The Vegas Golden Knights are getting ready to begin their tenth season of NHL hockey, and honestly, it is kind of crazy to think that it has already been ten years. It feels like just yesterday that the Golden Knights were preparing for their inaugural season, and now the franchise is entering its second decade of NHL hockey. The 2026-27 season is shaping up to be another memorable one for the Golden Knights. Vegas will play an 84-game regular-season schedule, making this the first 84-game season in franchise history. The regular season begins on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, and will conclude on Saturday, April 10, 2027, when the Golden Knights host the Los Angeles Kings. There is plenty for Vegas fans to be excited about before the puck even drops. The Golden Knights will celebrate their tenth season throughout the year, and there will be plenty of “Season-X” merchandise and branding surrounding the anniversary. Vegas will also introduce new looks during the season, including the Hometown Remix jersey and the team’s NHL Stadium Series jersey. Then there is the biggest event of them all: the Golden Knights are headed to the 2027 NHL Stadium Series. Between the tenth-season celebrations, new jerseys, special merchandise, an 84-game schedule, and an outdoor game in a massive NFL stadium, there is a lot happening around the Golden Knights both on and off the ice. For a franchise that has already accomplished so much in its first nine seasons, year ten has the potential to add another major chapter to the story.
Before looking ahead, it is worth looking back at what the Golden Knights accomplished during the 2025-26 season. Vegas finished the regular season with a 39-26-17 record and 95 points. The Golden Knights scored 265 goals while allowing 250 goals. They finished the regular season on top of the NHL Western Conference Pacific Division and finished fourth overall in the Western Conference. Overall, Vegas finished 13th in the NHL. The regular season also came with plenty of drama. Late in the season, the Golden Knights made a major coaching change, with Bruce Cassidy out and John Tortorella coming in. That change added another layer of intrigue heading into the playoffs. Once the postseason began, however, the Golden Knights went on an impressive run. Vegas defeated the Utah Mammoth 4-2 in the first round. The Golden Knights then defeated the Anaheim Ducks 4-2 in the second round before sweeping the Colorado Avalanche 4-0 in the Western Conference Final. That sent Vegas back to the Stanley Cup Final, where the Golden Knights faced the Carolina Hurricanes. Vegas ultimately lost the Stanley Cup Final 4-2. It was a season filled with drama, changes, expectations, and postseason success. The Golden Knights came within one series of winning another Stanley Cup, and that naturally raises the expectations entering 2026-27.
There is no way around it: expectations are high for the Golden Knights. For many Vegas fans, simply making the playoffs is not enough anymore. The franchise has established a culture where the expectation is to compete for the Stanley Cup, and after reaching the Stanley Cup Final last season, those expectations are even higher. If Vegas does not reach the Stanley Cup Final this season, there will undoubtedly be fans who view the season as a disappointment. At the same time, the tenth season should be about more than just the final result. The Golden Knights have already accomplished an incredible amount since entering the NHL. They reached the Stanley Cup Final during their inaugural season, eventually won the Stanley Cup, established themselves as one of the NHL’s most recognizable franchises, and have consistently put themselves in a position to compete. Even when Vegas missed the playoffs in 2022, the Golden Knights still finished with 94 points. Last season, they won the Pacific Division with just one more point, finishing with 95. That is one of the interesting things about the Golden Knights. There really has not been a traditional “bad season” in Vegas. The standard has been remarkably high from the beginning. That makes the 2026-27 season especially interesting. Vegas is entering its tenth season with a roster built to compete, a new head coach behind the bench, and a franchise that has already experienced just about everything an NHL team can experience. There is a lot to celebrate. There is also a lot left to accomplish.
One of the biggest storylines entering the season will be the coaching change. Ryan Craig joins the Golden Knights behind the bench after serving as the head coach of the Henderson Silver Knights last season. Craig has been part of the Golden Knights organization since 2017, giving him extensive experience within the franchise. Before becoming Henderson’s head coach in 2023, he served as an assistant coach for Vegas. He also brings a lengthy playing background to the organization. Craig played in the WHL, ECHL, AHL, and NHL before transitioning into coaching. Now he gets his first opportunity as an NHL head coach. That will be a major storyline throughout the season. Craig knows the organization, knows the system, and has experience working with players throughout the Golden Knights’ development structure. However, being the head coach of an NHL team comes with an entirely different level of pressure. And there will be plenty of pressure in Vegas. The Golden Knights expect to compete for a Stanley Cup, and Craig will be tasked with leading the team through an 84-game regular season before hopefully navigating another deep playoff run. With those expectations, the 2026-27 season will be a significant opportunity for Craig.
