Power ranking the Golden Knights's biggest rivals this season

Who are the biggest adversaries to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2024-25? Let's rank 'em.

It's always good to be atop the Pacific Division. The Vegas Golden Knights know the feeling, especially after they have 28 points and a record of 13-6-2. As the old saying goes, "It's good to be the king."

The vibes are good and everyone is happy, even after a noteworthy summer of absences and players leaving. Players like William Karlsson have returned, giving the Golden Knights some juice. Of course, there are Hart Memorial Trophy candidates such as Jack Eichel (seven goals, 32 points) who are forging their names into the history books.

But you can't go through an entire season without having some adversaries. What fun would it be if there wasn't anybody to oppose you? These rivals wouldn't be able to motivate you to do your best or go above and beyond. That's what makes life fun and the spirit of competition interesting.

So let's look at who the biggest rivals for the Golden Knights are. They shall be ranked by teams that don't matter and those that (currently) do. That means saying, "sayonara" to teams like the San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, and Seattle Kraken. Sorry, but you don't matter in the grand scheme of things.

With that, let's rank the legitimate rivals and how they'll pose a problem to the Golden Knights in 2024-25. Some will be recognized by fans from previous matchups. That includes the Edmonton Oilers, who've been a thorn in the Golden Knights's side for years. Others will be new and unusual. Here's who Vegas hockey fans should watch for as the year progresses.

Why are the Vegas Golden Knights so damn good? : r/nhl

4.) Vancouver Canucks

Currently, the Vancouver Canucks are on the outside looking in for a playoff spot. They have 23 points, one behind the Edmonton Oilers. However, they're still rocking the same offensive groups led by Quinn Hughes (19 points) and Elias Pettersson (six goals, 15 points).

They're also 7-1-0 on the road this season, making them a challenging team to play against in your arena. If the Canucks can figure everything out at Rogers Arena, they'll be a formidable team that could cause problems in the Pacific Division. Being a physical team (542 team hits, seventh in the NHL) certainly helps.

3.) Calgary Flames

Surprise! The Calgary Flames are one point behind the Vegas Golden Knights for first place in the Pacific Division. Hockey fans might be surprised to see the other Alberta team thriving after trading away names like Jacob Markstrom and Noah Hanifin in the past year.

However, they've done an excellent job keeping the puck out of the net. The Flames are tied for eighth in the NHL in team GAA with 2.67. Calgary will be a surprise playoff team if they can figure out their offensive attack (2.62 goals per game).

2.) Edmonton Oilers

Golden Knights fans will remember the Edmonton Oilers for that colossal second-round matchup in the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs. Despite a kissing Evander Kane and a dominant power play, the Golden Knights defeated the Oilers in six games.

Now? Edmonton is in a similar position as they were last season, starting slow. However, they're sitting at 22 points (5-4-1 in their last ten games) and have a playoff spot. Fans know the names: Connor McDavid (11 goals, 17 assists) and Leon Draisaitl (16 goals, 14 assists). These players will cause chaos for the Golden Knights and the rest of the NHL. Keep a close eye on the Oilers as the season rages on.

1.) Los Angeles Kings

Now, the Los Angeles Kings aren't as prolific of a seasonal rival as the Oilers. They don't have the big names on their team and play an anonymous game. They're also not a surprising story like the Calgary Flames. They were expected to be in the playoff mix.

However, they've been a tough opponent with 26 points in the Pacific Division. They also have a solid home victory over the Vegas Golden Knights, defeating them on October 30, 6-3. They're also tied with the Flames for the eighth-fewest goals per game (2.67).

It remains to be seen whether the Flames will stick around for the long haul. However, the Kings are a different story. They employ a tricky system where they hope to dominate the neutral zone. That could be problematic for the Golden Knights and other NHL teams as 2024-25 rolls on.

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