Trevor Connelly hasn’t needed much time to make his case in Vegas.
The Golden Knights winger scored on Opening Knight, then struck again Tuesday when Noah Hanifin found him for a third-period one-timer. That gives Connelly three goals through eight games, and he has added two assists to keep his name in the early Calder Trophy conversation.
Connelly’s start is especially eye-catching because it builds on what he did with the Henderson Silver Knights in 2025-26, when he put up 14 goals and 35 assists with the AHL club. Vegas has already leaned on him in a few different spots, including a role on Tomas Hertl’s line and time on the first power play unit, and he has handled it well.
The production has come in more than one way, too. Connelly has a goal and an assist on the power play, but he has also shown he can finish at even strength. His shooting percentage sits at 17.6%, and he has already flashed enough scoring touch to make people in Vegas think about him as a real option in the rookie race.
Roman Kantserov of the Chicago Blackhawks is the only other rookie mentioned here as having more goals entering Wednesday, which keeps Connelly firmly in the mix. The broader Calder chatter may center on Gavin McKenna of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the first overall pick in the most recent NHL Draft, but Connelly’s start gives the Golden Knights a rookie worth watching.
He has even chipped in a shootout goal, and it came in a game against McKenna and the Maple Leafs. Connelly scored the winner, while McKenna missed by firing his backhand wide against Adin Hill. For now, the rookie has given Vegas plenty to like, and he is making an early push to be the first Calder Trophy winner in Golden Knights history.
In Other News...
Golden Knights Show How Dangerous They Look When They Keep Pressing
For a team that already knows how to win tight games, Sunday was a reminder of how much more dangerous the Golden Knights can look when they keep leaning on an opponent instead of protecting a lead. Vegas carried a 3-2 edge into the third period against Nashville and turned the game into a 5-2 win with a relentless final push, backed by a penalty kill that held firm and a blue line that chipped in offensively at key moments.
The third period and the special teams work stood out as the turning points, with the defensemen combining for five points and helping tilt the ice in Vegas favor. It was the kind of complete effort the coach and players pointed to afterward, the sort that makes the Golden Knights look especially difficult to slow down when they are still pressing rather than settling in. [Read more 🡒]
Golden Knights Responded Exactly How Fans Wanted In Nashville
After a flat enough start, the Golden Knights found the kind of road response their fans have been waiting for in Nashville, pulling away for a 5-2 win at Bridgestone Arena. Vegas spread the offense around with five different players scoring, and the finish had the look of a team that settled in and took control once the game opened up.
The turning point came late in the second period, when William Karlsson delivered the goal that put Vegas in front for good. From there, the Golden Knights added to the cushion while Adin Hill backed it up with a composed 25-save night, highlighted by a first-period penalty-shot stop that helped keep the Predators from building early momentum. [Read more 🡒]
Adin Hill Looks Different And Vegas Fans Have Every Reason To Care
Adin Hills season has started to look more like the version the Golden Knights have leaned on in the past, a welcome shift after the injury issues and uneven play that followed him through much of 2025-26. When Hill is controlling his net the way he has early in 2026-27, Vegas gets the benefit of his size, calm and ability to reset after giving up a goal, traits that were part of what made him such a stabilizing presence before last years dip.
The early results are enough to make anyone around the team pay attention, especially with Hill appearing more comfortable in a style that plays to his strengths rather than fighting them. Vegas fans know how quickly the goaltending conversation can change over a stretch of starts, and Hills recent rebound has at least given the Knights a reason to believe the position may be moving back in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]