(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)
This morning the Golden Knights woke up only to find themselves in 5th place in the Pacific Division. Sure, there’s five months left in the regular season, but for dramatics’ sake, if the playoffs were to begin today, the Golden Knights would be O-U-T out.
In years past, the Golden Knights routinely feasted on nonthreatening Pacific Division opponents. Since 2021-22, Vegas has an astonishing .800 points percentage against Anaheim, Calgary, San Jose, and Seattle. The Golden Knights gleefully average 22 standings points each season by beating up on those four franchises. Surprisingly, that group of pushovers is now down to just the Flames (which VGK have already taken four points off of).
VGK vs ANA, CGY, SJ, SEA Since 2021-22
- 2021-22: 23 Points (11-3-1)
- 2022-23: 20 Points (9-3-2)
- 2023-24: 19 Points (9-6-1)
- 2024-25: 26 Points (12-0-2)
So far, the Golden Knights have played six games against divisional foes. They are 3-0-3 in those games. Like clockwork, Vegas is back to pick-pocketing points against the four dwellers of the past. Altogether, the Golden Knights have picked up points in each divisional game this season. However, Pacific matchups haven’t been as easy as years past. Ahem, well, maybe one game.
Last week, the 1st place Ducks defeated the Golden Knights for the first time since 2024. Anaheim is in the middle of an 8-2-0 stretch, are in first place by three points and have a +14 goal differential, the only other team in the division besides Vegas in the green. At the moment, MoneyPuck gives the Ducks a 40% chance of winning the Pacific Division and the Golden Knights a 30% chance.
In a worst-case scenario, Vegas splits the remaining ten contests with Anaheim, Calgary, San Jose, and Seattle, the Golden Knights would end the season with 13 fewer points than seasons past. It would force Vegas to search for another ten points against other opponents. Possibly, hard, strenuous points against challenging teams down the stretch.
We all watched Vegas storm through the Stanley Cup Finals as a one seed. On the flip side, fans witnessed a first-round elimination as an eighth seed. Dipping below second place in the division will force the Golden Knights to start the first two series on the road.
Sure, this could be the new reality in the Pacific Division, but it’s early November. Another note, the Edmonton Oilers should wake up out of their annual slumber soon.
Henderson One
This is not a mirage. The depth is not there and there a so many weaknesses. Team cohesion looks to be a issue. Where is the leader coming from. Look old and tired even though the season has just begun. Do they have the fire in the belly to go for the cup?
Emmanuel
I heard all about “we roll 4 lines “ on this site for 7 years but I havent heard a peep about that all season…..
The team hasnt been the same since they dropped the ball at the trade deadline.
Mike Paine
It APPEARS to me that this team is entirely different when Mark Stone doesn’t play. So much goes through him.
Emmanuel
When Stone was healthy they went thru an easy part of the schedule.
Hes important but not THAT important
They began to dive when they started facing top teams.
VGK is a 2nd tier team 6th best to 10th best, with injuries they are a
3rd tier team.
Im not sold on the Sharks or Kraken, so im pretty sure VGK can
sneak into the top 3.
Pistol Pete
“They began to dive when they started facing top teams.”
Not against the Canes they didn’t and both games without Stone.
Pistol Pete
“They began to dive when they started facing top teams.”
Against the Kings they did not and both games without Stone.
Pistol Pete
Against the Canes I meant lol.
Emmanuel
Kings are 8-9(OTL invluded).
VGK impressed agains the Canes, no doubt, maybe they match up well against them?
Im just saying the Pac is a tad weak & the other divisions are deeper.
Not slagging Stone, he a legit top 32 F, just saying VGK deep @ RW.
Pistol Pete
Strength in Depth:
Despite these significant injuries, the Golden Knights are built as a deep, veteran team with other star players capable of stepping up.
Star Power: The team still features elite talent such as center Jack Eichel and a recent high-profile acquisition in forward Mitch Marner. Other key forwards include Tomáš Hertl and Ivan Barbashev.
Veteran Roster: The roster is packed with experienced players who have been in challenging situations before, including a number of Stanley Cup champions. The organization’s philosophy is centered around sustained contention.
Coaching: Under coach Bruce Cassidy, the team is considered resilient and capable of adjusting to adversity, though recent results have been a concern.
In summary, while the team is currently dealing with the difficulties of missing two core players, their strong roster depth and established veteran presence mean they are still considered a good, competitive team with the expectation of being a Stanley Cup contender, provided they can manage the injuries effectively. You can find the latest official roster and injury updates on the NHL.com Golden Knights roster page.
Pistol Pete
I would kind of like to see Cassidy give Bowman a real shot and put him up there with Howden and Smith.
—————-
KVGK have recalled Braeden Bowman from Henderson. He is on the ice at practice today.
William Karlsson is still not out there.
jeff
They are going to have to trade out a forward to get a top tier defenseman. Its defense that’s killing the team right. Not only defensively but also offensively.
Emmanuel
Hanifin & Theo not top tier (top 32 D)?
