Opening Knight is finally upon us! The first game of the 2026-27 Golden Knights season gets underway in just half an hour, and with it, the milestone tenth season of our guys in gold. The roster doesn't look a whole lot different than the one that lost the Stanley Cup Finals just a few months ago, but a few regular names have moved on, and a few new(ish) faces have joined in their place. One of those guys has to be the one to break the ice and pot VGK's first game of Season X, as well as their first since game 5 of the Finals. Who'll it be? Well, I've got some ideas.
The likely option: Mark Stone
If I absolutely have to guess that scorer, there's few better options than the Captain himself. Mark Stone is coming off one of the best seasons he's ever had, with a career-high 28 goals and 73 points despite missing 22 games with various injuries. He'll once again begin the year on a line with Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev, who he's shown extreme chemistry with since Barbashev's arrival just prior to the 2023 Stanley Cup victory. He also posted 12 points during VGK's playoff run, despite missing a few more games.
The first captain in franchise history also just signed a new two-year extension a few weeks back, keeping him with the Golden Knights for a few more years once his current deal expires. What better way to kick off year 10 than one of the most important players in team history scoring the first goal?
A defensive redemption: Rasmus Andersson
I'll be the first to admit that I historically have not been a fan of Andersson or his acquisition. He cost a large sum of assets in his trade, didn't impress for most of the regular season and playoffs, and got a hefty seven-year extension that it didn't feel like he earned here.
That said, it's a new season with a new coach, and it'll also be Andersson's first full year here. With a full training camp and preseason under his belt, one can hope he'll become what he was originally billed to be, and given his preseason deployment on the second power-play unit, he'll certainly have the chance. The first goal of the new season being a power-play blast from the much-maligned defenseman seems like a great way to begin his redemption arc this season.
A wild-card option: Marc Gatcomb
Now here's a silly pick. The 27-year-old forward signed a two-year deal with Vegas on the first day of free agency this year, likely playing in a bottom-line grinder role this season alongside Nic Dowd and Braeden Bowman. Given his career 11 goals and 16 points in 88 games with the Islanders, he was a pretty low-profile acquisition, and he projects mainly to fill the hole left by Keegan Kolesar's trade to the Detroit Red Wings in the offseason at a fraction of the cost.
All of this is to explain exactly why he'd be a fun option for that first goal. Having never been a full-timer for the Islanders, he's the exact sort of misfit in need of a chance to show what he's got that this team usually specializes in. It'd be a great sign for the depth of this team as well, given our lack of lower-line scoring this past season.
No matter who it ultimately is, hopefully it's to put VGK ahead 1-0 early against Chicago tonight. For the first time this season, go Knights go!
Add us as a preferred source on Google