Golden Knights Eye Another Strong Season Opener Against Kings

If history is any indicator, the Vegas Golden Knights should have little trouble in Wednesday’s season opener at T-Mobile Arena against the Los Angeles Kings.

Strong Season Opener Record

The Golden Knights enter the 2025-26 campaign with an impressive 7-1-0 record in season openers, including a 4-1-0 mark at home. Vegas has won six consecutive openers, four of them at T-Mobile Arena, outscoring opponents 27-16 during that streak and boasting a +18 goal differential in seven season-opening victories.

“You come into the building and you feel the buzz, you feel the energy… I feel like we feed off that,” said defenseman Shea Theodore, with the Golden Knights since their inception. “It gives us that boost… It’s infectious.”

Coach’s Perspective

Head coach Bruce Cassidy views opening night as more than just a single game. “I look at opening night as a stretch of probably October, 10 games. If you can get off to a good start, it allows you a little leeway later on,” Cassidy said.

Three Key Storylines to Watch

1. Jack and Mitch

The addition of Mitch Marner has created excitement among fans and teammates alike, especially linemate Jack Eichel. Marner, coming off his first 100-point season with Toronto, brings a wealth of experience, ranking eighth in NHL points (741) and fifth in assists (520) since 2016-17.

Eichel, meanwhile, posted career highs last season with 94 points and a plus-32 rating. The duo is expected to form a dynamic partnership reminiscent of Marner’s chemistry with Auston Matthews in Toronto.

“I’m excited… There are some new faces in the room, some guys with excitement. It’s great,” Eichel said after the morning skate.

2. Blue Line Depth

Vegas’ defense faces a transitional year without Alex Pietrangelo and Nicolas Hague, who were traded to Nashville. However, the team retains experienced defenders including Theodore, Noah Hanifin, Brayden McNabb, and Zach Whitecloud, with Jeremy Lauzon joining the mix.

“Depth is the strongest asset we have,” Hanifin said. “Losing a guy like Petro hurts, but it opens doors for other guys to step up.”

3. Top of the Hill

Adin Hill returns as the No. 1 goalie after a career-high 50-game season last year. Since joining Vegas in 2022-23, Hill ranks fourth in goals-against average (2.55) among goalies with 100+ games and 10th in save percentage (.909). His performance will be crucial to Vegas’ early-season success.