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2026-27 season preview: Vegas Golden Knights

Photo credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

By Cynthia Ryley Delaney

Sep 29, 2026, 08:00 EDTUpdated: Sep 29, 2026, 00:00 EDT

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It’s hard to say that the Vegas Golden Knights are better than they were when they were to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2026.

It was a fairly busy summer for the 2023 Stanley Cup Champions, but many of their moves were re-signings. They did improve the back-end, but lost a 30-goal scorer in an attempt to salvage their cap situation.

They’ll likely be playoff bound, but moves will need to be made ahead of the trade deadline if they wish to make another deep run in the 2027 postseason.

Let’s take a look at what the Golden Knights did this off-season!

Who departed the Golden Knights this past off-season

The biggest loss this off-season for the Golden Knights by far was the departure of Pavel Dorofeyev. Shortly before the 2026 NHL Draft, the Golden Knights traded the then-restricted free agent to the New York Rangers for a 2026 first-round pick (originally belonging to the Dallas Stars), a conditional 2028 first-rounder, and a 2026 third-rounder.

Dorofeyev has been the Knights’ top scorer the past two seasons, potting 35 goals and 52 points in 82 games in 2024-25, then another 37 goals and 64 points in 82 games last season. The Russian winger also had a terrific postseason, scoring 12 goals and 16 points in 22 games as the Golden Knights lost in six to the Carolina Hurricanes.

It wasn’t the only trade that the Golden Knights made. On Jul. 1, they sent bottom-six forward Keegan Kolesar to the Detroit Red Wings for a pair of latter round picks, the best being a 2029 third-rounder. The day before that, the Golden Knights traded Kaedan Korczak to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Parker Wotherspoon.

Rather deep in net, the Golden Knights sent Akira Schmid to the Florida Panthers for a 2028 third-rounder, recouping some draft capital for future moves.

On the free agent front, Colton Sissons signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs, while Cole Smith signed with the Chicago Blackhawks. There are several notable former Golden Knights who remain free agents as well, Ben Hutton, Brandon Saad, and Reilly Smith.

Who’d the Golden Knights bring in

The most notable addition to the Golden Knights this past off-season was Wotherspoon. Last season, the Surrey, British Columbia product scored three goals and 30 points in 80 games, his first full-season in the National Hockey League. He also had a solid 2026 IIHF World Championship, scoring a goal and four points in 10 games.

Wotherspoon will be one of six regular defenders on the Golden Knights’ blue line. Former Flame Rasmus Andersson will spend his next seven seasons with the team, as he agreed to a seven-year deal with a cap hit of $8.5 million. Jérémy Lauzon also re-signed, agreeing to a six-year deal with a cap hit of $4 million.

Captain Mark Stone recently signed a two-year extension worth $9 million, which is set to kick in to begin the 2027-28 season. The Golden Knights also locked youngster Braeden Bowman up long-term, as he signed a six-year extension with a cap hit of $3.4 million, set to begin in 2027-28.

As for free agents that they brought in, former Flame Victor Olofsson joins the Golden Knights for a second stint. In 2024-25, the seventh-rounder in 2014 scored 15 goals and 29 points in 56 games, but he split his 2025-26 between the Colorado Avalanche and Flames. The Golden Knights also signed defenceman Ville Heinola, who was selected 20th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in 2019.

This off-season, the Golden Knights traded away a 35+ goal scorer. In return, they were able to select right-shot Finnish defenceman Juho Piiparinen, signing the defenceman to his entry-level contract this off-season.

Cynthia Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for DFO Calgary, DFO Edmonton, and Blue Jays Nation. She can be followed on Twitter @CynthiaRDelaney.

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