Why the Vegas Golden Knights Shouldn't Panic... Yet

3. Vegas's Pacific Division Opponents Are Beatable

Last season, everyone thought the Edmonton Oilers were destined for the Stanley Cup. Why, with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the sky's the limit, right? Wrong, which was proven by the Vegas Golden Knights.

By dominating on even strength and exploiting Edmonton's top-heavy build, the Knights sent the Oilers packing, en route to their first Stanley Cup. Vegas brings the same team back, sans Reilly Smith, which means they should have an advantage going into that matchup.

Vegas also took care of arguably their biggest threat, the Los Angeles Kings, this season. They took the season series, 2-1, giving themselves a leg up in the standings. The Kraken and Vancouver Canucks are also younger teams, so they won't have the playoff experience that the Golden Knights possess.

When it comes to the Pacific Division, the Knights still look like the gold standard. While the Kings and Oilers will make matters interesting come the home stretch of the season, the Golden Knights can still beat them.

Last season, Vegas started their turnaround on February 7, 2023 against Nashville. After this year's All-Star Break, the Knights will play at home against the Oilers on February 6, 2024. If there's still a slump going on a week after, then it might be time to embrace our inner "Chicken Little" and say the sky is falling.

(Stats provided by hockey-reference.com)