The Vegas Golden Knights Preseason Preformance

The 2025 preseason has been a mixed bag for the Vegas Golden Knights, blending flashes of excitement with reminders that the team still has work to do before the puck officially drops on the regular season.

A Record That Tells the Story

Through five preseason contests, Vegas stands at 2–3–0.

• They opened with back-to-back losses to San Jose (3–0) and Los Angeles (3–1).

• The Knights rebounded with an overtime thriller against the Utah Mammoth, winning 3–2, before edging out the Sharks 2–1 in a tight defensive battle.

• Most recently, they fell 4–2 to the Colorado Avalanche, coughing up a lead late in the game.

The results reflect a team still ironing out its identity, especially when it comes to sustaining pressure and holding on to leads.

Bright Spots in the Lineup

Despite the uneven record, there have been encouraging performances:

• Cole Schwindt and Lukas Cormier both found the net in the 2–1 win over San Jose, with Cormier’s tally coming on the power play.

• Tanner Laczynski and Joe Fleming each scored against Colorado, proving that depth players are eager to stake their claim.

• Prospect Braeden Bowman has turned heads with his poise and offensive instincts, drawing rave reviews from coaches and teammates alike.

Between the pipes, Akira Schmid delivered a solid outing with 13 saves in the San Jose victory, while the goalie tandem continues to sort itself out ahead of the regular season.

Experiments and Adjustments

Head coach Bruce Cassidy has been busy testing combinations. Newcomer Mitch Marner has been slotted into a quarterback role on the power play, potentially alongside Jack Eichel to create a lethal unit. Meanwhile, PTO hopeful Alexander Holtz has been given a few looks to prove his worth as a depth option.

There are concerns, though: forward Pavel Dorofeyev left a recent game with a muscle issue, leaving fans to wonder about his availability when the real games begin.

Signs of Concern

While the Knights have shown they can grind out close wins, lapses in defensive structure remain a concern. The collapse against Colorado — giving up multiple third-period goals — highlighted a problem that could haunt Vegas in the regular season. Scoring has also been streaky, with shutouts and single-goal outings sprinkled among stronger performances.

Looking Ahead

The Knights will get another crack at the Avalanche in a home matchup at T-Mobile Arena on October 1. That game should give fans a clearer sense of which prospects will stick and which veterans are ready to take charge.

For now, Vegas looks like a team with championship potential — but one that must tighten its defensive play, get consistent production from its bottom six, and keep its stars healthy to truly shine once the regular season begins.