Season Preview – 11. Vegas Golden Knights

After an early exit from the playoff last season, the Vegas Golden Knights enter the 2024-25 campaign with high expectations. Projected to finish 11th in the league and make a deep postseason push, Vegas boasts one of the deepest center groups in the NHL, featuring Jack Eichel, Tomas Hertl, William Karlsson, and Nicolas Roy. While they face the challenge of replacing Jonathan Marchessault, who departed for Nashville in free agency, the Golden Knights are well-equipped to adopt a score-by-committee approach. With a rock-solid defensive core and the infusion of talented young players like Alexander Holtz and Pavel Dorofeyev, the team looks poised to remain a strong contender, assuming they can maintain their health.

Season Expectations

Coming off another competitive season, the Golden Knights are expected to remain a force in the NHL. The team’s center depth stands out as a clear advantage, with Eichel emerging as a bonafide superstar following his flawless transition as a Golden Knight. Eichel’s combination of size, skill, and two-way ability makes him a dangerous threat in all situations. Behind him, Tomas Hertl brings versatility and a physical presence, making him a perfect complement in the top six. William Karlsson, the franchise’s original star, remains a reliable two-way center who excels in matchups against opposing teams top lines, while Nicolas Roy continues to be an excellent depth option capable of providing secondary scoring and stability down the lineup.

Defensively, Vegas remains one of the league’s strongest units. Alex Pietrangelo provides leadership and an elite shutdown presence, while Shea Theodore brings dynamic skating and offensive production from the back end. Noah Hanifin will be entering his first full season as a Knight, and it was evident last season how much of a positive impact he will have on the core. The duo is supported by a deep group of defenders, including Nicolas Hague, Brayden McNabb and Zach Whitecloud, giving the Golden Knights the balance they need to compete against top offenses across the league.

Though the loss of Marchessault will be felt, Vegas is confident that they can overcome his departure by relying on their depth. Alexander Holtz and Pavel Dorofeyev are expected to step into bigger roles, and their development could be a game-changer for the Golden Knights. Both players bring skill, speed, and the ability to finish, which will be crucial in offsetting the offense lost with Marchessault’s exit.

Projected Lines

The Golden Knights will lean on a balanced, score-by-committee approach, spreading offensive responsibilities across all lines. Their strength lies in a deep center core, which will drive play and control possession, supported by one of the league’s best defensive units. This combination of depth and defensive stability will once again be the foundation of their success this season.

To clarify, these line projections are meant to only predict the start of the season. With so many potential combinations possible, its almost certain that there are tweaks and additions of new faces by the end of the year. Expect the season to start as such:

Ivan Barbashev – Jack Eichel – Mark Stone
Pavel Dorofeyev – Tomas Hertl – Alexander Holtz
Brett Howden – William Karlsson – Victor Olofsson
Tanner Pearson – Nicolas Roy – Keegan Kolesar

Shea Theodore – Alex Pietrangelo
Noah Hanifin – Nicolas Hague
Brayden McNabb – Zach Whitecloud

Adin Hill
Ilya Samsonov

Scratches: Cole Schwindt, Kaedan Korczak, Ben Hutton

Line 1
If this line can stay healthy throughout the course of the season, they will wreak havoc across the league. They have a small sample size of their chemistry already from last season, where they played a total of 185.9 minutes together in 23 games. They managed to put up a solid 56.8% xGoals For % along with a net 0.65 xGoals For Per 60 Minutes. While Eichel will have to drive this line for offense, having effective two-way wingers line Stone and Barbashev, will allow Eichel to take more chances knowing he will be covered for. Eichel has slowly been carving himself out as one of the to centerman in the league and will look to continue to add to his reputation this season. Since coming to Vegas, he has put up 73 goals and 166 points in 167 games played, along with 26 points in 22 playoff games in 2022-23 when the Knights won the Stanley Cup. Stone is the heartbeat of this Knights team, and represents his team on and off the ice with complete professionalism. While injuries have been a setback as of late for the aging player, he is still effective when he does play. He will need to stay healthy a full season to hide the lack of top forward options the Knights currently have. Barbashev is a strong forechecker and puck retrieval option for Eichel. He has also been able to produce offense consistently enough to earn his spot on the top line.

