The Golden Knights don’t need much reminding of how thin the margin is at the top. They’re coming off a Stanley Cup Final loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in six games, and that sting is still fresh. But with a new season creeping up fast, Vegas gets another crack at the prize.
That next push won’t look exactly like the last one. Pavel Dorofeyev and Keegan Kolesar won’t be part of the 2026-27 mix, while the front office structure remains in place with general manager Kelly McCrimmon ready to make another major move. Names like Dylan Larkin and Connor Hellebuyck are the kind of additions that could change the picture quickly, and the roster still has its star power, from Jack Eichel to Mitch Marner.
Even with all that, the biggest swing factor may be something far less glamorous: health. Vegas can stack talent and chase upgrades, but none of it matters much if key players aren’t available and producing. The Golden Knights are simply a different team when these three are in the fight.
Mark Stone sits at the top of that list for a reason. Vegas is 164-106-31 without its captain and 237-118-45 with him in the lineup.
The math tells the story pretty clearly: when Stone plays, the offense runs better. He brings more than scoring, too.
He’s a constant threat for takeaways, a sharp reader of the game, and a player who creates chances for teammates with the kind of intelligence that doesn’t always show up first in the box score. There’s also the leadership piece, and that matters plenty when the goal is another Stanley Cup.
William Karlsson is another name Vegas needs to keep upright. He used to be the type of player you could count on game after game, but he’s appeared in just 67 games over the last two seasons combined.
In that stretch, he has 13 goals and 23 assists. That’s not a collapse, but it is enough to raise eyebrows.
Karlsson remains valuable because he supplies depth scoring, handles himself well defensively and contributes on special teams. For the Golden Knights, getting him through more than 60 games in 2026-27 would go a long way.
There’s also Carter Hart, who is projected to be the Golden Knights’s starting goaltender for the 2026-27 season. If he goes down, Vegas is in trouble, especially with his back-up carrying a bad injury history.
And then there’s Hill. Bigger stakes are attached to him because of the contract and the noise around him.
He’s in a six-year deal with a $6.25 million AAV, and after a down year last season, he found himself in constant trade rumors. If he wants to stay in the picture, he needs to stay healthy and get back to form on the ice.
In Other News...
Golden Knights Suddenly Have A Goalie Opportunity With One Huge Catch
Connor Hellebuycks public trade request has instantly put one of the NHLs best goalies into the conversation, and the Golden Knights are the kind of contender that will naturally be mentioned whenever a player of that caliber becomes available. Vegas has never been shy about exploring aggressive roster moves, especially when a proven difference-maker could tilt the balance in a tight Western Conference race.
The problem, as always, is fitting a premium talent into a cap structure that already leaves little room for error. The Golden Knights would have to navigate a tricky salary cap situation to make any deal work, and as of now there is no official trade in place. Still, the possibility alone is enough to keep Vegas watchers paying attention, because opportunities like this do not come around often for a team built to win now. [Read more 🡒]
Vegas Fans Still Haven't Forgotten These Playoff Collapses
Vegas fans have seen plenty of postseason highs over the years, but a few collapses still linger whenever the conversation turns to the franchises playoff history. There was the stunning Game 3 letdown against Carolina after Vegas had built a 4-0 lead, and the pain only deepened in the Stanley Cup Final atmosphere around it. Add in the rough Game 6 defeat to Montreal, and you have a reminder that even a team built to contend can find its momentum shattered in the most unforgiving stretch of the season.
The frustration did not stop there, either. Last springs first-round series loss to Dallas became another sore spot, with Wyatt Johnston taking over the matchup and tilting the series in the Stars favor as Vegas struggled to recover. Nights like those still shape how this fan base remembers the postseason, because for all the success the Golden Knights have piled up, the hardest exits tend to stick longest. [Read more 🡒]
Golden Knights Built Their Legacy On These Unforgettable Playoff Nights
Since arriving in the NHL, the Golden Knights have lived in the spring spotlight more often than not, and that has shaped the way the franchise is already discussed. A team with a .572 winning percentage since 2017, three trips to the Stanley Cup Final and one championship has not spent much time searching for a postseason identity. Even the lone missed playoff year in 2021-22 came with the caveat of injuries to key players, which only sharpens the contrast between their usual standard and the rare season that slipped away.
The franchises legacy has been built on nights that still feel larger than the standings, the kind of games that turn a young team into a permanent part of the leagues memory. Four playoff performances stand out in particular, including the 2023 Stanley Cup Final clincher when Mark Stone scored a hat trick. Those are the moments that continue to define how Vegas is viewed, because for this team, the postseason has never been an afterthought. [Read more 🡒]