The Stanley Cup playoffs are nearly upon us. It's become a religious holiday for Vegas Golden Knights fans. It's like Nevada Day or Opening Night, where Las Vegas residents gather for some hockey action.
That's no different this season, where the Golden Knights are set to make the playoffs again. Six of eight seasons with 90 or more points will make that into a routine. Let's not forget that both times Vegas got more than 100 points, they made the Stanley Cup Final. Guess who's 10 points away?
That could be a terrific sign of things to come. Vegas is a juggernaut offensively, scoring on 28.9% of their power plays (second-best in the NHL) and scoring 3.32 goals per game (sixth-best in the NHL) entering Saturday. Big names like Pavel Dorofeyev (30 goals this season), Jack Eichel (22 goals and 86 points), and Tomas Hertl (30 goals and 58 points) could bring home another Stanley Cup.
But you won't get far without finding out who your opponent is! Some look like a cakewalk while others could make fans clench their buttcheeks. Know thy enemy, dear reader.
With that, here's a look at the likeliest first-round matchups for the Golden Knights. For this, I used the Minnesota Wild (the most likely opponent) as a barometer. Teams within seven points of the Wild (less or more) are considered in this scenario. Therefore, the following teams are considered aside from Minnesota:
- Los Angeles Kings
- Edmonton Oilers
- Colorado Avalanche
- St. Louis Blues
Let's break down the teams based on how easy they could be.
5.) Minnesota Wild
Before Kirill Kaprizov went down with a lower-body injury, he scored 23 goals and 29 assists. The Russian winger was also a Hart Trophy candidate, catapulting the Minnesota Wild atop the NHL. Sadly for Minnesota, Frank Seravalli is unsure when Kaprizov's timeline to return is.
"The #mnwild don't have a timeline..."
— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) March 19, 2025
@frank_seravalli had some concerning news about Kirill Kaprizov and a potential return to the lineup this season.@JLazzy23 | @ColbyCohen36
Presented by @bet365ca #NeverOrdinary #bet365 pic.twitter.com/NW1QyQZjY2
That leaves the best goal-scorer on the Wild to be... Matt Boldy's 23 goals.
Considering Adin Hill's becoming a reliable postseason goaltender (2.09 career GAA and .932 career save percentage), that could give him a chance to feast. They must make sure to crack Filip Gustavsson (2.51 GAA and .917 save percentage), who's been great this season.
4.) Edmonton Oilers
You're wondering why the Edmonton Oilers are this low on the list. Well, it has nothing to do with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl being injured. Instead, it has to do with Stuart Skinner being unreliable.
The goaltender has a GAA of 2.85 and a save percentage of .895. However, his other stats don't inspire much confidence, either (courtesy of MoneyPuck).
Stats | Goals saved above expected | Save % above expected | GAA better than expected | Wins above replacement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Stuart Skinner | -3.0 | -0.0012 | -0.07 | -0.51 |
Combine that with a slow blue line and this matchup looks much better for the Vegas Golden Knights. Of course, getting home ice advantage helps. However, this could be a series where it favors Vegas regardless of who gets it.
3.) St. Louis Blues
This isn't likely to be a first-round matchup for the Golden Knights. However, don't discount the St. Louis Blues. Since hiring Jim Montgomery, St. Louis is 26-16-6. That's led them to roar back into the Stanley Cup playoff race, making them an unsettling first-round matchup.
A balanced scoring attack led by Jordan Kyrou (29 goals and 60 points) can give Vegas problems. That's where Eichel and company must use their playoff experience to overwhelm the Blues. Luckily, they won't have to worry about a potential matchup with St. Louis... For now.
2.) Los Angeles Kings
Going 1-3-0 against the Los Angeles Kings has some fans feeling queasy. The Kings are a mismatch for Vegas on many levels, disrupting their flow and walling them with Darcy Kuemper (2.13 GAA, second-best in the NHL).
Granted, things can drastically change during the Stanley Cup playoffs. Teams normally mismatched can be lifted by the sudden change in intangibles. But that doesn't mean home-ice advantage isn't important. Los Angeles is 24-3-4 at Crypto.com Arena this season entering Sunday. That could be the difference between a Stanley Cup and a first-round elimination. That's why fans should hope for another Kings series against the Edmonton Oilers.
1.) Colorado Avalanche
What more is there to say about the Colorado Avalanche? Nathan MacKinnon (28 goals and 105 points) is the Hart Trophy frontrunner. They also added Brock Nelson and Ryan Lindgren at the trade deadline. On top of that, they gave their goaltending a massive makeover. This would end poorly for the Golden Knights in the first round.
Luckily, the Avalanche are on a collision course with Mikko Rantanen and the Dallas Stars. That could be the marquee matchup in the first round. Thus, Golden Knights fans should look too much into this matchup.