The Vegas Golden Knights’ defensemen have become an offensive force since John Tortorella took over as head coach, tallying seven goals and 26 points in the eight games since his debut on March 30. That production marks a stark turnaround from the first 74 games of the season, when only Shea Theodore averaged more than half a point per game from the blue line.

Rasmus Andersson has been the biggest beneficiary. Acquired from Calgary in January, he managed just 10 points in his first 25 games with the Knights. Under Tortorella, he leads all Vegas defensemen with three goals and seven points while averaging a team-high 22 minutes, 43 seconds of ice time. “That’s how I’m always trying to play,” Andersson said. “It’s nice when you hear it from a coach, too, that he wants you to play that way. I think me and (Tortorella) have a good understanding of how I should be playing my best.”

Tortorella compared Andersson to Dan Boyle, the defenseman he coached during Tampa Bay’s 2004 Stanley Cup run. “I think he has some swagger to him,” Tortorella said. “He’s not afraid to take a chance. He’s pinching down the walls. Up the ice, his gaps are good.”

The coach’s aggressive, north-first system encourages all five skaters to drive to the net and create traffic. “It’s just the way the league is going right now,” Noah Hanifin said. “The D have to be activated. They have to be engaged and get up in the play.” That approach has led to more odd-man rushes against, but Tortorella prefers aggressive mistakes over passive play. “I think the first couple of games, we were giving up a ton of 2-on-1s,” Theodore said. “I think we made some adjustments to where when we are aggressive, we need support in the right spots to back us up.”

The Knights open the playoffs against the Utah Mammoth, a team dangerous in transition. “You’re working all year to play solid and you want to be able to get to your game and peak at the right time,” Theodore said. “Right now, it’s a prime example. I feel like we’re peaking at the right time where we’re not giving up a ton, but we’re sustaining more time in the o-zone. I feel like our game does translate in the playoffs, and I think we’re excited for it.”