The Bleacher Report is busy keeping NHL fans entertained in the offseason, recently updating its Power Rankings on July 6 and following up with an engaging article on July 9 about four NHL teams destined to be worse in 2026-27.
Surprisingly, the Vegas Golden Knights appeared prominently on each list, which is quite perplexing after their recent success en route to the Stanley Cup Final and quiet free agency, re-signing a handful of key players to keep their core together.
Although two different authors, Joe Yerdon and Adam Gretz, wrote these articles, it is interesting to see how they each view Vegas differently.
Golden Knights are among the top teams in the latest Bleacher Report NHL Power Rankings
In 2025-26, the Golden Knights won the Pacific Division, swept the Presidents’ Trophy winners in the Western Conference Final, and came up short in the Stanley Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Of course, as the reigning champions, the Hurricanes came out on top in the latest NHL Power Rankings, ahead of the Colorado Avalanche and Montreal Canadiens, who all appear higher than Vegas, which came in fourth.
In Yerdon’s brief analysis, he discusses the team’s minor adjustments, such as losing Pavel Dorofeyev and adding Victor Olofsson to supplement the 37 goals Dorofeyev scored last season.
In closing, he pointed out that no one should ever count Vegas out regarding making a move, whether it's now or in the middle of the season. Considering the talent still on the free-agent market, don't be surprised if the Golden Knights tweak the lineup again.
Could Vegas be poised to take a step back in 2026-27?
In Gretz’s article, he points out that Vegas is one of the four teams to watch this season and that they have the potential to underachieve once again. Last year, the club qualified for the playoffs with 95 points, which wouldn’t have been enough for a spot in the Eastern Conference, but it was the fourth-best record in the West.
They earned their regular-season accolades under two head coaches, both NHL veterans: Bruce Cassidy and John Tortorella. But now the Golden Knights will be guided by Ryan Clark, who just earned his first NHL head coaching job.
Moreover, Gretz points out that goaltending may be one of the top question marks surrounding the team this season: whether Carter Hart can handle full-time duties or whether Adin Hill can remain the same netminder who won the Stanley Cup only a few seasons ago.
Just like Yerdon posed the question at the end of his article, saying that Vegas is always on the prowl for a big deal or can go out and acquire a missing piece to their competitive puzzle, Gretz mentions that who knows what the Golden Knights brass could have up their sleeve, whether it’s Connor Hellebuyck or Dylan Larkin.
However, his main talking point about why Vegas could regress is their age, and he’s not entirely wrong. According to Elite Prospects, the Golden Knights are the third-oldest team in the NHL at 30.05, just behind the Florida Panthers (30.33) and the Los Angeles Kings (30.67).
Don't bet against the Golden Knights just yet
Considering Vegas has only missed the Stanley Cup playoffs once in its existence, the organization has responded extremely well under every new coach it has hired.
As the reigning conference champions, the expectations in Nevada are “Stanley Cup or bust,” so with a plethora of veterans looking to reverse last year’s Finals loss, both authors have valid points in their articles.
Overall, the Golden Knights are still a team no one wants to play against night in and night out, but unlike previous years, there are plenty of questions about the lineup. Until we see how things shake out during the regular season, it might not be wise to bet all the house money on early offseason predictions.
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