How far will the Vegas Golden Knights go in 2024-25?

Last season was supposed to be the year the Vegas Golden Knights repeated as Stanley Cup champions. They had a world-class lineup that addressed numerous positions, ranging from the blue line to the wing. Even the power play was supposed to get a facelift, which it did.

Now, they had stars like Jack Eichel and Mark Stone with Noah Hanifin and Tomas Hertl, making them more potent. Vegas scored seven power play goals in 15 attempts in their last six regular season games (46.7%). If the power play's working well, that should warrant another title, right?

Sadly, Pete DeBoer and the Dallas Stars had other plans, finishing Vegas in the first round in seven games. The dream was over, players left American Airlines Center with their heads hung low, and Vegas hockey was done for the season. Uncertainty filled the air, with fans wondering about many mysteries with the Golden Knights.

What would happen with Jonathan Marchessault?

Who else will they bring in?

The bad news was the Golden Knights and Marchessault didn't strike a deal, leaving him to go to Nashville. This didn't sit well with the fanbase, who fell in love with the "Golden Misfit." After all, he's the franchise leader in almost every statistic, ranging from goals (192) to assists (225).

So what's a hockey team to do? How can they recover from being eliminated in the first round of last season's Stanley Cup playoffs? Life will be tougher with premier teams such as the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks fighting for Pacific Division supremacy. Therefore, Vegas will have their work count out to win the Stanley Cup back. Here's a look at the team's strengths and weaknesses and how far they'll go.

Strengths of the Vegas Golden Knights

If there's one thing that makes the Vegas Golden Knights special, it's their defensive setup. Bruce Cassidy has blue-liners set up to do everything, from bolstering the power play (i.e. Shea Theodore and Noah Hanifin) to blocking shots and strengthening the forecheck (i.e. Alex Pietrangelo and Brayden McNabb). The unit knows how to make life easier for their goaltenders.

How? That starts with taking away the opponent's shooting lanes. Vegas goes to great lengths to ensure their players are involved in every play, playing a 200-ft. game. But it isn't just the defensemen. Take last season's game on St. Patrick's Day as a perfect example.

Each player sticks to their vicinity, scoping out the puck at every turn. One example comes from the first period, where William Karlsson got ahold of a short-handed breakaway. That doesn't happen without Brett Howden successfully exiting the puck. When the Golden Knights are on point defensively and honed in, they're tough to beat.

Weaknesses of the Vegas Golden Knights

The Vegas Golden Knights will miss Jonathan Marchessault's contributions. It's difficult to replace 42 goals from the season before, especially with Victor Olofsson entering the fold. Last season, the winger scored seven goals and eight assists in 51 games. That was a down year for the former Buffalo Sabre, who won't replace Marchessault's production.

Granted, superstars such as Mark Stone and Jack Eichel carry the load. However, injuries have hurt the team in recent years. Fans saw what happened when similar players were out of commission. One example was a stretch between February 11, 2024, and March 7, 2024, where the Golden Knights went 2-8-1. Without Eichel, the offense had no bite, lagging with AHL-level players.

Kelly McCrimmon and Vegas will bank on younger stars such as Pavel Dorofeyev (13 goals in 47 games) to take the next step. It's easy to see why they're trusting them, for they carry promising offensive potential. However, scoring depth, specifically on the wing, will be viewed under a microscope this season.

How far will they go?

The good news for the Golden Knights is they're in a weak division. Aside from the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers, there isn't much bite to the Pacific Division. The Los Angeles Kings also lack scoring depth and will be on the playoff cusp this season. The rest of their divisional rivals are young, rebuilding teams.

Take your pick amongst the other regrouping franchises. The Seattle Kraken have a new head coach and are figuring things out. The Calgary Flames had a fire sale in the past year, indicating they're rebuilding from the ground up. As for the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks, it looks like another long year ahead. Therefore, the Vegas Golden Knights should be in position to make the Stanley Cup playoffs again.

The problem is Vancouver has arrived and Edmonton is still there. The Canucks have an array of goal-scorers and playmakers, ranging from Norris Trophy winner Quinn Hughes (92 points last season) to J.T. Miller (37 goals, 103 points). As for Edmonton, well, there's a reason why they were a game from hoisting the Stanley Cup. They have the best hockey duo in the world in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

Therefore, it's safe to say the team's current ceiling is being eliminated in the second round. It's more likely they'll exit in the first round, considering both adversaries look better on paper. However, Vegas will have a hard time navigating through a more challenging Western Conference next season unless a big move's made.