Golden Knights Lineup Projection 2.0: Breaking Down the 2025-26 Roster

The Vegas Golden Knights were perhaps the biggest winners coming out of free agency. They acquired the best player on the market, Mitch Marner, via a sign-and-trade deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs, highlighting many of the moves made by all 32 NHL clubs.

The Marner signing obviously changes things in Vegas, but with other moves and additions, the Golden Knights will look much different next season. Here is Vol. 2 of the Golden Knights roster projection ahead of the 2025-26 season.

Forwards

Ivan Barbashev–Jack Eichel–Mitch Marner

The Golden Knights were fifth in the NHL last season in goals per game (3.34), but that number plummeted in the playoffs, averaging only 2.55 goals per game. Yes, injuries did impact Vegas with Mark Stone missing time and Pavel Dorofeyev missing a handful of games, which resulted in lots of jumbled lines.

Now, general manager (GM) Kelly McCrimmon will look at the best player they could’ve gotten on the market, Marner. The former Maple Leaf had 102 points last season, fifth in the NHL. Pairing him alongside Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev makes sense.

Sliding Barbashev onto the top line gives Eichel a familiar presence on the wing, and with Marner now in the mix, the chemistry should come quickly. Barbashev’s north-south game and forechecking presence make him a natural fit alongside two high-end playmakers, but that spot isn’t locked down. Don’t be surprised if the staff experiments with different looks as the season unfolds.

Either way, this will undoubtedly be one of the best lines in the NHL next season. Pairing two superstars on the same line will be fascinating to see in Vegas next season.

Pavel Dorofeyev–Tomáš Hertl–Mark Stone

Looking at this potential top-six group heading into next season, the Golden Knights’ depth is fruitful with tons of options and flexibility when it comes to lines. This line, driven up the middle by Tomáš Hertl, had skill, grit, and speed.

Hertl briefly found himself in the offseason rumor mill, speculation McCrimmon later dismissed, but like most mid-summer chatter, it didn’t hold weight. In his first full season with the Golden Knights, the 31-year-old put up a respectable 30 goals and 61 points. Solid, though perhaps shy of the lofty expectations that followed his surprise acquisition at the 2024 trade deadline.

Flanking him on the left is Dorofeyev, who emerged as one of the season’s biggest surprises. Leading the team with 35 goals, his breakout campaign was fueled in large part by the chemistry he developed with Hertl. Dorofeyev’s absence in the playoffs was a quiet turning point—without him, the line lost its rhythm, and the ripple effects were noticeable throughout the lineup.

With Marner stepping into a top-line role, Stone shifts to the second line—a move that makes sense given Marner’s elite playmaking ability. Stone could thrive in this setup, offering depth and balance to the lineup. The bigger question is how he adapts without Eichel down the middle, but given Stone’s two-way acumen and leadership, it’s not likely to be a problem.

This line checks every box a GM could hope for in a second unit: three players who eclipsed the 50-point mark, including a pair of 30-goal scorers. Simply put, offensive production shouldn’t be a concern.

Brandon Saad–William Karlsson–Reilly Smith

Heading into the offseason, Vegas had one clear target: Marner. The Golden Knights zeroed in and got their guy—but the assumption was that it would come at the expense of roster staples like Brandon Saad, William Karlsson, or Reilly Smith.

Instead, McCrimmon managed to thread the needle. Both Saad and Smith returned on team-friendly one-year, $2 million deals, solidifying a middle-six group that has long been a hallmark of Vegas’ identity.

Karlsson and Smith—two of the original misfits—slot right back into familiar roles. Their chemistry is undeniable, the kind that doesn’t need rehearsing. They may not light up the highlight reels, but they bring grit, structure, and reliability.

For a third line, this might be one of the deeper Golden Knights teams we’ve seen in a while. Each line has a legit opportunity and threat to score, and it’ll be intriguing to see how head coach Bruce Cassidy handles it.

Brett Howden–Colton Sissons–Keegan Kolesar

Like the top line, the fourth line has a new look—one that departs from the familiarity of recent seasons. Nicolas Roy, once the dependable engine of Vegas’ fourth unit, now calls Toronto home. His faceoff success, penalty-killing prowess, and all-around reliability will be missed, but Colton Sissons steps in as a worthy replacement.

