Last season was one of the most bizarre campaigns for the Vegas Golden Knights. They finished with fewer wins than losses and relieved their head coach of his duties, yet they won the Pacific Division and made the Stanley Cup Final.
Part of that was from John Tortorella coming in and leading the team on an incredible run. Finishing 7-0-1 in the regular season and winning the Pacific Division wasn't enough for him. He needed to make the Stanley Cup Final and prove a point, which he did.
However, that didn't come without controversy after he cost the Golden Knights a second-round draft pick for his media shenanigans. There were also the questionable decisions made during the Stanley Cup Final, which led to him being 86'ed. In short, it was a bizarre season that ended two games shy of the second Stanley Cup.
So, why not do something different by pivoting towards a strength? Such a strength can be abused in the bumper, whether you're getting deflections or rebounds. Want to know what I'm talking about? Here's what's being referenced for the 2026-27 season for Vegas.
The Vegas Golden Knights must be aggressive on high-danger chances during the 2026-27 season
Last season, the Golden Knights ranked fourth in team high-danger chances with 718. They were eighth in team shooting percentage in the high-danger zone at 20.3%, with the Golden Knights' forward group ranking seventh (20.4%). Of course, that coincides with another eye-opening statistic: Offensive zone time.
The Golden Knights had the fourth-highest percentage of offensive zone time in 2025-26, clocking in at 42.3%. Vegas spent some time wearing down their opponents here, specifically in the third period. That partially explains why they were so efficient in the third period.
But the other aspect is abusing the high-danger chances. You have names like Tomas Hertl (113 high-danger chances, fourth-highest in the NHL) who can use this as their cheat code. Don't forget about bigger bodies like Mark Stone, who can use his size to a similar effect.
The Golden Knights must establish the attack early and often
Of course, the Golden Knights also struggled to get off to a fast start throughout the 2025-26 season. They would allow consecutive goals in numerous games, putting them in deep holes. Sometimes, they would never get out of these holes, leading to blowout losses. Other times, they'd salvage a point, yet they'd leave points on the board with overtime/shootout losses.
Therefore, the objective is simple: Establish the attack early. If you can get Tomas Hertl early, you're on easy street. Heck, if you can draw a penalty, that's even better because you're activating your cheat code quicker. Abuse the high-danger chances and you can take control of the game.
Of course, this would require a style change for the Golden Knights. They weren't the most astute at establishing the forecheck last season, which caused these deep holes. That could mean making uncomfortable adjustments, which could come to push and shove.
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