Vegas Golden Knights Season Preview: New Coach, Same Expectations

The Golden Knights won the Pacific Division with 95 points and reached the Stanley Cup Final before falling to Carolina in six games. They replaced Bruce Cassidy with Ryan Craig, a first-time NHL head coach who spent the past season as an assistant in Vegas. The roster returns largely intact, with Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, and Mark Stone all back. The question is whether Craig can maintain the culture that got them within two wins of a championship.

Last season in review

Vegas finished 39-26-17 and won the Pacific by a comfortable margin. Jack Eichel led the way with 90 points, followed by Mitch Marner's 80 and Mark Stone's 73. The offense produced 265 goals, fourth in the league, while the defense allowed 250. Carter Hart appeared in just 17 games and posted an .891 save percentage in a limited sample. The Golden Knights advanced through the Western Conference playoffs before losing to the Hurricanes in the Final.

Ins and outs

The Golden Knights have made no major roster moves this offseason that can be confirmed through current reporting. nhl.com announced a coaching change, with Ryan Craig taking over as head coach after Bruce Cassidy's departure, but no trades, signings, or significant departures have been reported. The core remains in place heading into training camp.

The big question

Can Ryan Craig, who has never been an NHL head coach, keep this team at a championship level? Craig spent last season on Cassidy's staff and knows the room, but stepping into the top job after a Cup Final appearance is a different challenge. Vegas has thrived on continuity and veteran leadership. A new voice behind the bench could either energize the group or disrupt the chemistry that carried them through the spring.

X-factor

Carter Hart. He played just 17 games last season and posted a save percentage below .900. If Vegas is going to make another deep run, they need Hart to be the goalie they thought they were getting. The team can score and has enough defensive structure to limit chances, but playoff hockey demands elite goaltending. Hart's ability to stay healthy and find his form will determine how far this group can go.

Bold prediction

The Golden Knights will win the Pacific Division again and return to the Western Conference Final. Eichel, Marner, and Stone form one of the best top lines in hockey, and the supporting cast has proven it can win in May and June. Craig will lean on that veteran core and the system Cassidy left behind. They open the season at home against Chicago on September 29 and should be in the mix all year.

The outlook

Vegas remains a Stanley Cup contender. The roster that reached the Final is back, and the coaching change feels more like a promotion from within than a teardown. Eichel is in his prime, Marner is locked in, and Stone continues to be one of the league's most complete players. If Hart can give them league-average goaltending, the Golden Knights should be playing deep into the spring again.