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In Short Sample, Hertl And Oloffson Steering Vegas’ Secondary Scoring

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On October 8, 2026

In Team Ops

(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)

On Tuesday night in Seattle, Vegas center Tomas Hertl had a throwback type of game. Hertl tied the game with a power play goal in the opening period, recorded a primary and a secondary assist, and scored a second time on the PP in the 3rd. Four-point nights are rare, even for Jack Eichel, who shared the same accomplishment on Tuesday (Eichel has done it 8 times in 319 games in Vegas).

Since his arrival, Vegas center Tomas Hertl has recorded 61 goals in 165 games. Hertl is averaging 0.37 goals per game in gold, a scoring rate comparable to those of former Golden Knights Jonathan Marchessault and Max Pacioretty. So far, through four games, Hertl is on pace for his best goal-per-game average in a Vegas sweater.

It’s gravy to win like that, that but it’s tough to see Olofsson going down. Hopefully it’s nothing serious, because he helped us win all three games. – Tomas Hertl

Last season, Hertl’s production was relatively disappointing. While he played all 82 games, the power play specialist averaged only .29 tallies per 60. Disappointingly, it was the 5th-best average on the team. Hertl’s annual pay suggests he underachieved in 2025-26. It looks like he took notice.

So, while Golden Knights fans shouldn’t expect many Connor McDavid-like nights from Hertl, they should anticipate more multi-goal games. Same goes for Victor Olofsson, when he returns from the injury. Last season, Hertl recorded only two multi-goal affairs. He’s halfway there with 80 games remaining.

It was a concern over the offseason how Vegas would replace the goals that they lost to Pavel Dorofeyev’s departure. Early on, Olofsson looks every bit like the fill-in goal scorer the front office signed him to be. While the two shot-first Golden Knights are sizzling hot, there will be cool-down moments. Like Hertl, Olofsson will naturally go on scoreless stretches. It won’t matter if they can combine for 60-70 goals by April.

Clearly, health will play a factor in every Golden Knight player’s production. For the plan to work, Hertl and Olofsson must be generating. Dorofeyev and Hertl combined for 61, right now, with Olofsson, the current pace is much higher. On top of that, they may have solved the quality and quantity of shots problem as well.

Hertl has already racked up 14 shots on goal in just four games. Only Shea Theodore and Mitch Marner are also in double-digits.

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Tomas Hertl Poised To Be Vegas’ X-Factor In 2026-27

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On September 26, 2026

In Team Ops

(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)

Over his career, Tomas Hertl has averaged 26 goals per season. As a Golden Knight, he’s averaging 29.5 tallies per season, more than Mitch Marner and Mark Stone, and just a touch below Jack Eichel. Last year, the 2024 deadline acquisition performed under expectations. He led the Golden Knights with a -17 plus/minus, was middle of the pack in shooting percentage, and scored 8 fewer goals than he did the previous season. Without piling on, Hert’s season was a letdown, and it got even worse early in the postseason. The middle-six center’s goals per game dropped to 0.22, and his average minutes of ice time was cut by almost four minutes.

I remember when I lost (in the Stanley Cup Final), I was obviously sad, but I thought I’d probably be back in two or three years. Over the years, you figure out how hard it is to get there. – Tomas Hertl

Hert scored just five goals in 22 playoff games, but two of them were game winners. However, six other Golden Knights scored more along their Stanley Cup Final run. Even defenseman Shea Theodore had one more postseason goal and three more shots on net. In previous years with the San Jose Sharks, Hertl landed 50+ shots on goal multiple times in the playoffs, so there’s no doubt he can take more chances. This has to be the season the 32-year-old gets back to the basics and returns to that 30+ goal scorer the NHL is used to.

If Vegas can rely on #48 this season on a much more consistent basis, then new coach Ryan Craig can presumably sleep better at night. Craig knows how difficult it is to replace a 40-goal scorer, but if Hertl can raise his total, he can almost act as VGK’s big offensive offseason splash. The Golden Knights front office traded for him in 2024 to be a difference maker. This could be the season when the trade really pays off.

