It's always good to be atop the Pacific Division. The Vegas Golden Knights know the feeling, especially after they have 28 points and a record of 13-6-2. As the old saying goes, "It's good to be the king."
The vibes are good and everyone is happy, even after a noteworthy summer of absences and players leaving. Players like William Karlsson have returned, giving the Golden Knights some juice. Of course, there are Hart Memorial Trophy candidates such as Jack Eichel (seven goals, 32 points) who are forging their names into the history books.
But you can't go through an entire season without having some adversaries. What fun would it be if there wasn't anybody to oppose you? These rivals wouldn't be able to motivate you to do your best or go above and beyond. That's what makes life fun and the spirit of competition interesting.
So let's look at who the biggest rivals for the Golden Knights are. They shall be ranked by teams that don't matter and those that (currently) do. That means saying, "sayonara" to teams like the San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, and Seattle Kraken. Sorry, but you don't matter in the grand scheme of things.
With that, let's rank the legitimate rivals and how they'll pose a problem to the Golden Knights in 2024-25. Some will be recognized by fans from previous matchups. That includes the Edmonton Oilers, who've been a thorn in the Golden Knights's side for years. Others will be new and unusual. Here's who Vegas hockey fans should watch for as the year progresses.
4.) Vancouver Canucks
Currently, the Vancouver Canucks are on the outside looking in for a playoff spot. They have 23 points, one behind the Edmonton Oilers. However, they're still rocking the same offensive groups led by Quinn Hughes (19 points) and Elias Pettersson (six goals, 15 points).
They're also 7-1-0 on the road this season, making them a challenging team to play against in your arena. If the Canucks can figure everything out at Rogers Arena, they'll be a formidable team that could cause problems in the Pacific Division. Being a physical team (542 team hits, seventh in the NHL) certainly helps.