T-Mobile Arena is still buzzing with reminders of a Stanley Cup run not too far in the rearview. Yet, as pucks drop in the preseason, Vegas’ focus turns inward: playing with line combinations, getting a look at the roster’s depth, and sharpening edges for another long 82-game grind ahead.
For most of the NHL’s 32 teams, preseason is less about the results and more about finding answers. The Vegas Golden Knights are no different, working through their questions now so they’re settled by the time they open the 2025-26 season against the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 8.
Related: Golden Knights Lineup Projection 2.0: Breaking Down the 2025-26 Roster
With roster cuts underway, it’s time for a third look at the Golden Knights’ roster, who fits the puzzle, who’s building chemistry, and which questions still need answers.
Forward Lines
| Left Wing | Center | Right Wing |
| Ivan Barbashev | Jack Eichel | Mitch Marner |
| Reilly Smith | William Karlsson | Mark Stone |
| Brandon Saad | Tomáš Hertl | Pavel Dorofeyev |
| Brett Howden | Colton Sissons | Keegan Kolesar |
From the time the Golden Knights lost in the second round to the Edmonton Oilers, not much has changed. Aside from the biggest move of the summer with the addition of Mitch Marner, Vegas keeps a lot of continuity up front.
Of course, though, the first line has about as much firepower as possible. The combination of Jack Eichel and Marner on one line, paired with Ivan Barbashev, is likely a top line in the NHL.
“We’re both going to have to shoot it,” Marner said. “I think we’re both going to get some good opportunities. We’ve got to be comfortable in the areas to not be afraid to shoot. Barby’s [Barbashev] going to be around the net hunting those pucks, so just try to get it around there.”
Marner is coming off a 102-point season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and without Auston Matthews, the focus shifts to how he and Eichel can elevate each other.
The second and third lines look much like they did five months ago. Reilly Smith, alongside his longtime linemate and close friend William Karlsson, has always shown promise, and adding veteran Mark Stone to the mix only strengthens that line.
As for the third line, it came together towards the latter half of last season. The Golden Knights signed Brandon Saad after his contract with the St. Louis Blues was mutually terminated in January after he was placed on unconditional waivers.
He played alongside Tomáš Hertl and the young Pavel Dorofeyev, creating a strong third line for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.
Unlike the top three units, the fourth line has a new look, with longtime Nashville Predator Colton Sissons anchoring it down the middle. Head coach Bruce Cassidy appears intent on maintaining a strong, reliable fourth line—one he can trust in any situation.
“But they have to be a threat to go the other way,” Cassidy said. “Otherwise, teams will cheat against your checking line, knowing they can’t finish. If you look at it as it’s made up today, Keegan and Howden both had career years offensively last year. So those guys can hurt you as well.”
The 2024-25 Golden Knights averaged 3.34 goals and look to improve upon that with new faces up front.
Defensive Pairings
| Left Defense | Right Defense |
| Brayden McNabb | Shea Theodore |
| Noah Hanifin | Zach Whitecloud |
| Jérémy Lauzon | Kaedan Korczak |
Most of the changes for the Golden Knights come on the blue line, and for good reason. This season, they’ll be without longtime defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who has anchored Vegas’ defense since signing in 2020.
Without Pietrangelo, it’s a domino effect, and everyone will be jumping up a role. The first pairing is a great example of that. Brayden McNabb is likely not a first-pair defenseman if Pietrangelo weren’t on the long-term injured reserve (LTIR).
Shea Theodore also hasn’t taken over as a No. 1 defenseman. Sure, the points indicate such, but he’s never been the workhorse Pietrangelo was during his time in Vegas.
Noah Hanifin and Zach Whitecloud follow those two, and while Hanifin would likely be here regardless of injuries and signings, the same can’t be said for Whitecloud. He played most of last season on the Golden Knights’ third pairing.
Two new faces then follow, with Jérémy Lauzon and Kaedan Korczak. Korczak, the 24-year-old, played 40 games up with the Golden Knights last season, but never cemented himself into the lineup.
With a four-year, $13 million contract extension (averaging $3.25 million per year) kicking in next season, he’ll have a chance to prove his value in the lineup every night.
Lauzon, acquired in the Nicolas Hague trade, will slot into the Golden Knights’ bottom defensive pair. He is expected to contribute a physical presence on the ice.
Goaltenders
| Goaltenders |
| Adin Hill |
| Akira Schmid |
Again, there’s really not a ton of turmoil for the Golden Knights transitioning into the new season. Adin Hill takes the reins as the starter, which really isn’t much of a surprise.
Hill dressed in 50 games last season, recording a 2.47 goals-against average (GAA) and a .906 save percentage (SV%). The question that looms is his backup, which is likely to be Akira Schmid heading into the 2025-26 season.
Schmid played most of last season with the Henderson Silver Knights in the American Hockey League (AHL), appearing in 30 games and posting a 3.58 GAA and a .886 SV%.
The Golden Knights have been linked to goaltender Carter Hart, according to The Athletic’s Chris Johnston. (from ‘What I’m hearing about Carter Hart: Hurricanes, Golden Knights among suitors, Mammoth out’ The Athletic, 9/22/25). While the situation could play out in a few different ways, Hart isn’t eligible to sign until Oct. 1 and won’t be able to play until Dec. 1.
While that’s an ongoing situation, as of now, the Golden Knights will head into the season with Hill and Schmid in the net.
Injuries and lineup adjustments will likely shuffle the Golden Knights throughout the season, but heading into their home opener against the Kings on Oct. 8, this is where things stand.
For now, the pieces are in place, chemistry is starting to form, and the team enters the season with a clear sense of who will shoulder the minutes and where the depth will come into play.