The Golden Knights are bringing back a large group of experienced players, giving the roster plenty of familiarity heading into the tenth season. Mark Stone returns for his 17th professional season and his ninth season with the Golden Knights. Stone has been one of the defining players in franchise history, and his continued presence will remain important for Vegas. Jack Eichel is also back for his 12th NHL season and sixth season with Vegas. After this season, Eichel will have spent as many NHL seasons in Vegas as he did with the Buffalo Sabres, an interesting milestone considering how significant his arrival was to the Golden Knights organization. William Karlsson returns for his 10th season in Vegas and 13th NHL season. Karlsson is another player who has been there since the early years of the franchise and has become one of the familiar faces of Golden Knights hockey. Tomas Hertl is back for his fourth season in Vegas and his 14th NHL season. Brett Howden returns for his sixth season with the Golden Knights and ninth NHL season. Brayden McNabb enters his 10th season in Vegas and 16th professional season, while Shea Theodore also enters his 10th season with the Golden Knights and 14th professional season. On defense, Vegas will also have Noah Hanifin back for his fourth season with the team and 12th NHL season. Jeremy Lauzon returns for his second season with Vegas and 10th professional season. Rasmus Andersson is also back for his second season in Vegas and 11th NHL season after spending most of last season with the Calgary Flames. Dylan Coghlan returns for his fourth season with the Golden Knights. Coghlan originally started his NHL career with Vegas before eventually returning to the organization last season. He spent the majority of last season with the Henderson Silver Knights in the AHL. Raphael Lavoie returns for his third season with Vegas and seventh professional season. Like Coghlan, Lavoie spent most of last season in Henderson. Carter Hart returns for his second season with Vegas after spending some time with the Henderson Silver Knights last season. In goal, Adin Hill returns for his fifth season with the Golden Knights and 13th professional season. There is a lot of familiarity throughout this roster, which could be important for a team entering the season with Stanley Cup expectations.
While much of the core remains intact, there are also several new faces joining the organization. Victor Olofsson joins Vegas after playing for the Calgary Flames and Colorado Avalanche last season. Trevor Connelly joins the Golden Knights after spending last season with the Henderson Silver Knights. Connelly was a first-round selection in the 2024 NHL Draft, making his development another storyline to watch as the season progresses. Nic Dowd is back for his second season in Vegas. He spent most of last season with the Washington Capitals before being traded to the Golden Knights. The upcoming season will be his 12th NHL season. Marc Catcomb joins Vegas for his sixth professional season after splitting last season between the New York Islanders and Bridgeport Islanders. Parker Wotherspoon also joins the Golden Knights this season after spending last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. This will be his 12th professional season. These additions give Vegas additional experience while also adding players with different backgrounds and roles to the roster.
Another major storyline will be Mitch Marner. Marner returns for his second season with the Golden Knights and his 11th season of NHL hockey. His arrival in Vegas was a major storyline heading into last season, and now he enters his second year with the organization. With another season in the system and another year of familiarity with his teammates, Marner will be one of the players many fans will be watching closely throughout the season. The Golden Knights have a roster filled with established NHL players, and Marner is one of the biggest names among them.
Perhaps the biggest special event of the season will take place in February. The Vegas Golden Knights will take on the Dallas Stars in the 2027 NHL Stadium Series. The game will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, February 20, 2027. For the Golden Knights, this will be another unique chapter in franchise history. Vegas has already played in some of the biggest NHL events, but an outdoor game inside AT&T Stadium will give fans another opportunity to see the Golden Knights in a completely different setting. The Stadium Series will also bring another special jersey into the mix, adding to what should already be a massive tenth-season merchandise year. For a franchise celebrating its tenth season, playing an outdoor NHL game in front of a massive crowd is a fitting way to add another memorable event to the schedule.
The Golden Knights organization also has an important development structure behind the NHL team. Vegas is affiliated with two professional hockey teams. The Henderson Silver Knights of the American Hockey League are the primary affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights. Henderson serves as an important part of the organization’s player development system and has become an important part of the broader Golden Knights hockey operation. The Tahoe Knight Monsters of the ECHL are the secondary affiliate of the Golden Knights. That gives Vegas a three-level professional hockey structure stretching from the NHL in Las Vegas to the AHL in Henderson and the ECHL in Tahoe. For fans who follow the entire organization, that means there will be plenty of hockey to watch throughout the 2026-27 season.
The 2026-27 season is about more than just another 84-game schedule. It is the tenth season of Vegas Golden Knights hockey. That alone makes this season special. Vegas has already accomplished so much in its relatively short NHL history, but the franchise continues to operate with extremely high expectations. The Golden Knights enter the season coming off a trip to the Stanley Cup Final, with a roster featuring established stars, experienced veterans, developing young players, and several new additions. There is also a new head coach in Ryan Craig, a new 84-game regular-season format for the franchise, special tenth-season merchandise, new jerseys, and a Stadium Series game against Dallas. That is a lot to look forward to. The biggest question, of course, is what happens once the puck drops. Can the Golden Knights make another deep playoff run? Can they get back to the Stanley Cup Final? Can they ultimately finish the job? Those questions will be answered over the course of the season. For now, though, Vegas fans have plenty of reasons to be excited. The tenth season of Golden Knights hockey is here. If the first nine seasons have taught us anything, there is a good chance the 2026-27 season will come with plenty of memorable moments, plenty of drama, and plenty to talk about. The tenth season starts now.
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