The Vegas Golden Knights are heading into the 2026-27 season with a new head coach, Ryan Craig, and a roster that looks a little different after the trade of Pavel Dorofeyev to the New York Rangers. For a team that wants to get back to the Finals, the changes matter because they affect both the lineup and the early-season tone.
That urgency comes after a 2025-26 season that ended with a loss in six games to the Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Final. Vegas came up short of the ultimate goal, and now the organization is trying to reset without losing the high-end star power that has made it one of the league’s toughest teams to handle.
A new voice behind the bench
Craig takes over as the Golden Knights’ new head coach at a time when the Pacific Division is expected to be especially competitive. That makes the opening weeks of the season even more important, since a slow start can be costly in a division where the margin for error may be smaller than usual.
The coaching change gives Vegas a fresh approach, but it also adds another layer of adjustment for a team that already altered parts of its roster. The Golden Knights have changed some of their bottom-six personnel and are bringing in a more experienced defense core, which suggests a team trying to stay flexible while keeping its identity intact.
Roster changes and key pressure points
The biggest roster move is the trade of Dorofeyev, a notable scorer who leaves a hole in the forward group. At the same time, Vegas expects Braeden Bowman to be in the NHL for the full season, which gives the club another young piece to factor into the mix.
William Karlsson is also a major name to watch. Last season, he missed 68 games because of injury, and the Golden Knights will need him available if they want their depth to hold up over a full year. He is the team’s X-factor player at forward because his presence can change how the middle of the lineup functions.
Beyond Karlsson, Vegas still has the kind of star power that keeps it in the conversation with the league’s best teams. But the Golden Knights may need to avoid a slow start if they want to stay on track in a Pacific Division that could be one of the NHL’s most competitive. With Craig in charge, Dorofeyev gone, and the supporting cast adjusted, the 2026-27 season starts with both pressure and opportunity.
