The Vegas Golden Knights kick off the 2025-26 season on Wednesday at home against the Colorado Avalanche. After landing Mitch Marner, their Stanley Cup expectations are higher than ever. But the postseason is a long way away– first, the Golden Knights have to get through the grind of an 82-game regular season.

So, let’s have some fun. 

Without further ado, here are five predictions for the 2025-26 Golden Knights: two mild, one medium, one hot, and one scorching.

Surely, I won’t look silly six months from now… right?

Spice Level: Mild

The Golden Knights will win their fifth Division title 

Listen, the Golden Knights only care about one thing. After raising the ‘Vegas Strong’ banner to honor the victims of the 1 October tragedy, they’ve only been interested in hanging one other from the rafters: the one you raise after winning the Stanley Cup.

But a Division Title isn’t nothing. Winning a title means an ‘easier opponent’ in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and guarantees home-ice advantage through at least the first two rounds. 

The Golden Knights finished last season atop the Pacific Division with a five-point lead over the second-place Los Angeles Kings. By adding Mitch Marner and minimizing roster turnover, the Golden Knights took a step forward this summer; the same can’t be said for the Kings, who lost their top Free Agent. The Edmonton Oilers could certainly challenge for the title, but with Zach Hyman injured, their top-six looks suspect.

The Pacific Division is ripe for the taking– from where I’m standing, it’s the Golden Knights’ title to lose.

Reilly Smith will score 20 goals

Three years ago, this wouldn’t even have been in question. In Reilly Smith’s six years with the Golden Knights, his scoring didn’t dip below a 20-goal pace even once. Even before he joined the organization, he scored at least 20 goals in two of his four full NHL seasons.

When the Golden Knights traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins, his production dipped. Smith scored just 13 goals in 76 games during the 2023-24 season. And before the Golden Knights reacquired Smith from the New York Rangers, he scored 10 goals in 58 games.

Familiarity won’t be an issue anymore. Smith will start the season with Mark Stone and his old linemate, William Karlsson– a line that generated great looks during the preseason. He’ll also be on the second power play unit. Assuming he stays healthy, I think he can return to form this season and regain his scoring touch.

Spice Level: Medium

Carl Lindbom will make his NHL debut

The Golden Knights selected Carl Lindbom in the 7th round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, and he’s developed into one of the best prospects in their system. Last season, Lindbom played 36 games with the Henderson Silver Knights and put up an average save percentage of .912 behind a bottom-five team in the league. 

As of October 6th, Lindbom is the third goaltender on the depth chart. So, unless the Golden Knights bring in another goaltender, he’s the next man up. If Adin Hill or Akira Schmid miss any length of time due to injury, Lindbom would be in line to make his NHL debut. And it’s rare for a goalie tandem to stay healthy for a full 82-game season. 

If Lindbom continues to play the way he has over the past few years, it might not even take an injury for him to see NHL playing time. He allowed a few bad goals during the preseason, but he’s a young goaltender. He’ll learn from every opportunity he gets, and I predict that he’ll get the opportunity to play an NHL game this season.

Spice Level: Hot

Mark Stone will make the final Team Canada Olympic roster

At first glance, this seems like a long shot. Mark Stone is 33, and he’s logged some hard miles over the course of his 13-year NHL career. Sure, he made the 4 Nations Face-Off roster, but he was a year younger. Can Stone really crack the final roster over young up-and-comers like Wyatt Johnston, Macklin Celebrini, or Connor Bedard?

In a word, yes.

Historically, Team Canada has shied away from youth. In 2010, they brought just three players under the age of 24 to Vancouver– Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews, and Drew Doughty. Last year, 23-year-old Seth Jarvis made the 4 Nations Face-Off roster, but the other 23 players were 26 or older. And this is an even bigger stage. So, unless a young gun forces their hand, they’ll prioritize maturity and experience every time.

But federations don’t always bring the best player available– some focus on crafting a team. Stone can play a fourth-line role on a team brimming with superstars, and Team Canada values that. If Stone starts the year well, he’ll have a real case for a spot on the Olympic Team.

Spice Level: Scorching

Mitch Marner will have a career year in goals 

Mitch Marner has never been a goalscorer. He’s only reached the 30-goal mark twice at the NHL level, and he’s never surpassed 35 in a single season. The last time Marner broke the 40-goal mark, he was 17. Marner is and always will be a playmaker first and a shooter second.

But now, he’s not the only playmaker on his line. Marner will start the season with Jack Eichel, who is equally talented at distributing the puck. And everyone– even Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon and head coach Bruce Cassidy– has said that if they’re going to stay together, they’ll both have to shoot more. 

Marner will be extra motivated in his first season on a new team. If he’s told to shoot more, he’ll probably shoot more. He has the skills necessary to score in this league– he’s got a decent shot, great hands, and he’s deceptive with the puck. If Marner wanted to score 40 goals, he probably could. 

So, why not?