The Vegas Golden Knights may have looked like a team built to keep rolling after a magical playoff run ended in the Stanley Cup Final, but not everyone is convinced they’re better positioned for 2026-27. Matt Larkin of Daily Faceoff sees a step back coming, even with the core still in place and the group still chasing another ring.
Vegas did lose former two-time 35-goal scorer Pavel Dorofeyev, but the roster still carries plenty of high-end punch. The club extended defenseman Rasmus Andersson and will have Carter Hart for a full season, while the reigning Pacific Division champions are also aiming for a third straight division title, which would be a first for the franchise. That’s the backdrop for the debate: are the Golden Knights actually weaker, or just being underestimated?
A big part of the conversation starts behind the bench. Last season, Vegas had Stanley Cup-winning coaches Bruce Cassidy and John Tortorella guiding the way.
Both are gone now, and Ryan Craig takes over for his first NHL head-coaching job. He already knows Jack Eichel and Mark Stone from his time as an assistant, and now he’ll be the one designing the offense for Mitch Marner.
Craig’s challenge is straightforward: get this group locked into a system that fits its talent and turns it into wins. Even with questions about the roster on paper, Vegas still has the kind of top-end firepower that changes games in a hurry. Marner just put together an outstanding playoff run, and there’s still plenty of attention on Eichel, with many waiting for him to finally break through that 100-point barrier.
The loss of a key piece up front matters, but it doesn’t erase what Vegas still has. This team still rolls out some of the league’s most dangerous game-breakers, and those players can put real fear into opposing goaltenders when they’re flying up the ice.
The bottom six looks different now, too, but the new faces are there for a reason, and they’ll have a chance to carve out bigger roles. For now, the bigger picture remains the same: until this core starts to break down, the Golden Knights belong in the league’s top tier, and they should be ready to hit the ground running on opening night.
The goalie situation, in particular, is why some people think the “weaker” label misses the mark. Larkin noted that Vegas could still swing a major move and chase someone like Dylan Larkin or even Connor Hellebuyck, but that kind of move doesn’t seem necessary with Carter Hart in the fold. Hart’s brief sample was strong - an 11-3-3 regular-season record and a 14-8 playoff run - and it was enough to show he can handle elite duties.
He also gives Vegas a tandem with Adin Hill, who previously backstopped the club to the Stanley Cup in 2023, something future Hall of Famer Marc-Andre Fleury never managed there. If both are healthy, the Golden Knights could stack up 40-50 wins and stay in the mix for the Presidents’ Trophy.
That’s why the idea that Vegas is clearly worse feels premature. Adding another big-name scorer like Larkin would help, sure, but the more immediate truth is that the Golden Knights may have one of the best goaltending pairs in years. And with Kelly McCrimmon not exactly sitting on a suitcase full of money to spend, it’s far too early to start judging how this team will look in December, February, or even April.
In Other News...
Golden Knights Just Got Another Sign Of Their NHL Status
The Golden Knights keep finding themselves in the leagues biggest spotlight, and the NHLs latest broadcast schedule only reinforces that status. Vegas will be featured in 15 nationally televised games during the 2026-27 season across TNT, ESPN, ESPN+ and ABC, with the Stadium Series game in Arlington, Texas among the marquee dates. For a franchise that has become a regular part of the postseason conversation, that kind of visibility is another sign the league sees the Golden Knights as one of its most reliable draws.
Theres also a practical side to the announcement for fans planning ahead, since six of Vegas game times have been adjusted. It is a small reminder of how often the Golden Knights are now slotted into the leagues biggest windows, which comes with both the scrutiny and the reach that follow recent playoff success and multiple Stanley Cup trips. For a team that has spent years building a national profile, the schedule says plenty about where it stands now. [Read more 🡒]
Golden Knights Could Catch A Very Different Flames Team Off Guard
Zach Whiteclouds move to Calgary is one more reminder of how much the Flames have changed since they started tearing down an older roster in favor of draft capital and a quicker path toward younger talent. The trade that sent Rasmus Andersson away helped accelerate that reset, and it leaves the Golden Knights looking at a division opponent that could feel very different by the 2026-27 season than the one theyre used to seeing.
For Vegas, that kind of makeover can create an opening. The Golden Knights have built around veteran experience and know-how, and that edge can matter against a team still sorting through its next core. If Calgarys younger group is still learning how to handle the grind, Vegas has the kind of lineup that can make those growing pains costly. [Read more 🡒]