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Last season the Golden Knights finished the regular season with the third most points in the NHL. They stormed through the Pacific, going 19-5-2 and won the division by five points. In all areas, Vegas is considered a top contender heading into the 2025-26 season. However, that wasn’t good enough for the Daily Faceoff to add VGK to their list of the five franchises that improved the most this offseason.

That departures list for Vegas essentially includes stalwart defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, too, as his hip problems would require multiple major surgeries to solve and could prevent him from continuing his playing career altogether. Shouldn’t the prognosis be rather grim for Vegas, then? No. Not when you’ve added Marner, who is coming off a 102-point season. –Matt Larkin on DailyFaceoff.com

The NHL outlet called it correctly about the impactful loss of veteran defenseman Alex Pietrangelo. The alternate captain leaves a major hole at the 1A defensive spot, which the team is hoping for Noah Hanifin or Shea Theodore will emerge as a legitimate top blueliner. The singular reason the Daily Faceoff selected VGK as much improved was their headline-stealing acquisition of Mitch Marner. The deal changed the look of one team and added another weapon for another.

Of course, we’ll be inundated with the ‘who will shoot the puck‘ narrative, but the Golden Knights’ offense will be among the league’s best. Which is why they are unqualified to be on any list of improved clubs. Vegas was the top seed in the Pacific last season and added one of the NHL’s most dynamic All-Stars. Currently, William Hill has the second-highest odds (+170) to win the Pacific Division.

The Marner deal changed the Toronto Maple Leafs’ forecast, not the Golden Knights. VGK’s expectations were high last year, and they are as elevated going into 2025-26. Maybe not so much in Southern Ontario.

We’ll obviously miss him. He’s a great friend and a great teammate. We’ll just keep it moving. A lot of changes, but feeling excited about the guys we brought in. Guys are going to have to take some steps, but I think that’s a good thing, a good problem to have, so really looking forward to it. –Auston Matthews, TOR captain to Sportsnet.ca

Toronto’s top center didn’t come out and say it, but he hinted at a possible dip this season without Marner. Phrases like ‘guys are going to have to take steps’ and words like ‘changes’ could be construed as a lack of belief in the current Maple Leafs roster. And who wouldn’t temper expectations after losing a 102-point showstopper?

He’s one of the best playmakers in the NHL, he’s a two-time first-team all-star, and in the past five seasons he’s seventh in league-wide scoring and first in takeaways. He also lands in an environment perfectly suited to remedy his problems performing under pressure in the playoffs: a Sun Belt team full of players who won a Stanley Cup in 2022-23. The Golden Knights were already a division champion last season, and now they add a Hall-of-Fame-grade forward to the mix. The entire Western Conference should be afraid. –Larkin on DailyFaceoff.com

So, have the Golden Knights improved? When a team adds a talent like Marner, of course, they did. Nonetheless, they haven’t resurrected their team like the Ducks and Sharks possibly have. While VGK is listed, they truly don’t belong. Unless their offseason decisions lead to an abundance of postseason scoring.