Make what you want of the Vegas Golden Knights' play last season. But the team deserved some praise after saving its season and coming two games shy of its second Stanley Cup. While the ending was less than stellar, Vegas managed to pull off a miracle.
Still, that didn't stop Sportsnet's Ryan Dixon from giving the Golden Knights a ranking that's, well, less than stellar. In the Canadian network's first power rankings of the 2026-27 season, he placed the Golden Knights in 11th place
Sportsnet's Ryan Dixon shares his first NHL Power Rankings of the season as training camp gets underway 📊 pic.twitter.com/56JsoBg8Nd
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 17, 2026
The Colorado Avalanche top the opening rankings, followed by the Dallas Stars, the Washington Capitals, the Stanley Cup champions, the Carolina Hurricanes, and the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Golden Knights were the second-best team from the Pacific Division, with only the Edmonton Oilers finishing ahead of Vegas (ninth place).
However, there's some good news. The bottom-three teams are all from the Pacific Division (the Seattle Kraken, the Calgary Flames, and the Vancouver Canucks). Still, that doesn't explain how the Golden Knights were placed 11th in the latest rankings. Here's the story behind this curious positioning.
The reason why the Vegas Golden Knights are ranked 11th in Sportsnet's first power rankings of 2026-27
When you trade away a solid power play merchant during the offseason, you're bound to lose some scoring. The Golden Knights lost 20 power play goals in the trade with the New York Rangers, leaving a massive question of who will score goals. Will it be Jack Eichel? Mark Stone? As a result, Vegas must resolve this immediately.
Also, the goaltending wasn't excellent for Vegas. Both Carter Hart and Adin Hill dealt with injuries last season, leaving Vegas missing consistent netminding. The injuries left Hill out of a starting job. In turn, the goaltending dug holes that Vegas couldn't escape. If the Golden Knights want to climb higher, the unit must be better.
Of course, Vegas does have its bright spots for the upcoming season. They're one of the deepest NHL teams down the middle and have superstars such as Mark Stone and Mitch Marner to boot. The defenseman group is also solid at moving the puck, allowing the Golden Knights to stretch the ice.
How can the Golden Knights get a bump in the rankings?
For one, find someone who can take on the goal-scoring responsibilities. It can be a collaborative effort or one guy can do it. Regardless, find your guy to snipe and ensure that you're able to put some pucks in the net.
Also, don't hesitate to get an upgrade in net if possible. Vegas should be monitoring the Connor Hellebuyck situation closely (and they will) to see what will break. Come up with the best package possible since the incoming offers have been exceptionally weak and nail the trade.
After all, Kelly McCrimmon has never shied away from the necessary upgrades, even if it meant shuffling the current roster. That's what happened to names like Zach Whitecloud and Nicolas Hague, who've been dealt to build the current Stanley Cup contender.
Once again, the Golden Knights are being slept on. It's nothing new for the franchise, who dealt with NHL fans sleeping on the team before the Stanley Cup playoffs started last season. A little motivation didn't hurt anyone, right?
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