The Vegas Golden Knights face a challenging week ahead, from December 22nd to 28th, 2025, as they navigate a series of crucial games amidst a significant injury crisis. The team's resilience will be tested as they strive to maintain their position in the competitive Pacific Division.
Injury Woes Deepen
The Golden Knights are grappling with a concerning number of injuries to key players. Jack Eichel is sidelined with a lower-body injury and illness, while Shea Theodore is out with an upper-body injury. Both are considered week-to-week or questionable for the upcoming games. Adding to the team's woes, William Karlsson remains on long-term injured reserve (LTIR), and starting goaltender Adin Hill is on injured reserve (IR). This confluence of injuries is severely testing the team's depth and forcing coach Bruce Cassidy to shuffle line combinations.
Bouncing Back from Alberta
Vegas aims to rebound after a disappointing road trip through Alberta, where they suffered a 6-3 loss to the Calgary Flames and a narrow 4-3 defeat to the Edmonton Oilers. In the game against the Oilers, despite a late surge with goals from Pavel Dorofeyev and Mitch Marner, they couldn't complete the comeback. Carter Hart made 17 saves on 21 shots in the loss. These losses have increased the pressure to regain momentum, especially with upcoming home games.
New Core Stepping Up
With Eichel out, the offensive burden falls on Mitch Marner, who is currently maintaining a near point-per-game pace. Marner's performance will be crucial in driving the team's offense during Eichel's absence. In goal, Carter Hart needs to stabilize the net in Hill's absence. Before the recent losses, Hart had a solid 3-0-2 record in December.
Schedule Ahead
The Golden Knights' schedule for the week is as follows: * Tuesday, Dec 23, 10:00 PM ET: vs. San Jose Sharks at T-Mobile Arena * Saturday, Dec 27, 10:00 PM ET: vs. Colorado Avalanche at T-Mobile Arena
Pacific Division Race
Despite recent setbacks, the Golden Knights are still in a strong position in the Pacific Division, currently sitting second with a 16-8-10 record. They are chasing the division-leading Anaheim Ducks. Every game is crucial as they aim to close the gap and secure a favorable playoff position.