Line 2
This can be considered a new comer line, and may be the sole reason if the Knights can make a deep playoff run again. While there is no evidence from last year to base our predictions on, we can at least assume the effectiveness from the type of game each player thrives with. Dorofeyev is a young NHL player who has seemingly finally cracked the Knights roster for good. While nothing will be given to him, he has shown in his 70 career games that he can be a scoring option, as he has put up 21 goals in that time. If he can remain at this pace and generate more offense as he grows comfortable in that role, then the Knights will have a reliable scoring winger who can move up to the first line if need be. Hertl is a solid veteran power forward center that will be a compliment behind Eichel, creating a one-two punch option for the top-six. He is going to be a significant contributor on the power play, and will be able to keep his two young line mates calm in all situations. Coming off injury last year, he will need to find a way to stay healthy for the Knights to boast the top center depth they currently have. Holtz fell out of favour in New Jersey very quickly and will have the opportunity to reignite his NHL career in Vegas. The former 7th overall pick int he 2020 draft has yet to establish himself as a premier scorer he was once touted as being. However, with a system in place and desperate need for players to step into scoring roles, it seems like the perfect environment for Holtz to finally reach his potential.

Line 3
This seems like an effective line on both ends of the ice, with a scoring touch that can overwhelm teams in certain matchups. Howden has been a solid middle-six option for the Knights in recent years, but has never found a consistent offensive upside that the Knights may have been asking of him. Nevertheless, his puck pursuit and commitment to finishing his checks, almost makes him a “poor mans” Barbashev. Leading the charge on this line is one of the original stars of the Knights, Karlsson. The former 43 goal scorer dubbed “wild Bill” is one of the most underrated centermen in the league. He is a second line center on other teams, and possibly even a first line option too, yet with the Knights plethora of center depth he finds himself in a third line role tilting matchups in the Knights favour. Olofsson is a wild card for this team in his first year as a Knight after coming from Buffalo via free agency. He has past chemistry with Eichel, which may lead to him finding reps on the top line or top powerplay unit. There is no doubting he has a sneaky powerful shot and finishing ability that lacks consistency. With more options around him and less pressure to be the “main option”, we may see Olofsson establish new career highs in Vegas.

Line 4
One of the main tools the Knights have always used is having a high energy fourth line. This line is no different than years past, except for the new comer Pearson who is slotting in on the left side. All three players have a tremendous defensive IQ that can shut down opponents, or drive a cycle in the offensive zone while the top-nine lines are resting. Pearson is a veteran of 647 NHL games, and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that the Knights coaching staff will not have to think twice about. Roy is a big body checking center who can skate like the wind, making him one of the best fourth line centers in the league. He can generate offense when asked to, but will also stay committed to defense without taking unnecessary risk. Kolesar is a typical bottom-six power forward winger, who will finish all his checks and drive the net at will. He can also step up and help enforce if things get out of hands. All in all, this line will be a secret weapon for the Knights once again.

Pair 1
This pair was only together for a short stint last year, due to injuries both suffered during the season, but also the trust the coaching staff found with different pairings in the meantime. However, while they were together for a limited 24 games, they were able to generate elite pairing numbers with a 59.4% xGoals For % and an outstanding net 1.23 xGoals For Per 60 Minutes. Theodore is a dynamic skating offensive minded defender, who can shut down top lines or generate rushes through the neutral zone at ease. He can log heavy minutes, or be utilized in specific matchups depending on game situations. Pietrangelo is still one of the best defenders in the league, even though he may have lost a step or has declined on the offensive stats sheet as he ages. Regardless, he is the leader of this blueline, and he and Stone make a formidable leadership group with their wealth of NHL experience and adversity. Both players must find a way to stay healthy, at least before the playoffs start, for the entire blue line to remain a cohesive unit without thinning out.

