Ladies and gentlemen, I have an important announcement to tell you.
It appears that Adin Hill and Akira Schmid will be your two goaltenders for the Vegas Golden Knights to start the 2025-26 season. I'm sure you're not surprised by that, considering how the roster was constructed. Still, I felt I'd pass that information along to you.
But I'm also here to tell you that the regular season is a month away. We have preseason hockey this month, meaning we're seeing who makes the cut and who doesn't. However, this year seems... different.
You see, the Golden Knights got that big fish from Toronto and angered the locals. They also made some slight modifications to their roster, adding two Nashville Predators along the way. In the process, they said goodbye to the two Nicholas's and put Alex Pietrangelo on the shelf.
Therefore, you should expect some changes heading into the 2025-26 season. But I know you have one question, dear reader.
What will the lineup look like?
Well, here are my predictions for the pairings and the forward lines. Prepare to hype yourself up for the new season, my friend! It's time to run through a brick wall!
1.) Dorofeyev-Eichel-Marner
Believe it or not, this line would shoot more than any other Golden Knights line. Dorofeyev (253 shots on goal last season) and Eichel (233 shots on goal) were the two highest shooters on the team respectively. Ironically, people will still give Eichel guff about not shooting the puck.
Marner and Eichel will be the two primary players for setting up scoring opportunities. So why not go with the player who shoots the puck the most? Sure, the Russian winger has a left-handed shot. But does that matter when you're trying to generate goals?
2.) Saad-Hertl-Barbashev
Last season, Brandon Saad and Tomas Hertl gelled perfectly for the Golden Knights. Saad was an offensive bulldog who fought for every puck, while Hertl did his dirty work in the slot. Those two should be back for "Round Two" with Vegas.
While I like the idea of Barbashev joining this line, one condition must be met. The Russian winger must shoot the puck more. Last season, he had 111 shots on goal in 70 games, which isn't enough to get the job done. You must take advantage of that career shooting percentage of 17.7, you know?
3.) Smith-Karlsson-Stone
Now, this line might be a bit slower considering all three players are older than 30. Therefore, don't be surprised if Barbashev's bumped down for more speed. However, the three Golden Knights veterans provide a solid two-way game regardless.
Plus, Smith, Karlsson, and Stone are all familiar with each other's styles. That includes special teams, where all three shine the brightest.
4.) Howden-Sissons-Kolesar
This is going to be your grind line, where all three do the little things right. Kolesar loves hitting people (1,148 career hits). Sissons wins faceoffs (career FO win percentage of 53.7%). Howden? Well, he does a little bit of everything.
Expect this line to do some heavy lifting during the regular season. Expectations will be high for the group, considering most of them are coming off career years.
First pairing: Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore
The two Misfits serve as a typical yin and yang of sorts. Theodore is more of an offensive type of player. After all, he's the franchise leader in assists (273). McNabb plays more of a defensive style by blocking shots (1,521 career blocked shots) and hitting people (1,924 career hits).
This group needs a stay-at-home defender who can clog shooting lanes and be disruptive. It also needs a complementary attacker who sets up shots and rebounds. Both Misfits fit the bill here.
Second pairing: Noah Hanifin and Zach Whitecloud
In essence, this is similar to the first pairing. You have your stay-at-home guy and your offensive weapon. However, this group is somewhat different with the differences centered around Whitecloud.
First, Whitecloud doesn't have the offensive acumen that McNabb carries as a defenseman. Second, he'll carry a heavier burden of being on the second pair. Can he handle the increased workload?
Third pairing: Jeremy Lauzon and Kaedan Korczak
As is per hockey tradition, you need your third pair to be your defensive grind pair. This group must handle the responsibility of hitting people and making solid defensive plays. They must also battle for every puck and aggresively forecheck.
Fans can expect Lauzon to punish people on the boards. However, they should also watch for Korczak as he makes his debut as a full-time player. The young blue liner likes to jump into the play and fight for every loose puck.