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Call Me Crazy, But (Jason’s 2026-27 Picks)

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On September 24, 2026

In Team Ops

(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)

It’s not a new season without being called crazy. However, after this year’s submissions, I’m starting to believe I might be clinically insane. Here’s why. Since we began making our unlikely predictions, sadly I’ve jinxed one original Golden Knight year after year. I’m bound to curse one player on this list; let’s hope it’s not him again.

So, let’s kick it off with my first crazy 2026-27 predictions:

Call me crazy, but Tomas Hertl will be VGK’s only 30-goal scorer this season.

It’s not crazy to expect 30 goals from Hertl. He’s reached that mark three times in his career and averages 26 goals per season. The 2025-26 campaign was not Hertl’s best. Let’s be honest, last season was somewhat of a disaster for the 32-year-old Czech. It shouldn’t need saying, but I expect the club and the player to have higher expectations going into 2026-27.

11 5-on-5 goals just won’t cut it from Hertl. I still forecast 10-12 power play goals from him, possibly more with the current power play plan. However, his even-strength goals must increase. Call me crazy but Hertl will lead the Golden Knights this season with 20 EV goals and 34 tallies overall. No one else will reach 30.

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Breaking Down The Upside, And Concerns, Of Vegas’ New Power Play Look

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On September 23, 2026

In Game Analysis

(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)

Ryan Craig is rolling out a new look on the power play, and while it’s only one new player coming in, it’s going to give the unit a completely new vibe.

With Pavel Dorofeyev no longer in the picture, the like-for-like swap would have been to put Victor Olofsson in the shooter spot while keeping everything else the same. After all, the power play has been dynamite for the last two seasons, hitting at 26.2%, the second best rate in the NHL. And Olofsson was actually a part of it as Bruce Cassidy’s first choice to open the 24-25 season.

Instead, Craig is trying something different. Shea Theodore is replacing Dorofeyev on the top unit, but Mitch Marner will occupy Pavel’s spot in the circle opposite Jack Eichel. It seems like a small change, but it completely revamps the entire plan of attack for Vegas’ top power play unit.

VGK Top PP Unit
Stone
Eichel-Hertl-Marner
Theodore

There is plenty to like about the adjustment. There is also plenty that could go wrong.

Marner’s creativity

One of the VGK power play’s biggest issues in recent seasons has been its tendency to stagnate when the puck reaches Eichel. It felt like the only way for the unit to create something dangerous was for Eichel to take the lead. With Marner now operating on the other side, that’s no longer the case. The puck can start on either side of the ice in the hands of one of the world’s most creative players. Eichel’s main options remain to Mark Stone or Tomas Hertl, but the risky option of sending the puck all the way across to Dorofeyev has been replaced with a simpler drop-off pass to Theodore in the high slot. On the other side, Marner can find Stone on the back door, Hertl in the bumper, or Eichel on the far side.

Interchange opportunities

When the unit consisted of five forwards, Marner was essentially stapled to the blue line. Because he’s by far the most reliable of the group to get back and kill a shorthanded opportunity, he didn’t really have the freedom to move around and create new looks either on or off of the puck. With Theodore in the mix, Marner will have more freedom to try and find soft spots in the opposing kill by shifting his positioning. And, because Theodore is a left-hand shot, if he and Marner end up swapping places, Eichel regains the option to zip the puck through the seam for a one-timer.

Stone becomes more of a goal threat

Mark Stone is somewhat of a wizard with the puck underneath the goal line on the power play. The number of times he found ways to beat defending sticks to get the puck to either Hertl or across to Dorofeyev is astounding. In the new setup, especially when the puck is on Marner’s stick, Stone is much more likely to operate above the goal line as a backboard either for a tip, pass, or shot pass. Before, Stone’s only real chance to score goals was on the classic jam play or collecting rebounds. Now, he’ll be able to use his incredible hands to finish off plays that are actually designed for him. He suddenly becomes the most dangerous option on the ice, which could open up a few more lanes to pass the puck to Hertl in the bumper.

