Vegas Golden Knights season snapshot fantasy honors

With the NHL pausing the 2019-20 regular season on March 12 due to the concerns surrounding the coronavirus, NHL.com is taking stock of each of the League's 31 teams.

Today, a fantasy recap of the Vegas Golden Knights at the pause:

NOTE: Rank for most-valuable fantasy player is based on standard-category production to date.

Fantasy MVP: Max Pacioretty, LW (rank: 8) --He's been among the most valuable skaters in all of fantasy, leading the Vegas Golden Knights with 66 points (32 goals, 34 assists) and 307 shots on goal (third in NHL) in 71 games. Pacioretty also leads Vegas with an NHL career-high 19 power-play points, and he gains additional value at plus-18 and with 90 hits. He is one point from tying his best scoring total in the NHL (67 twice, each in at least 80 games). Pacioretty is dealing with a lower-body injury but has been a top-10 overall fantasy player when healthy.

Biggest surprise: Chandler Stephenson, C/LW/RW --Traded to the Golden Knights by the Washington Capitals on Dec. 2, Stephenson has been fantasy-relevant with 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) and is plus-19 in 41 games with Vegas. His point production alone makes him a big surprise, but it's amazing that he leads the Golden Knights in plus/minus considering their fantasy star power (Pacioretty, Mark Stone, William Karlsson, Jonathan Marchessault, Reilly Smith, Shea Theodore). Stephenson gains value with eligibility at all three forward positions in fantasy and has found a role in Vegas' top six with injuries to Pacioretty, Stone (lower body) and Karlsson (upper body) at different points of the season.

Unsung hero: Shea Theodore, D --He has NHL career highs in goals (13), assists (33), points (46), PPP (16) and SOG (219) skating mostly on the second pair at even strength and the top power-play unit. Theodore is 10th among NHL defensemen in points, tied for 16th in power-play points, tied for ninth in goals and fourth in SOG, earning him a spot among the 10 best at his position in NHL.com's rankings. Theodore brings even-strength exposure to the Golden Knights' elite forwards and has been a key contributor on their ninth-ranked power play (22.0 percent).

Listen: Video: CAR@VGK: Stephenson scores on shorthanded breakaway