Vegas Golden Knights fans have felt like they've gotten a lump of coal in their stockings this season. The weird start has been compounded with overtime loss after overtime loss, along with devastating injuries to players like Jack Eichel and Shea Theodore. Certainly, that trend should continue towards the end of the season, right? Certainly, you should blame the Grinch for all of this.
Well, here's the thing. The Golden Knights have some good news on the homefront. Aside from names like William Karlsson and Adin Hill aiming to return around late January and February, Vegas actually has an unexpected Christmas gift: an easy schedule. In fact, it's the easiest in the NHL, according to Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic.
Strength of schedule pic.twitter.com/fJdoSTiGeE
— dom 📈 (@domluszczyszyn) December 24, 2025
The point total of all future Golden Knights opponents sits at 89.3, with the projected net rating sitting at -6.8. The projected net rating is the lowest in the NHL, with the Detroit Red Wings having the highest net rating (11.3). In fact, five Eastern Conference teams constitute the five highest net ratings, with four coming from the Atlantic Division.
Meanwhile, three Pacific Division teams make up the bottom five in this regard, with the Anaheim Ducks (-4.5) and the Edmonton Oilers (-6.2) joining the Golden Knights at the bottom. That should point towards an uptrend for a Golden Knights squad in a particularly weird position, right?
Why the strength of schedule after the Christmas Break matters for the Vegas Golden Knights
Of course, there are some objections to this stat, starting with the dreaded month of January. I know! January. The month where New Year's resolutions are supposed to be made, only to be broken weeks later.
Historically, the month hasn't been too kind to the Golden Knights. Vegas has an all-time record of 43-34-13 in the first month, leaving fans reacting like this.
Add all the injuries to the dogpile and things get more complicated. However, there's good reason to believe that things will get better. When looking at the schedule, you see games against weakened teams, including the Seattle Kraken (three times), the Buffalo Sabres (twice), and the Toronto Maple Leafs (twice). Of course, that's just naming a few mediocre teams that Vegas will face.
That should make for a recipe for easy wins, specifically in March or April. The last eight games of the season only have two contests against teams currently in playoff position (at the Edmonton Oilers on April 4 and at the Colorado Avalanche on April 11). The rest? Cupcake city with a chance of a late surge.
The Golden Knights' April successes should inspire fans for brighter days
The Golden Knights have a lifetime record of 33-16-9 in April. They've had a penchant for turning it up in crunch time, making them a tough out in the Stanley Cup playoffs. That's compounded by an all-time record of 69-34-8 in March, adding more fuel to the fire.
As mentioned, things might look as bleak as the Las Vegas economy right now. But there's reason to believe that Vegas can go off on a long run in the later months. The team's history, combined with a lighter schedule, will make life easier for everyone in Las Vegas.
Who knows? Maybe Santa has a bigger gift coming in late June. That could be waiting on the ice for the Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena, where fans will pop off for the most festive time in triple-digit weather.
'Tis the season to go on a massive run and win it all, right?