It’s been a fairly eventful offseason for the Vegas Golden Knights. After getting bounced in the second round of the postseason by the Edmonton Oilers, it was evident that standing pat wasn’t an option. If the Golden Knights wanted to get back to Stanley Cup contention, they needed to make changes.
And that’s exactly what they did.
By adding Mitch Marner, the Golden Knights became a more dangerous team with no shortage of offensive weapons. And because they were able to re-sign Reilly Smith and Brandon Saad while only losing Nic Roy, they got even deeper up front.
These efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. Sara Civian ranked her Top 10 Contenders for the 2026 Stanley Cup, and the Golden Knights were among the best.
“Vegas and the front office’s trade market maneuvering are always in the mix,” wrote Civian. “Winning the Marner sweepstakes was huge for a team relying too heavily on only a few players, and he could fit in a few enticing places alongside Jack Eichel or Tomas Hertl.”
However, these Golden Knights aren’t as mighty as they once were. They eked out a series win against the Minnesota Wild, but only managed one win against the Edmonton Oilers. Civian takes note of that. She agrees that Marner is a terrific player, but wonders if he alone can save the Golden Knights.
“The Golden Knights have moved with a certain confidence and swag in the playoffs since they’ve existed as a franchise,” Civian continued. “It has gotten them places despite various roster challenges. Marner makes the team extremely enticing– especially since he adds elite scoring depth they clearly need– but that series with the Wild wasn’t as Vegas-dominant as it looked. Is one player enough to fix the even-strength scoring issue here?”
Civian ended with a slight jab at the Toronto Maple Leafs’ failures to live up to postseason expectations. She expressed her doubts about Marner’s ability to perform on a stage he hasn’t yet seen.
“We also need to remember that Marner has never qualified for the Conference Finals in his career,” Civian finished. “Which, of course, isn’t entirely his fault, but it has to raise an eyebrow as he looks to enter uncharted territory.”
Civian ultimately ranked the Golden Knights fourth, behind the Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, and Florida Panthers.
FOR MORE GOLDEN KNIGHTS NEWS AND UP-TO-DATE COVERAGE, VISIT VEGAS HOCKEY NOW AND LIKE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
FOLLOW US ON :
