The Vegas Golden Knights have had tremendous success in their short history. Stars such as Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, and Shea Theodore have led this franchise to glory. Vegas has made the Stanley Cup Playoffs in all but one of its seasons. And in 2023, they lifted the Stanley Cup.
Vegas has undergone some major changes in the last few seasons. They lost the likes of William Carrier, Jonathan Marchessault, and Reilly Smith. However, they have brought in talent to replace those players. In Smith’s case, they just brought him back through trade.
Pavol Dorofayev has helped replaced some of the goals lost. Tomas Hertl came in during the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline. This summer, they brought in Mitch Marner in a sign-and-trade deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs. No matter the predicament, this team has found a way to keep themselves above water.
A Vegas rebuild wouldn’t be too shocking in the near future, though. Especially if the team fail to make the Stanley Cup Final this year. And it becomes even more possible if Eichel departs the team in NHL Free Agency.
However, Stone doesn’t see a rebuild happening in Sin City. Vegas has set a standard for excellence, and he believes players want to be part of it.
“People talk rebuilds. Imagine (Vegas) doing a rebuild? I don’t see it coming because we’ve created something that people want to be a part of starting with (owner) Bill (Foley) to management to coaching to the players. The guys who were here originally created a culture that I wanted to be a part of. We just keep bringing guys in because it’s awesome to be a part of,” the Golden Knights captain said, via NHL.com.
Golden Knights Culture Key To Success
Vegas players pointed to the same thing when discussing the team’s popularity. Winning certainly helps draw talent to the organization. More important than that, perhaps, is the culture surrounding the team. The Golden Knights’ culture is one of the best in the NHL.
“When I got traded here, you just felt it right away in the locker room. It’s a really good group of people. Tons of credit to the team that was here at the start. In their inaugural season they built something and for the rest of us that have come after that we’ve got to maintain that culture,” Eichel said, via NHL.com.
Having the right people in the locker room is vital. It gives the team the best chance to win night after night. And it can also bring the team together, fueling them to fight for each other as opposed to playing for themselves when things get tough.
Vegas Maintains High Standards Entering 2025-26
Though the culture is important, the Golden Knights certainly aren’t ignoring winning. In fact, winning is of the utmost importance. After all, they’ve missed the playoffs just once in their history.
In Vegas, the standard could not be clearer. “Our standard is the Stanley Cup,” Eichel said, via NHL.com. “Expectations are super high. I think that’s a great problem.”