The Vegas Golden Knights are the reigning Pacific Division and Western Conference champions, with a lot on the line in 2026-27 to prove last season was no fluke. This team's core is built to contend for the Stanley Cup and is eager to put to rest the doubts that crept up in the '26 Final that they couldn't get the job done. As many teams around the league made big splashes with blockbuster trades and monster signings, the Golden Knights just stayed the course and made a few adjustments, but nothing compared to other teams like the San Jose Sharks or Toronto Maple Leafs, to name a few.
As always, Vegas will begin the season with a big target on its back, something not uncommon for a team that is entering its 10th season and has already been to the Stanley Cup Final three times. Because of their successes, they’ve built up some intense rivalries within the Pacific Division, with each of their opponents trying to close the gap on Vegas. Despite the changes within the division, one team remains Vegas’ biggest threat to the crown and to another Final.
Which Pacific Division team poses the biggest threat to the Golden Knights?
There’s an argument to be made that the Anaheim Ducks are an up-and-coming team that faced the Golden Knights in the second round of last year’s playoffs, and that these Southern California rivals will only be better this year. Meanwhile, there’s probably a group of Los Angeles Kings supporters who think that with a new coach, their club can finally have the right plan to defeat Vegas. However, the Edmonton Oilers remain the biggest threat going into the 2026-27 season.
Much like the Golden Knights, the Oilers have backed themselves into a corner and must win the Stanley Cup now or risk losing one of the game’s all-time greats in Connor McDavid. Of course, in Edmonton, everyone believes he’ll never leave and will continue to model Sidney Crosby by taking hometown discounts to build a championship team around him. Yet, McDavid is already teamed with Leon Draisaitl, one of the game’s very best. So the Oilers don’t lack the star power to compete with the Golden Knights; they lack elite defense and goaltending to stop opponents from running up the score and forcing the two-headed monster to produce even more.
After dealing away goalie Stuart Skinner, the same one who led the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances, the Oilers ran with Calvin Pickard and Tristan Jarry last year. They almost won the Pacific Division until the Golden Knights dashed their hopes in the final weeks. In the offseason, Edmonton let Pickard go, despite being their best goalie, and brought in Devon Levi and recent Stanley Cup champion Frederik Andersen, hoping the trio can bring them another Stanley Cup, their first since 1990.
Despite the changes, including trading away Darnell Nurse, the Oilers have a weak forward group outside of McDavid and Draisaitl, who will once again score over 200 points together and be the reason the team wins or loses night after night. Just like the Golden Knights, Edmonton has to keep an eye out for other teams in the Pacific, looking to dethrone them as the top teams for the better part of the decade.
Inside the Numbers: Golden Knights and Oilers rivalry
In 30 meetings, the Golden Knights have earned a 12-14-4 record against the Oilers, with the teams splitting the two playoff meetings they’ve had. Last year, Vegas edged Edmonton by two points for the division crown, finishing nine points ahead of them in 2024-25. The closest these two franchises came in the standings was in 2022-23, with the Golden Knights winning the Pacific by two points over the Oilers. Before the realigned COVID season of 2020-21, these two finished atop the standings in 2019-20, with Vegas pulling out a divisional win by three points. Overall, since joining the NHL in 2017-18, Edmonton has led the Golden Knights in the standings only twice, finishing ahead in 2021-22 and 2023-24.
The schedule always has big matchups. Still, Vegas fans always circle the games with the Oilers, not only to see McDavid battle Jack Eichel or Mitch Marner, but also because these two are among the very best clubs in the entire league and always entertain the fans. Outside the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars, the Oilers and Golden Knights are among the Western Conference’s top contenders, making these northern rivals the top threat in the Pacific Division.
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