Entering Thursday's game against the New York Islanders, the Vegas Golden Knights found themselves in sixth place in the Pacific Division. Sixth place! They had 18 points and a record of 7-4-4, putting them in an unusual place. Could this be the future for the Golden Knights?
However, there are a few things that are in the Golden Knights's favor. One, they have one of the most talented rosters in the NHL. Mitch Marner (19 points entering Thursday) and Jack Eichel (22 points entering Thursday) have been as good as advertised, winning games for the Golden Knights.
You also have a head coach with a winning pedigree in Bruce Cassidy. He's already won a Stanley Cup with Vegas and made another Stanley Cup Final appearance with the Boston Bruins. While he's not the most pleasant personality to be around, he knows how to win. Sometimes, that's all you can ask for from a guy.
Finally, they have a winnable road stretch. Both the St. Louis Blues (15 points) and the Minnesota Wild (18 points) were out of playoff contention before Thursday's slate, leaving them looking ahead to the future. Why not pick apart these two teams so the Golden Knights can get back on the winning track?
How the Vegas Golden Knights can seize the upcoming brief road trip against the St. Louis Blues and the Minnesota Wild
It's been previously mentioned, yet it bears repeating. Both the Wild and the Blues have mediocre penalty kills. The Wild (28th in the NHL at 72.5%) and the Blues (29th in the NHL at 70.5%) haven't been great at successfully exiting the defensive zone, leaving opposing teams to pick apart the bones.
While the Golden Knights have seen their power play drop to 12th, the two-game swing offers the perfect opportunity for the unit to get it together. Sure, the unit had two goals in the last 16 attempts prior to Thursday's game against the Islanders. However, you have noteworthy pieces.
What about Tomas Hertl stepping in front of the net? What about Pavel Dorofeyev blasting shots from anywhere? Heck, you can make the case that Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner should be set to go off.
The same goes for Braeden Bowman, who recently got the call-up. Could he be what the doctor ordered for the offensive structure? Stay tuned, because the upcoming road trip should be interesting.
It's no secret that the Golden Knights haven't had the best start to the 2025-26 season. They've been dysfunctional in every sense, leaving fans wondering if this is it for the team. A solid two-game swing can restore faith in the fanbase, leaving them feeling like Stanley Cup champions again. All you have to do is make like Nintendo and "Play With Power!"