 

These added layers should bring more versatility to a unit that occasionally went stale. However, they also take away some of the elements that made it one of the NHL’s best power-play units.

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Call Me Crazy, But (Ken’s 2026-27 Picks)

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On September 21, 2026

In Team Ops

(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)

It’s prediction season again! We’re back with our favorite and boldest style of predictions: Call Me Crazy, But.

These are our wildest, most unlikely predictions that we truly believe will come true. This year, I’ll go first, followed by Jason, and then we’ll share a bunch of yours from the comments, social media, and Discord.

Call me crazy, but for the first time in franchise history, the Golden Knights will overcome a four-goal deficit to win a game.

Over the last few seasons, the Golden Knights have been one of the league’s better comeback teams. Last year, they went on to win 21 different games in which they trailed at some point. That number would have been much higher if they had won a few more games in OT or shootout too. I don’t expect as much falling behind this year, but the mentality they bring to dig out of the holes when they find themselves in them isn’t going to change.

In nine years, they’ve never overcome a four-goal deficit, even to earn a point. That will change this season as they’ll not only come back to tie the game, but they’ll win it in overtime. Have a feeling it’ll be on the road, but it would be a lot more fun if it happened in Vegas.

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Eichel Tests Jersey Number Knowledge, Best And Worst NHL Numbers

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On August 15, 2026

In Team Ops

(Photo Credit: NHL.com)

It’s time for more lighthearted content. This time NHL stars discuss the best and worst jersey numbers in the league, and of course, Jack Eichel and Tomas Hertl were participants. So, let’s start. Here are Eichel and Hertl’s favorite and least favorite hockey numbers across the NHL. As usual, popular numbers like 4, 7, 16, 19, and 91 are always ranked high. However, VGK star winger Mitch Marner forfeited #16 for a double-digit number that hadn’t been worn in team history. Now, you can spot Marner’s #93 on hundreds of fan jerseys across the valley.

Excluding #15 and #9, which numbers are Eichel’s favorite?

I really like 11. I wore it at the national program as a kid for a little bit. I think it looks nice. -Jack Eichel to NHL.com

In his career, the Golden Knights top center has worn two numbers since becoming a professional. He rocked #15 for his first three seasons in Buffalo but transitioned to #9 after teammate Evander Kane was no longer a Sabre. Since 2018, Eichel wore #9 in Buffalo for 166 games. He’s donned the same for 315 contests with Vegas and notably won a Stanley Cup in #9. By all accounts, the 11-year veteran is on pace to have his number retired and displayed on T-Mobile Arena’s rafters someday.

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Hertl, Stone And Other NHL’ers Admit Who Would Make Them Starstruck

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On August 8, 2026

In Team Ops

(Photo Credit: NHL.com)

Professional hockey players are no different than us. Although they are highly paid athletes, NHL’ers still admire and enjoy following the careers of others. For instance, VGK captain Mark Stone is an avid golfer and follows the PGA very closely. So, it’s no surprise as to which celebrity Stone admitted to being starstruck by.

Tiger Woods. I’ve idolized him since I was ten years old. He’s always been bigger than life for me. –Mark Stone to NHL.com

Vegas fans have heard countless stories about Stone’s passion for the links. Annually, he’s one of the Golden Knights’ best golfers, and to no surprise, he’s likely the most intense over 18 holes. Heck, in 2023 Stone took the Stanley Cup for a round of golf in Montana. The unrestricted free agent played 18 with fellow Stanley Cup champions Jonathan Marchessault, Brayden McNabb and Chandler Stepehenson. In the past, Stone declared Stephenson as one of the best golfers across the NHL. Stephenson didn’t disagree. The former Golden Knight went on to follow his words up with a hole in one in 2025.

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