The Golden Knights enter the 2025-26 season with a nagging memory.
We didn’t score enough. It was really hard to score against Minnesota and we got through it. Even tougher against Edmonton, and we didn’t get through it. -Bruce Cassidy
So this year, they’ve vowed to change it.
We’ve talked about offensive zone principles and how we can score more goals in the dirty areas. That was an evaluation from why our season ended last year… We’re trying to play a certain brand of hockey by creating offense inside and it’s still a work in progress this time of year. We’re not there yet, so let’s get some greasy goals and see where it leads us. -Cassidy
Through two games, the Golden Knights have just one goal of their eight that would qualify as “greasy.” After the team created a turnover, Brett Howden hopped on a loose puck and headed directly to the front of the goal. Colton Sissons occupied a defender, which allowed Howden to get all the way to the blue paint and stuff it in.
Aside from that, though, every other goal has been created differently. There are a bunch on special teams, a few dynamic plays from the top line, and a pair of unbelievably fortunate events for the last two in San Jose.
For Cassidy, it’s going to require a slight change in philosophy to guide this year’s team to becoming a more gritty offensive group.
Sometimes that goes against how I’ve coached in this league. I’ve always felt like defense gets you where you need to go but I think the offensive part of it we have to pay attention and be on it every day. We’ve always looked at it at the other end of the rink and we feel like we’re pretty solid there, we don’t want to let that slip. That would be the first page I used to turn to, now I may go to the other page and see the offensive side of it first. -Cassidy
It’ll be something to keep an eye on all season for this year’s version of the Golden Knights. Scoring goals isn’t good enough; they have to be scoring them in ways that will be replicable to what’s necessary in April, May, and June. So far, it hasn’t happened, but there are still 80 chances to figure it out.
Vic
Team not built with guys who hang out in front of the net. There are a few who do it occasionally, but it is a stretch to think he can flip a switch. The net front presence will need to come from trades or deadline pick ups. Goaltending and strong defense an immediate and growing concern.
Ty
That’s absolutely not true..Hertl Stone Eichel Karlsson and even Marner can be effective in front of the goal.
23
Need players to get in front of the net, who will screen the goalie out constantly. Then, a shot from the point by a dman has a chance to go in or create a loose rebound. Those would be greasy goals as well.
guys like Stone, Barbashev, Saad, and the 4th line guys should all be candidates. also, a guy in Henderson who could help in this aspect is Lavoie. He plays effectively down low.
knights fan in minny
Tuck isn’t that front presence guy
knights fan in minny
tuch Is a net front guy Don’t know what happened on that last comment
knights fan in minny
Getting Alex tuch Back in free agency next year would help
Sirgoomba
The attention to getting to/staying in the crease is creating a bit too many odd man rushes against a still learning to play together D core. It is most clear on the Karlsson line as you can find both 61 & 71 down there and when the D man shot get’s blocked by the 1st defender the odd man rush is on and neither of these two can get back from the low block to help. I believe this will improve over time but the D men must be more concerned with the shot/pass getting blocked.
Tim
We score 5 goals a game I’ll take it. We blew the Kings game but got a point. Scoring for me not a hockey diehard at least makes the game tolerable. Hopefully we’ll keep the scoring going or for me there’s always Netflix a click away. Hill is not the answer maybe they should sin this Hart kid.
Pistol Pete
Did anybody get to see my post my thoughts on implementing playoffs style in the regular season? It’s gone for now. Not sure why. More than 250 words? All original no pasting. Thought it wax a fair valid post. No rules broken. I welcomed the moderation. Oh well.
TS
Pp i doubt you were ” deleted”. Sometimes my comments don’t post, don’t know why.
Pistol Pete
I asked AI about applying power play principles to 5 on 5 as that was one of the ideas in my post that was deleted. I can’t copy and paste that here as I think it’s against the rules but I shared it with McCrimmon. Who knows maybe it’s worth them taking a look at it.
Pistol Pete
Besides the power play for 5 on 5 I was making the point it will take a combination of greasy and good playmaking passing to get inside and score playoffs goals. Hopefully it will work for them to just play the regular season like it’s the playoffs and develop the techniques. Easier said than done but they do have Eichel and Marner to begin with. Hopefully the less elite guys can make the most of it.
Pistol Pete
After further mulling this over I have reduced it to three categories of scoring.
1. Directly off the rush: The VGK have always been a decent score off the rush team but Eichel with Marner takes it to the next level. With practice this should translate in the playoffs.
2. Greasy in front of the net: Off the forecheck which can include clean passing plays to the slot. Rebounds on any shots. With practice and physicality it should translate to the playoffs.
3. Off the cycle: Look no further than the extended zone time game 5 vs. FLA where Smith scored to go up 3-1. This was a power play 5 on 5. Cycling will often not go this well but a lesser version will produce scoring and should with practice translate to the playoffs.
This is all easier said than done with the exception of Eichel and Marner on the rush, but you practice these routines every regular season game and play hard in front of the net. Defenses are tougher
in the playoffs but so are the same opponents in the regular season so you practice it when you play them. Play hard and direct all season long with the goal of it translating in the playoffs.
ThG
HSK
not embarrassed in home opener against playoff bound Canucks team.
https://theahl.com/ahl_videos/canucks-vs-silver-knights-oct-10-2025
ThG
Here is the call up list for D man based upon prior VGK experience (remember they used to call up Mayo and veteran AHLers) and seniority.
Davies – Megna – Coghlin (waiver exempt?)
Johansen- Hickey
Cormier-Sedoff
cholach-Kmec- Mayer
knights fan in minny
Blah blah blah blah enough
knights fan in minny
Hockey wasn’t mentioned once in your spiel are you ill
ThG
neither did yours !!
Tyler Durden
Thanks Ken for cleaning up the comments, especially the political garbage that was being posted by a certain element of posters.
I like to come to your site to see VGK news, even though I’m an LA Kings fan living in Summerlin.
I never commented until I noticed certain posters pushing their wacky political comments here that never got moderated by you.
I’m pretty sure I’ve been marked and probably this will go to moderation, but probably you’ll see this, so thanks for cleaning up the garbage.