Pair 2
Last trade deadline, the Knights made a significant play by acquiring Hanifin from the Calgary Flames and immediately signed him to an eight-year, $58.8 million extension. Right away, Hanifin had an impact that was better than anticipated and will look to continue the momentum into this season. This pairing also had chemistry last season playing a total of 226.5 minutes in 15 games. They were able to post a outstanding 61.1% xGoals For % along with a net 1.21 xGoals For Per 60 Minutes, which is elite for any second pairing. Hanifin is a strong two-way presence, that can play on both special teams and be extremely effective. His smooth skating and ability to crunch heavy minutes, makes him a tool that the coaching staff will use in all situations. Hague is a big rangy defenseman who can clear his own crease or cover for Hanifin during a rush. His attention to detail makes him an underrated option, who will be more of a stay-at-home type but can contribute offensively when the opportunities arise.

Pair 3
The epitome of a shut down pair. Both McNabb and Whitecloud have a tremendous intuition when it comes to shutting down top opposition players. They walk the fine line of physicality and positioning that make then a formidable defensive pair. Last year they played a total 106.8 minutes in 35 games, and managed to post a 47.3% xGoals For % along with a net -0.28 xGoals For Per 60 Minutes, which will improve once they play more together. While the numbers aren’t impressive for a shutdown type of pairing, they will succeed together and provide the coaching staff with a reliable third pairing option. McNabb has been a defensive-first player his entire career, and his experience and leadership on the backend has always paid off in dividends. Whitecloud has continued to improve every season since breaking out in the league during the 2020-21 season and has never looked back. He has the ability to play higher in the pairings when called upon, yet as long as the defensive core remains healthy, he is likely to remain an anchor on the bottom pairing.

Goalies
With the departure of Logan Thompson in the offseason in a trade to the Washington Capitals, Adin Hill is now the defacto starter for the Knights. While this will be his first full season as the number one option for an NHL team, he has shown in the past that he is capable of backstopping the Knights, as he was the backbone when the team won the Stanley Cup in 2022-23. Last season though, he only played 35 games, which was a career high, and will be tasked with roughly 50 games or more this year. Backing up Hill is newcomer Samsonov, who has been known for his inconstancies his entire NHL career. However, he is a proven winner regardless of his underlying numbers, posting 103 wins in 172 career games. The Knights are hoping that the defensive core in front of him will assist in his analytics and are betting on him to succeed on an elite team.

Scratches
Schwindt is a young option who the Knights claimed off waivers from the Calgary Flames prior to the start of the season. He may have a future with the team in a bottom-six role if other players price themselves out in the near future. Korczak is an NHL defender capable of playing a full season in a bottom-tier role. Yet, due to the logjam of effective defenders in front of him on the depth chart, Kroczak finds himself on the outside looking in. Expect him to receive some games when a different look is needed, and be the first man up when injuries occur. Hutton is a reliable 7th defender option, that will likely find himself in a depleted role due to Korczak’s trajectory. Regardless, if Hutton plays a lot of games this year it will simply due to injuries on the back end.

Keys to Success

The Golden Knights success this season will depend largely on their collective depth and balance, as they no longer have a single offensive powerhouse like Marchessault to rely on. Instead, Vegas will need to lean on their committee of scorers. Eichel will be the offensive catalyst, and his ability to stay healthy and continue his upward trajectory will be critical to the team’s fortunes. With Hertl and Karlsson anchoring the middle of the lineup, Vegas boasts one of the most well-rounded center groups in the NHL, and their ability to control the pace of the game through the middle of the ice will be essential.

Defense will also be a major factor in their success. Pietrangelo, Theodore, and Hanifin are all capable of playing heavy minutes while contributing at both ends of the ice. Their ability to shut down opposing offenses and generate offensive opportunities through transition play will be vital. Pietrangelo, in particular, must continue to be the leader of the blue line, setting the tone for the rest of the team with his experience and poise.

