October can set the tone in the NHL, and the Vegas Golden Knights have given themselves a strong opening to work with.
At 8-4-1, Vegas sits in the top five leaguewide, but the first 13 games are only part of the story. The next two will go a long way toward deciding whether this start feels truly sharp or just pretty good on paper. In a league where wins and points disappear fast, banking them early matters.
The bigger picture is simple enough: teams that start the season near the playoff line usually have a much better path than clubs trying to dig themselves out later. Roughly 27.8 percent of teams out of a playoff spot on Nov. 1 eventually get back in by the end of the regular season. That number drops hard for teams sitting at least four points back - historically, only 12 to 14 percent make it over the line under the wild-card format.
Veteran defenseman Brayden McNabb said the Golden Knights understand both sides of that equation.
“In the moment it’s all about the next game. But you do talk about big picture with the group,” said McNabb.
“It was discussed in camp that we wanted to have a good start to the year. And we have.
The last little bit has been a tough stretch but it’s all fixable stuff and we will be better going forward.”
Vegas opened 8-2 before dropping its last three, including a 2-1 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. Even in defeat, McNabb saw reasons to like what the group did late.
“It’s just playing as five in all three zones. If we do that, we’re a pretty hard team to beat.
Not getting stubborn with the puck, making life easy on everyone by doing your own job,” he said. “When we do that, it looks like a pretty good team and we did that in the third period in Columbus.”
The lesson of the month is familiar across the NHL: early wins are valuable because the season gets harder, not easier, from here. Injuries and adversity are coming.
The grind is built into the schedule. And as the calendar flips deeper into October, the Golden Knights know this part of the season can matter more than it seems.
In Other News...
Golden Knights Suddenly Have A Goalie Question They Didn't Expect
A routine morning skate turned into an unexpected moment of concern when Carter Hart left the ice after appearing to tweak something while making a butterfly save during a drill. The Golden Knights did not offer any immediate specifics beyond saying he is being evaluated, but it was enough to create a sudden wrinkle at a position Vegas had not been expecting to revisit this quickly.
Bruce Cassidy has already shifted to Adin Hill for the upcoming game against the Ottawa Senators, giving the Golden Knights at least one clear answer for the moment. What comes next with Hart is still unclear, and for a team that leans heavily on stability in goal, any uncertainty there is worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Golden Knights Suddenly Have A Goalie Problem They Didn't Expect
The morning skate on Tuesday brought an unexpected turn for the Golden Knights, who suddenly have to sort out their crease with Carter Hart leaving early because of an apparent injury. Hart had been penciled in as the starter, but his day-to-day status forced Vegas to pivot quickly as it prepared for its next game, a reminder of how fast the most stable part of a roster can become unsettled.
Adin Hill is now expected to get the start against the Ottawa Senators, giving Vegas a familiar answer for at least one night while the staff evaluates Harts status. If the situation worsens, Carl Lindbom could be in line for NHL playing time, adding another layer to a situation the Golden Knights did not anticipate this close to game time. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Still Look Dangerous For One Reason Vegas Fans Know Too Well
The Blues have already shown this season why they can still be a nuisance for the Golden Knights, and not just because of one result in the standings. St. Louis has been uneven through its first stretch, with a win over Vegas balanced by a loss to Carolina, and the bigger issue has been finding any real consistency at either end of the ice. Injuries to several key players have only added to the uncertainty, leaving the Blues with plenty to sort out as they try to steady themselves.
At 5-5-1, St. Louis is still close enough to the middle of the pack to make every game feel consequential, but the margin for error is thin if the offense and defense do not tighten up. The next tests, against Montreal and Boston, will say a lot about whether this is a team trending upward or just hanging around on talent and timing. For the Golden Knights, the warning sign is familiar: when the Blues are healthy enough to make life messy, they can still turn a game into a grind. [Read more 🡒]