Sometimes, things don't go as planned. You're hoping to land a big promotion that goes to the other co-worker. You might've expected to hit up the Vegas Golden Knights game, only for your car to break down.
Life can be rough, eh?
Heck, that example could also apply to the Golden Knights lineup itself. Last season, Brendan Brisson had high expectations of being a lineup regular. A mediocre preseason later, he was bumped off the card and demoted to the Henderson Silver Knights. Not long after, he was used to bring Reilly Smith back to Las Vegas.
That might apply to the Golden Knights for the upcoming season, too. You might have a prospect or two that, well, shakes things up in the lineup. The inverse is also true, where a player could pull a Brisson and fall completely out of favor.
Yep, that was the former first-round pick last season.
But let's get serious here and examine the positional groups. Which groups are good and which ones could be shaken up? With preseason around the corner, it's time to look at the potential weak links (no sausage included).
Vegas Golden Knights forwards
This group should be set heading into the 2025-26 season. You got your big fish to accompany Jack Eichel and should have stable scoring on all four lines.
But where will the pieces fit? Who will go where in the grand scheme of things? For predictions, check out the article here.
Defensemen
Kelly McCrimmon had some telling comments about who could fit into the defensive pairings this season. He told The Athletic how he was high (not like the weed) on Ben Hutton and his talents.
"On our blue line, we look for Kaedan Korczak to become an everyday player. I think Ben Hutton has a lot more to give than people realize. We think he’s a good player. And we’ve got some really good players above those guys."Kelly McCrimmon to The Athletic
Obviously, this is a reference to the third line because of Korczak's name being brought up. As mentioned by SinBin.vegas, that could mean that Jeremy Lauzon could get the bump down to the press box.
This would be the perfect opportunity for Hutton, too. He never got a real chance on the Golden Knights roster, being relegated to the role of the seventh defenseman. Can he finally break through and get a regular role for once? Stay tuned, dear reader!
Goalies
Rumor has it that Carter Hart has grabbed the Golden Knights attention. The controversial netminder has a career GAA of 2.94 and a save percentage of .906. It comes from some outlets expressing concern over Akira Schmid's viability heading into the 2025-26 season.
But is it worth picking up a goaltender who hasn't been in the league since the 2023-24 season? Fans can't forget that having a stable routine keeps you fresh during your NHL career. The fallout from the SA scandal with Hockey Canada could show some rust that hinders him. Plus, do you need a distraction on the team this season?
If McCrimmon didn't want to go that route, he could always see which netminders from the farm system would be viable. But that's less likely, considering they still need more seasoning in the minors.