The integration of younger players into the lineup could be another key component of the Golden Knights success. Holtz and Dorofeyev have the potential to make significant impacts, but they must prove that they can handle the responsibility of playing bigger roles. If both can step up and provide secondary scoring, Vegas will be well-rounded offensively, helping mitigate the loss of Marchessault.

Finally, health remains a crucial factor. Stone, who has dealt with significant injuries in recent seasons, is a key piece of the Golden Knights puzzle. His leadership and physical play are irreplaceable, and if he can stay healthy, he will be a driving force for the team both offensively and defensively. Hertl, Pietrangelo, and Theodore must also stay on the ice, as the team lacks the same depth to cover for potential injuries to its core players.

Potential Downfall

The Golden Knights depth is a strength, but it could also become their Achilles heel if not managed properly. While the team is set up to spread the scoring around, a lack of a true game-breaking offensive talent—outside of Eichel—could pose a problem. Losing Marchessault means Vegas no longer has a consistent 30-goal scorer to rely on, and while they believe in their younger players, expecting Holtz and Dorofeyev to step in and immediately fill that void may be a bit too optimistic. If their scoring committee struggles to generate enough offense, especially in high-stakes games, Vegas could find themselves in difficult situations against top-tier opponents.

Another potential downfall is the goaltending situation. While Adin Hill and Ilya Samsonov are capable, neither has firmly established themselves as a true No. 1 goaltender in the NHL. If inconsistency creeps into their game or if one of them suffers an injury, the lack of an elite, proven goaltender could become a significant problem for Vegas. In a league where goaltending often makes the difference between winning and losing in the playoffs, this uncertainty could limit the Golden Knights ceiling.

Future Outlook

The Golden Knights are not only built for immediate success but also have a promising pipeline of prospects that will ensure they remain competitive in the long term. Two young players who could have an immediate impact this season are forward Brendan Brisson and defenseman Kaedan Korczak. Brisson, with his offensive creativity and ability to finish plays, could find himself in a middle-six role if he performs well during the season. Korczak, a solid two-way defender with physicality and poise, has the chance to earn a permanent spot on the blue line, providing further depth to an already formidable defensive group.

Beyond Brisson and Korczak, the Golden Knights boast a deep prospect pool that promises to keep the team stocked with talent for years to come. Trevor Connelly and Mathieu Cataford are two forwards in the system who have the potential to be key contributors down the line, bringing skill and hockey IQ to the organization. Matyas Sapovaliv, a versatile center with a strong two-way game, also represents a potential future piece for the Knights, giving them another option down the middle as they continue to develop.

On the defensive side, Lukas Cormier and Arttu Karki offer dynamic offensive upside from the back end. Cormier, with his puck-moving abilities and vision, projects to be an impactful offensive defenseman, while Karki’s size and skating give him a well-rounded game that could translate well to the NHL level. Goaltending prospect Carl Lindbom, a standout in international play, provides additional security in the crease for the future, giving Vegas a long-term option in net. Additionally, Pavel Moysevich, a fast-rising goaltending prospect, has shown tremendous potential and could become a starter option as he develops.

With these young players in the pipeline, Vegas is well-positioned to transition smoothly as their current core ages. The organization has done a commendable job of balancing immediate contention with the cultivation of future talent, ensuring the Golden Knights will remain a powerhouse for years to come.

Final Thoughts

The Vegas Golden Knights are once again a team to watch in the NHL as they enter the 2024-25 season. With one of the deepest center groups in the league and a defensive core that ranks among the NHL’s best, the Golden Knights have the tools to make a deep playoff run. While the loss of Marchessault poses a challenge, the development of younger players and the score-by-committee approach could prove to be the solution. Health will be a determining factor, as key players like Mark Stone and Alex Pietrangelo will need to stay on the ice for the team to reach its full potential.

Ultimately, the Golden Knights remain well-positioned for success, with a solid mix of veteran leadership and young talent. If they can overcome potential obstacles like injuries and offensive depth concerns, Vegas could find themselves once again in the hunt for the Stanley Cup, living up to the high expectations placed upon them.