Pistol Pete
The last time the Golden Knights lost three straight games in a home stand was in 2023. They went on to win the Stanley Cup that season.
2-Worthless Cents
Coach Lil John’s chorus isn’t optional — it’s the game plan: Shots. Shots. Shots. The Knights aren’t just failing to shoot enough; they’re turning chances over and letting the other team breathe. That goes for forwards and the defense corps alike.
Game tone
– Chorus-level urgency: Play like every sequence is the hook — quick, loud, decisive. Shoot on sight; traffic the crease; force chaos in front of the net.
– Kill the fancy: Too many highlight attempts. Make the simple play the loudest play.
For the forwards
– Shoot first mentality: Point-of-attack shots, rebounds, and follow-ups — prioritize volume over prettiness.
– Protect the puck: When pressured, clear or chip — don’t couture-pass out of trouble. Turnovers at the blue line kill momentum.
For the defense corps
– Box the attackers to the outside: Take the inside lanes away; steer opposing forwards to the boards and low-danger zones.
– Gap control and stick work: Stay close enough to force outside options; use active sticks to shut down inside passing lanes.
– Pinch timing and communication: Pinch only when numbers, support, and safety are assured; call out the plays so nobody is caught gambling alone.
If the Knights follow Coach Lil John — blast shots, simplify the game, and box attackers to the outside — they’ll turn noise into goals and patch the leaks in the D corps. Make every line sing the chorus: Shots. Finish it.
TS
Worthless, i like your thinking.
Jake
Cassidy on life support.
Team seems disinterested in his coaching.
Owner, president, GM have quick triggers.
Emmanuel
The Cup win will get him a LOOONG leash….l
hdbiker7851
PP – you have more BS on this site than the rest of us combined. You criticize others for posting and go on like you are Joe Hockey the hockey expert of the year – unfortunately, whether you chose to believe it or not, the more you post the less anyone bothering to read your BS believes anything you have to say. VGK has many issues you simply refuse to accept – optimism is one thing, realism is another, stupidity is something else – I am certain you’re not stupid but you’re going on and on would have people wondering.
JB
I don’t agree often with you HD, but your comment here was right on my lips. The constant many many posts tend to lead to just scrolling thru and not reading them!
Richie-Rich
It is still very early in the season. There’s issues with the bottom 6, defense and goaltending. All three can be addressed. Goaltending supposedly gets an upgrade with Cart Hart in a few weeks. The Lauzon/Sissons experiment isn’t panning out and that might be the biggest problem to solve. Lines 3 and 4 are simply not producing and opposing teams can focus on the heavy top 6.
They can still get this ship back on course. I think their confidence is a bit shaken right now with the Captain out. They simply don’t have anyone close to those skills on the roster depth wise.
At this point I might consider giving Martinez a deal to see if he will come out of retirement to steady the defense. He’s still in good shape. I’ve been hard on Theodore, and the criticism has been warranted. Too many turnovers, and too often thinks he can puck handle through multiple defenders only to get stripped. It’s not something he even thinks about, it is all instinctive to him. He simply can’t help it. It’s ingrained into his play. He’s been doing it for several years with a very low return on the investment. Can he turn it around? The fan base is hoping he does so soon!
Some Silver Knight options might be part of the answer. Bowman? Cormier?
Once again, the VGK found themselves chasing the scoreboard. It’s hard to stay comfortable when your always chasing.
Emmanuel
Hart hasnt played at the NHL level in years & are you gonna pay Hill to ride the pine?
Vic
It’s the curse of Suzuki/Thompson.
Leonard Wise
What’s really disturbing about this 6 games at home is they don’t have back to backs and plenty of practices and yet they are not heading in the right direction. I am hoping Carter Hart can provide outstanding goal tending. But the incredible lack of depth scoring is scary. They need to find answers. Saad and Smith, Shea, Scissons, and Koly with one open net goal. The dam better break or a fresh look at this team needs to be done by management.
Larry
The fresh look begins with Bowman, I have been hoping and advocating that someone needs to come up from HSK to be given a shot, a shot even if perhaps not quite ready for it.
The team is sorely in need of a spark, an infusion of a new face, a young face, if nothing else send a message to the non-performers they are expendable if not producing. ( I’m staring at you Invisible Man).
PP may be able to provide a quick glimpse into what kind of player we might be looking at tomorrow ( a human glimpse not an AI one please)
Let’s hope for a good effort from all tomorrow, and perhaps the start of righting the ship..
Pistol Pete
7-4-4 points in 11 of 15 games is not horrible plus we have games in hand across the board. Now let’s be upbeat and believe we can go on a run beginning with the Islanders, Blues, Wild, Mammoth, Ducks, Mammoth, Senators, Canadiens….Go Knights Go and that includes you Hdbiker!!!
Larry
The issue with our upcoming slate of games is this:
All of these teams are not pushovers having various amounts of talented players, younger players, faster players, and with two of our best players sidelined, and I guess I can add Hill to that list as well, every game is a playoff- worthy challenge right now.
