The Vegas Golden Knights turned their home opener into a full-on celebration Tuesday night, rolling past the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2 at T-Mobile Arena and giving Ryan Craig a win in his first game as an NHL head coach.
The night had the usual Vegas flair before the puck even dropped. The team leaned into its “Season X” presentation with a nostalgia-heavy pregame video and a nod to the city’s neon-lit history, and the building was already buzzing long before the opening faceoff. Once the game started, the crowd got what it came for: an early lead, plenty of offense, and a team that spent most of the night holding off Chicago’s response.
Jack Eichel was right in the middle of it. He finished with a goal and two assists, giving him his 700th career point in the process. After the game, he made a point of crediting the moment for rookie Connelly as well.
“I mean, it’s incredible,” said Jack Eichel about Connelly’s milestone. “You see his family here before the game; it’s his first NHL game.
He’s been awesome all camp. He’s a great part of our locker room, and he’s obviously a special player.
[I’m] so happy to see him get his first, definitely a night and a moment that he’ll never forget.”
Eichel later reflected on his own milestone, too.
“I’ve been really lucky and grateful to be a part of this organization,” said Eichel following the 5-2 win. “But I think those things just come kind of organically.
I’ve played with some great players in my career, and like I said, those things kind of just come. Yeah, it was cool.”
The Golden Knights also got an immediate answer to one of the season’s early questions: what the new-look power play would look like without Pavel Dortofeyev’s 25 power play goals and without the old one-time option for Eichel. Vegas went 1-for-4 on the man advantage, and the lone conversion came from Victor Olofsson in his first game back with the club.
The sequence started with Shea Theodore moving the puck to Eichel at center ice, and Eichel finding Olofsson entering the zone with speed. Olofsson attacked the left dot and beat Spencer Knight with a shot that gave Vegas its power-play goal. It’s too early to draw big conclusions from one night, but Olofsson did what he’s done before: score.
Craig’s debut behind an NHL bench also came with a win, and his players made clear afterward that the moment fit the man. Eichel called the transition seamless and praised Craig’s work in meetings, before the game, and on the bench.
“I don’t think anyone in this locker room is surprised,” said Jack Eichel postgame. “Craiger’s an unbelievable person, and a great leader.
It’s been a really seamless transition. He’s done a great job in the meetings, before the game, on the bench.
“I’m so happy to have this opportunity, and it’s so deserved,” Eichel continued. “He’s been in the organization for a while.
It was a pleasure when he was on the bench a few years ago, and now to have him back, it’s great. For him, I’m sure this is a special moment as well, his first win as a head coach.
So, super happy for him, and plenty more.”
Craig kept his own remarks short after the game, happy to share the night with his family and focused on the team’s performance.
“It’s nice to have my family here to witness the first win,” he said following the game. “Proud of our guys and our effort, and we’ll get back to work.”
In Other News...
Trevor Connelly Just Gave Vegas Fans A Reason To Dream
Trevor Connelly did not waste much time making an impression on the big stage. In his NHL debut for the Vegas Golden Knights on opening night of the 2026-27 season, the young forward scored a goal and instantly put himself in a sliver of franchise history, becoming only the second player in team history to do it. It was the kind of entrance that can change the way a prospect is viewed, especially for a player who spent the previous season building his case with a strong run for the Henderson Silver Knights.
Connelly earned his spot on the Golden Knights opening night roster after attending training camp for the first time, and the leap from the AHL to the NHL felt like a rapid one. Still, the organization clearly believes the talent is real, with the teams general manager and head coach both praising his skill and maturity. For Vegas, the early return is exactly the sort of development that makes a new season feel a little bigger than the one before it. [Read more 🡒]
Golden Knights Just Sent A Clear Message About William Karlsson
William Karlsson is sticking around in Vegas, and the move says plenty about how the Golden Knights still view one of their foundational players. The veteran center, an original expansion draft pick, has been a steady part of the team since its inaugural 2017-18 season, filling important roles on both sides of the puck while helping define the identity of the franchise.
The two-year extension keeps Karlsson in a place where he already sits second in franchise history in goals and points, a reminder of how much he has meant to the organization over the long haul. For a team that has never been shy about making bold roster decisions, this one reads as a clear commitment to continuity, experience and a player whose value has gone well beyond the box score. [Read more 🡒]
Golden Knights Already Look Sharper Than Fans Expected
The season opener offered an early reminder of how polished the Golden Knights can look when the roster is settled and the pace is high. Vegas handled Chicago in a 5-2 win, leaning on its veteran edge and structure to control much of the night while the Blackhawks spent long stretches trying to keep up. Even with Chicago finding the net through Jordan Greenway, Patrick Kane and Jack Eichel, the overall balance of play still tilted toward the Golden Knights in a way that felt familiar to anyone who has followed this group over the years.
What stood out most from a Vegas perspective was how cleanly the team executed compared with a rebuilding opponent that was still searching for its footing. Chicago had moments of pushback, but defensive breakdowns and a rough outing from Spencer Knight made it hard to turn those flashes into anything lasting. For the Golden Knights, it was the kind of opening-night performance that suggests they may be ahead of schedule in all the right ways, even if the broader test of where they stand will come much later. [Read more 🡒]