Sissons, a longtime Nashville Predator, recorded 21 points in 72 games last season. While he may not have Roy’s full offensive upside, his detail-oriented game and defensive reliability mirror the traits that made Roy so valuable in the role.

Flanking him on the left is likely Brett Howden, coming off a breakout season in which he posted 23 goals and 40 points. His development into a dependable two-way forward was one of the more underrated storylines of the Golden Knights’ season, cementing his place in the bottom-six.

On the right, Keegan Kolesar adds more of the same. He, too, posted a career-high in points, finishing with 30, and continued to be a physical, responsible presence on both the penalty kill and in the defensive zone.

For a fourth line, this trio brings more than just energy—they bring trust. And for Cassidy, that might be the most important element of all.

Defense

Brayden McNabb–Shea Theodore

The Golden Knights have been praised for their signing of Marner, but the loss of Pietrangelo is going to affect them more than they would like to admit. Pietrangelo played 20-plus minutes regularly, and it’s a void that’s going to be hard to replace.

Shea Theodore slides into that right-defense role, and it’s going to be interesting to see how he fills in. He has yet to experience the task of becoming the team’s No. 1 defenseman, but this season he’ll need to step up to the plate with the absence of Pietrangelo.

The same can be said for Brayden McNabb, who typically played on the Golden Knights’ second defensive pairing last season. McNabb, who will be 35 in January, also hasn’t been imposed the role of becoming a reliable top-pairing defenseman, something that’ll be closely followed throughout the season.

Noah Hanifin–Zach Whitecloud

It may feel repetitive, but Pietrangelo’s absence creates a clear ripple effect. Zach Whitecloud, typically slotted on the third pair last season, is now playing elevated minutes alongside Noah Hanifin.

The duo is solid on paper, but are they equipped to anchor a top-four role over an extended stretch? It’s a fair question, especially for a team that has long leaned on its defensive structure as a cornerstone of success.

Whitecloud and Hanifin are more than capable of shouldering the load, but it’s fair to wonder how long the blue line can hold without signs of strain starting to show.

Jérémy Lauzon–Kaedan Korczak

Jérémy Lauzon’s presence will be felt immediately. He led the NHL in hits just two seasons ago and will certainly help the Golden Knights on the physical side of things. He was sidelined for most of last season, only seeing 28 games of action, but that shouldn’t be a concern heading into the 2025-26 campaign.

For Kaedan Korczak, the Golden Knights are betting big. They signed him to a four-year contract worth $3.25 million per season, which will take effect next season. The 24-year-old played in only 40 games last season, registering 10 points.

McCrimmon is placing a lot of trust in Korczak, and at times, it’s justified—he can look poised and reliable on the back end. But there are still stretches where his game wavers, and consistency remains a question. How he handles a larger role this season will be something to watch closely.

Goalies

Adin Hill–Akira Schmid

Unlike last season, the Golden Knights will not be running it back with netminders Adin Hill and Ilya Samsonov. As of writing this, Samsonov has yet to sign with a new team and remains an unrestricted free agent.

On the other hand, Hill enters the first year of his six-year, $6.25 million contract after coming off his best season with Vegas. He notched a 32-13-5 record along with a 2.47 goals-against average (GAA) and a .906 save percentage.

At times, Hill was one of the best goaltenders in the game; at other times, he struggled with tracking the puck and screens in front of him. As the adage goes, ‘Consistency is key,’ and thus it will be for the 29-year-old.

The same can be said for Akira Schmid, who is now tasked with backing up Hill with the departure of Samsonov. Schmid was acquired by the Golden Knights at the 2024 Draft and played the majority of last season with the Henderson Silver Knights.

There, he was the go-to guy, but didn’t post great numbers, winning only nine games in 30 and having a 3.58 GAA. Not great. Outside of Schmid, Vegas doesn’t have many options to choose from. Carl Lindbom has looked good with the Silver Knights, but he’s only 22, with last season being his first in North America.

Having Hill makes things easy for the Golden Knights, but inconsistency in backing him up could cause some discomfort.

Do you agree with these Vol. 2 picks?