The Vegas Golden Knights head into the 2025-26 season with another star joining their already loaded roster. The arrival of Mitch Marner gives Vegas yet another elite playmaker to bolster an offense that ranked among the NHL’s most dangerous a year ago.
Related: Golden Knights Lineup Projection 3.0: Preseason Underway, Season Around the Corner
The Golden Knights open their ninth NHL season tonight at T-Mobile Arena, hosting the Los Angeles Kings in a much-anticipated opening night matchup. Before puck drop at 7 p.m. MST, here’s a look at the expectations, key storylines, and bold predictions shaping Vegas’ 2025-26 campaign.
Biggest Questions?
One of the biggest questions heading into the season is how the Golden Knights will adjust to the loss of Alex Pietrangelo. The veteran blueliner, who averaged over 22 minutes a night and anchored Vegas’ defense in nearly every key situation, leaves a significant void to fill.
Vegas will lean on defenseman newcomers Jérémy Lauzon and Kaeden Korczak — the latter stepping into a full-time role after limited action last season. The pair is expected to anchor the bottom pairing, but the pressure will extend across the blue line as the Golden Knights look to compensate for Pietrangelo’s absence.
Another question that often gets overlooked but could be nearly as crucial as the 2025-26 season gets underway is the health of top players. The Mark Stones and Tomáš Hertls of the world, do they remain healthy throughout the entire season?
During the 2024-25 season, the Golden Knights’ top players played the following games:
- Mark Stone: 66
- Tomáš Hertl: 73
- Jack Eichel: 77
- Shea Theodore: 67
- Ivan Barbashev: 70
- William Karlsson: 53
If the Golden Knights hope to stay among the Western Conference elite, keeping their stars healthy over the full 82-game grind will be essential.
Lastly, the goaltending picture remains one of the more intriguing storylines to watch. For now, Adin Hill and Akira Schmid form the tandem, but could a name like Carter Hart enter the mix later in the season? Time will tell, but as it stands, it’s Hill and Schmid’s crease — a situation worth monitoring as the season unfolds.
Bold Predictions
- No. 1: Jack Eichel is expected to sign a long-term extension before November, locking in for eight years at a team-high $14 million per season. The former Buffalo Sabre has made it clear that Vegas is where he belongs, and both sides appear ready to make it official. The deal would surpass Marner’s eight-year, $12 million contract, making Eichel the highest-paid player in franchise history.
- No. 2: The Golden Knights pull the trigger on a deadline deal for Rasmus Andersson, solidifying their blue line ahead of another Stanley Cup push. After months of speculation linking Andersson to Vegas following trade rumors in Calgary, the move finally materializes when it matters most.
- No. 3: 2024 first-round pick Trevor Connelly gets called up in the latter half of March and thrives with the Golden Knights. The then 20-year-old establishes himself as a top-six center with Vegas, and GM Kelly McCrimmon makes the Golden Knights look good by keeping their best prospect.
- No. 4: Marner, the biggest addition of the offseason, sets a new career high with 106 points after posting 102 last season in Toronto. Skating alongside Eichel, the duo quickly finds chemistry, and Marner thrives as the primary beneficiary.
Expectations for 2025-26 Season?
Since their inception, the Golden Knights have carried sky-high expectations — perhaps a reflection of the bright lights and bold energy of Las Vegas itself. Ever since their 2018 Stanley Cup Final run, the bar within the organization has remained elevated.
That standard hasn’t changed entering 2025-26. With Marner and a few new faces joining the mix, the mission remains the same as it’s been since day one: win another Stanley Cup. After last season’s playoff exit at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers, Vegas is determined to rewrite the ending this time around.
