. I think the line's been good. That line, once we put it together, just connected. I don't think he's afraid of a damn thing, as far as playoffs, what comes with it, the flows of it. I just think he feels that good about himself," Tortorella told reporters on June 5.
The line that Tortorella is referring to is Howden riding shotgun on the left wing to center William Karlsson and right winger Marner. This line has been money for the Golden Knights, and Tortorella and his coaching staff's genius idea to put these three players together is one of the reasons why Vegas is three wins away from winning the franchise's second Stanley Cup.
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Vegas Has Brett Howden Locked Up Long-Term
In November 2024, Howden signed a five-year, $12.5 million contract with Vegas, carrying a $2.5 million cap hit for the Golden Knights, a contract that looks like an absolute steal right now given what he is doing in the playoffs.
To win the Stanley Cup, a team needs contributions from everyone in the lineup. If they get surplus production from someone making only $2.5 million, like Howden is providing for the Golden Knights this postseason, it makes everyone's job easier.
It's worth noting that Howden had a high pedigree as a prospect, as he was originally drafted in the first round at No. 27 overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. He never played for Tampa Bay, as he was traded to the New York Rangers in 2018.
Howden played in three seasons for the Rangers, never scoring more than nine goals for them before he was traded to the Golden Knights in 2021 for a minor-league player and a fourth-round pick, a trade that looks like a true swindling in hindsight.
In Vegas, Howden has flourished, playing in five seasons for Vegas and helping the team win the Stanley Cup in 2023. That year, he played in 22 postseason games, scoring five goals and 10 points for Vegas as the franchise won its first cup.
Last season, Howden started to show off his skill as he potted a career-high 23 goals and 40 points in 80 games. But he's taken his game to a whole new level during this year's playoffs, leading the Golden Knights in goals and having a legitimate chance of winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP.
What a breakout postseason it's been for Howden -- who is finally living up to being a first-round draft pick -- and one that the Golden Knights are clearly benefiting from as they try to win the Stanley Cup.
Related: Wayne Gretzky Shares His Stanley Cup Prediction
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This story was originally published June 6, 2026 at 5:03 AM.