The Golden Knights’ offseason left plenty of room for doubt, but the Pacific Division may not have pulled away nearly as much as the numbers suggest.
Vegas spent the summer losing pieces at a pace that would make any fan uneasy. Pavel Dorofeyev was traded to the New York Rangers, and that wasn’t the only hit.
Keegan Kolesar and Kaedan Korczak were also moved to Eastern Conference teams, while Colton Sissons and Cole Smith ended up with Original Six clubs. Taken together, those departures chip away at the team’s forward depth and make the roster look thinner than it did before the offseason started.
The analytics crowd noticed, too. Off The Rush Hockey on X rated the Golden Knights as the second-worst offseason setback in the Pacific Division at -6.18 pSPAR, with only the Anaheim Ducks finishing lower at -8.54. The other teams that came in negative were the San Jose Sharks (-4.58), Calgary Flames (-2.62), Vancouver Canucks (-1.17), and Seattle Kraken (-1.10).
At the top of the division, only two teams were projected to improve: the Los Angeles Kings at +0.02 and the Edmonton Oilers at +2.04. The Kings added veteran forwards Mats Zuccarello, Corey Perry, and Erik Haula, while the Oilers brought in Shakir Mukhamadullin and Frederik Andersen.
That’s the part that can make Vegas fans sweat. The Golden Knights do not have a ready-made replacement for the kind of shooter they lost, and the power play takes the biggest hit. A franchise-record 20 power play goals don’t just disappear quietly, and the depth losses on both defense and up front only add to the concern.
Still, the rest of the division didn’t exactly surge forward. The Flames have shipped out a lot over the past calendar year, including Blake Coleman and his 20 goals and 15 assists.
The Canucks, meanwhile, no longer have Quinn Hughes. And the Kraken?
The source leaves little doubt that they’re not a team Vegas needs to lose sleep over.
Then there are the Ducks and Sharks, both of whom handed out expensive deals to their own stars. Anaheim still has to sort out how to pay Cutter Gauthier, while San Jose’s notable addition was Ilya Samsonov, whose career 2.77 GAA and .902 save percentage don’t exactly scream certainty. The Sharks also added Jacob Trouba and Darnell Nurse, but that still leaves questions about where the playmaking comes from and whether the blue line is getting older without getting more dangerous.
And Andersen, even with a strong run for the Carolina Hurricanes - 1.89 GAA, a .910 save percentage, and three shutouts - comes with his own question marks. He was exposed by the Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final, and Brandon Bussi had to step in to help the Hurricanes reach their second Stanley Cup.
So yes, Vegas has reasons to worry after a turbulent offseason. But the division picture isn’t exactly pristine either.
The Golden Knights still have a star-heavy roster and the front office remains intact. And if McCrimmon decides to swing big, the whole conversation could change in a hurry.
In Other News...
Former Golden Knights Goalie Just Landed In A Familiar Rival Spot
Ilya Samsonov is back in the Pacific Division mix, this time landing with the San Jose Sharks on a one-year, two-way contract. For the Golden Knights, it is a familiar name in a familiar place, since Samsonov spent time in Vegas before moving on, and now he finds himself joining a Sharks goaltending group that already includes Alex Nedeljkovic, Yaroslav Askarov and Eric Comrie.
The move gives San Jose another experienced option for a position that can change quickly over the course of a season, especially with a roster built to sort out depth as much as upside. Samsonov brings a six-year professional track record that has included stretches in the KHL and in the NHL, but the real intrigue for Vegas fans is less about the contract itself and more about how a former Knight fits into one of the clubs divisional rivals. [Read more 🡒]
Shea Theodore Has One Big Chance To Quiet A Growing Vegas Concern
Shea Theodores value to the Golden Knights has never come from one side of the puck alone, but this past season offered a slightly different picture than the one Vegas had grown used to seeing. His offensive production dipped from the year before, even as he found a way to chip in more goals and sharpen his defensive impact, including a noticeable bump in blocked shots. In 70 games, he looked more sturdy and more responsible in his own end, which matters for a team that leans heavily on its blue line to drive play.
Still, for a player whose game is built around tilt-the-ice production from the back end, the concern in Vegas is whether the offense will fully return. The projection for next season suggests a modest bounce back, with Theodore expected to land around nine goals and 35 assists while keeping that stronger defensive profile intact. If he can thread that needle, the Golden Knights will feel a lot better about where his game is headed. [Read more 🡒]
Rasmus Andersson Faces One Big Pressure Point In Vegas
Rasmus Andersson arrived in Vegas with the kind of contract that says the Golden Knights see him as more than a depth add. The seven-year, $59.5 million extension also makes clear where the organization stands, even with some fans still voicing criticism over how he has performed in both the playoffs and the regular season. Andersson, for his part, has said he is grateful for the chance to join the team.
Kelly McCrimmons belief in him helps explain why the Golden Knights were willing to commit for the long haul. The general manager values Anderssons puck-moving ability, which fits neatly with the clubs offensive approach and gives Vegas a specific reason to bet on a player who now has to live up to a very visible investment. The pressure point is obvious, and it comes with the territory when a new arrival is handed that kind of responsibility. [Read more 🡒]