Alright, let's pretend I'm the doctor for the Vegas Golden Knights fanbase. I know you've been feeling downtrodden because the Golden Knights have been losing lately. So, I have a little gift to cheer you up, my friend.
But in all seriousness, 7-4-4 isn't an ideal start. Golden Knights fans are used to seeing 13-2-0 starts and 11-0-1 starts in Las Vegas. However, this time's... different.
Yeah, I know. "But we got Mitch Marner!"
It feels like the boys don't care about the game as much. They're 2-4-2 in their last eight games entering Tuesday and are hanging in the balance of missing the playoffs. Sure, they might have the second spot in the Pacific Division. But will that spot last with the Golden Knights struggling to make any headway?
So let's get on the operating table and start diagnosing some problems. We're going to need extra anesthesia because we're dealing with a heavyweight here. That means extra squirming and kicking from the big boy.
With that, we're looking at three things the Golden Knights must fix. That way, they can play to their potential and be the Stanley Cup contender that everyone expects. It's time for an emergency surgery because this Golden Knights team desperately needs it.
1.) Shoot the puck more
The top two teams in team shots happen to be Colorado (543) and Carolina (501). What do these two teams have in common? They're both atop the points standings. For the Golden Knights, they aren't doing this enough.
Yes, this goes beyond just the power play. Instead of looking like the Simpsons version of a soccer game, the Golden Knights must start taking more shots altogether. Ironically, Jack Eichel leads the Golden Knights here with 63 shots on goal.
Entering Tuesday's slate of games, the Golden Knights ranked 20th in team shots with 445. Noteworthy names like Pavel Dorofeyev (44) and Tomas Hertl (41) were lagging in the shots department, leaving Vegas deprived of potential goals. Let's get #DontGetCuteJustShoot trending for the Golden Knights and ask them to shoot more, eh?
2.) Secondary scoring is a must for the Golden Knights
I've mentioned this countless times before, yet it bears repeating. The Vegas Golden Knights can't just rely on their top guys to score. You can only count on Pavel Dorofeyev (10 goals), Mitch Marner (19 points), and Jack Eichel (22 points) so much before the scoring dries up.
That means we must see more from the lower lines in the upcoming months. Will that come from Reilly Smith (one goal and one assist)? What about Brandon Saad (two assists)? Whoever it is must quickly take the reins and supercharge the lower units like William Karlsson did (four goals and three assists).
3.) Better second periods are a must
The last three games have seen the Golden Knights allow five goals in the second period. How many did Vegas score in that span? None.
That's right. Nothing. The Golden Knights have completely fallen apart like a damp taco, leaving them to play from behind. That must change if Vegas is serious about winning the Stanley Cup.
That means playing a complete 60 minutes in every game. Yes, I know it sounds cliche. However, there have been few games in 2025-26 where Vegas have done this. Let's change that for good, shall we?