The eye test is simply telling us that VGK is not a strong team right now, but hopefully a team that realizes it is in for a fight every night and plays like it each and every night, there can be no off-nights starting with TONIGHT!
Go Knights Go!
JB
Be careful with the eye test comment Larry or you’ll get a bunch of stats dumped on you! :)
Larry
JB duly noted lol, but that’s my ultimate litmus test.
Pistol Pete
Ken reports:
In conjunction with calling up Braeden Bowman, VGK have placed William Karlsson on IR.
IR requires a player to miss at least seven days which rules #71 out through at least Saturday, and almost certainly longer.
Pistol Pete
Let’s see what the kid can do 22 years old 6’2” 194. Had a decent first season in Henderson last year 36 pts in 68 games and is off to a rip roaring 7G/5A in 12 games 2025-26 start. Would love to see what he can do with Howden and Smith.
https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/582646/braeden-bowman
Pistol Pete
A little more DD:
Bowman has managed 48 pts in 80 AHL games (.60/game) Karlsson had 30 in 59 (.51/game). Not saying Bowman has more or less potential just a little AHL perspective is all.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Karlsson
Another HSK’er to watch is the 6’0” 198 20 year old winger/center Tuomas Uronen the Finn who is off to a 6G/2A (+3) in 9 games start.
Bowman btw is listed on the roster 6’1” 205 vs. the 6’2” 194 I posted above.
Pistol Pete
Been forgetting Rangers:
Next nine: Islanders, Blues, Wild, Rangers, Mammoth, Ducks, Mammoth, Senators, Canadiens….
Time for a streak…Go Knights Go!!!!!
FG
Wake up this morning and VGK is now 11th in the West! That may be the lowest in their franchise history.
Ken Boehlke
November 2nd, 2018: VGK were 5-7-1, in 14th (out of 15) in the Western Conference, 27th (out of 31) in the NHL. And that was by both points and points percentage.
The current team is in 5th in the West in points percentage.
There are a few other instances in which it’s been worse than this too.
23
remember, that was when Nate Schmidt got a 20 game suspension to begin the season, and he was a vital dman for them at that time.
Pistol Pete
Re: volume of PP’s posts:
Don’t want to boast but some repetition notwithstanding my work here is meant as much to inform the reader as it is to project positivity. For a number of our regular posters it first what’s wrong with how the team if doing rather than what is right and that is fair everyone is entitled to be negative first over being positive first. Just saying when one looks objectively at what I post it is meant to inform and at the risk of sticking my neck out here, some of the loyal positive-inclined fans who rarely or never here, some/many would agree and they like reading what I have say in spite of the volume. For the “be negative first” regular posters here if there was an ignore button they might use it on me and I get that just try and keep an open mind! I realize my posting volume is elevated but I try my best for the benefit of all readers to do a little due diligence along the way so please bear with me. Thank you!
TS
PP, I think we’re ALL posting more than before, primarily because the site isn’t overrun with Politics. There’s now space and the ability to focus on what we’re here for!!
Richie-Rich
I hear The hockey God is posting about hockey on Blue Sky now LOL!
TS
What’s blue sky?
Pistol Pete
Typos (eff this site needs an edit button)
some of the loyal positive-inclined fans who rarely or never POST here
JB
Just slow down Pete, that’s all man!
Pistol Pete
Those holding a dour view about this team’s chances are at odds to explain the Canes games without Stone. “Good matchup” does but cut it. How we played those games totally flies in the face of the comments we seeing right now about how weak this team is. That and how relatively close some of these losses were to being wins.
On the next article I will be sure to post the lineup
for today’s skate. Will be interesting to see for Bowman.
Larry
Granted they played very well against the Canes as well as the woeful Flames, but outside of those games there have been literally periods of very inconsistent play and downright downtrodden play, and all this can not simply be laid at the feet of our Captain missing time.
There are many other teams missing important components, it is up to management and the players themselves to overcome an injury absence and put forth the best effort they can, we know it and I’m sure they know and realize it, so with tonight’s game let’s get it started heading in the right direction.
Pistol Pete
Well said Larry well said!
Pistol Pete
Larry we get our wish. Braeden Bowman stepping up baby!
VGK lines at morning skate. Bowman in for Holtz and instantly up into the top six.
Barbashev-Eichel-Marner
Dorofeyev-Hertl-Bowman
Saad-Howden-Smith
Reinhardt-Sissons-Kolesar
McNabb-Theodore
Hanifin-Korczak
Lauzon-Whitecloud
Bowman also stepping right onto the top power play unit too, in Stone’s spot.
Bowman
Eichel-Hertl-Dorofeyev
Marner
Larry
Thanks for the kind words Pete, and for the updates, talk about holding feet to the fire, not wasting any time with Bowman!
Pistol Pete
My pleasure Larry my pleasure and likewise for yours to me. Looks like Cassidy is pretty big on Braeden Bowman sure hope it works. This could be one of those sparks we have been waiting for!
Larry
Hope the spark is the ember that is needed to light the fire under the collective butts of our VGK boys!!