Golden Knights Gear Up for Intense 18-Game Stretch in Pacific Division Playoff Race

Golden Knights Prepare for Crucial Stretch

The Vegas Golden Knights entered the Olympic break with a four-point lead in the Pacific Division, aware of the challenging schedule that awaits them. Starting Wednesday night in Los Angeles, they will face 18 games over the next 35 days that will significantly influence their playoff prospects.

“It’s a lot of hockey coming up and it’s important hockey,” said forward Tomas Hertl, who represented Czechia in the Olympics. “Everybody’s fighting for the playoffs. You have to be ready because the games will come really fast, and you have to find a way to take care of your body because it’s already a long season for some of us.”

Coaching and Player Updates

Head coach Bruce Cassidy, recently back from Milan where he served as an assistant for Team Canada, will guide a team that had eight players participate in the Olympics. Notably, five of those players reached the gold medal game, where the United States triumphed over Canada 2-1 in overtime.

Three Canadian Olympians — Mitch Marner, Mark Stone, and Shea Theodore — were absent from practice on Tuesday but could return for the game against the Kings. Meanwhile, Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin celebrated the U.S. victory at the White House and the State of the Union and are not expected to play until Friday’s game against the Capitals.

“Having a break could help us short term and long term,” Cassidy explained. “What I mean short term is they get to recover. It could hurt your roster tomorrow night. You’re taking five world-class players out, but if you look at the big picture, that’s something we are considering to give them time to decompress and then get back to work.”

Injury Updates and Goaltending Plans

Cassidy will welcome back some reinforcements, including defenseman Brayden McNabb (upper body) and forwards Brandon Saad (undisclosed) and Colton Sissons (upper body), who have been activated off injured reserve. Other players like centers William Karlsson (lower body) and Brett Howden (lower body), forward Jonas Rondbjerg (undisclosed), and goalie Carter Hart (lower body) remain uncertain for their return.

The coach noted that the break likely benefited the entire team except for goalie Adin Hill, who ended the break with a strong 32-save performance in a 4-1 victory over the Kings. This came after a rough stretch where he allowed 17 goals over four games.

“He probably wanted to get right back in the net,” Cassidy said. Hill is expected to share goaltending duties with Akira Schmid, who returns after competing for Switzerland. “I’ll play as many as they want me to play and I’ll be ready to go,” Hill stated. “I’m just looking for some wins.”

Looking Ahead

The Golden Knights finished their last stretch with two crucial victories, recovering from a difficult period where they lost seven of eight games. This has allowed them to maintain a lead over their divisional rivals.

With high expectations, the Golden Knights hold the fourth-best odds to win the Stanley Cup at 9-1 according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Anything less than a deep playoff run would be viewed as a disappointment for a team that has claimed the Pacific Division title four times in eight seasons.

As the NHL resumes play, it feels reminiscent of October for the Golden Knights. “It’s a pretty long break,” Saad remarked. “It’s a good mental reset finishing the last five or six weeks of the season. It feels a little different, but also you get excited to finish off the year strong and get to the playoffs.”

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.