On the tail end of a back-to-back, a night after a season-opening 6-5 shootout loss to the Los Angeles Kings, the Golden Knights will turn to Schmid between the pipes on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks. Schmid spent most of the 2024-25 season with the Henderson Silver Knights (AHL), but was excellent in limited NHL action with the Golden Knights, posting a 1.26 GAA and .944 SV% in five appearances (2-0-1). If the 25-year-old Schmid can put together some strong performances early, he could be in line for topping his career-high of 19 games played in a season. The Golden Knights enter Thursday's contest as -194 road favorites against a Sharks team that finished last season with the worst record in the NHL (20-50-12).

With several elite players signing contract extensions in the last week, the Golden Knights followed suit, signing Eichel to a massive eight-year extension worth $13.5 million AAV. Eichel was drafted second overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2015 and was eventually acquired by the Golden Knights in the 2021-22 season. The 28-year-old Eichel is coming off his most productive season, scoring 94 points (28G / 66A) in 77 games, and will be motivated to top those totals in 2025-26 playing alongside new teammate Mitch Marner.

Dorofeyev missed the Golden Knights' preseason finale, recovering from a lower-body injury, but will suit up for their season opener on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Kings. The 24-year-old Dorofeyev had a breakout 2024-25 season, scoring 52 points (35G / 17A) in 82 games, including 13 powerplay goals, and could be in for another career year in 2025-26.

The Golden Knights will turn to Hill between the pipes on Wednesday for their season opener against the Los Angeles Kings. Hill played a career-high 50 games last season (32-13-5) and saw his save percentage (.906) fall to the lowest it has been since joining the Golden Knights. With Akira Schmid, a goalie who has never started more than 15 games in an NHL season, as the Golden Knights' backup, Hill could be in for another career-high total in games played. Vegas enters Wednesday's matchup as -199 home favorites against a Los Angeles team that was defeated 4-1 by the Colorado Avalanche last night.

Holtz was the seventh-overall pick of the New Jersey Devils in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. After three years in the Devils organization, he made his Golden Knights debut last season, scoring 12 points (4G / 8A) in 53 games.

Dorofeyev missed the Golden Knights' preseason finale and is questionable for the season opener. Dorofeyev missed a big portion of the preseason due to a lower-body injury, but the Golden Knights haven't confirmed his status for Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Kings. That said, Dorofoyev was a full participant at practice on Tuesday and suited up on the team's top powerplay unit.

Early in the offseason, Pietrangelo and the Golden Knights released a statement that Pietrangelo is dealing with a hip injury that would require bilateral femur reconstruction, with no guarantee of success. This week, the Golden Knights officially announced that he will be unavailable for the duration of the 2025-26 season and the playoffs. The 35-year-old Pietrangelo has 637 points (148G / 489A) in 1087 career games, leaving a notable void on the Golden Knights' blueline.

Dorofeyev missed the Golden Knights' preseason finale and is questionable for the season opener. Dorofeyev has missed a big portion of the preseason due to a lower-body injury but the Golden Knights haven't commented on whether they expect him to be in the opening night lineup or not. With Dorofeyev hurt, the Golden Knights haven't had a full lineup all camp, so there are still questions to be answered. As of Saturday, head coach Bruce Cassidy was still noncommittal on whether Shea Theodore would be on PP1 or if it would be Dorofeyev in a five-forward look.

Davies' deal is a two-day contract and provides the Golden Knights with some organizational depth on the blueline. The 28-year-old has appeared in 23 career NHL games with the Predators and Sabres, but has spent the last four seasons almost exclusively in the AHL, most recently with Belleville, where he had 48 points (11G / 37A) in 72 games.

After three successful seasons in Henderson (AHL), Lukas Cormier will return for a fourth campaign after signing a one-year, two-way contract extension with Vegas on Wednesday. The 23-year-old puck-moving defenseman only appeared in 19 games with Henderson in 2024-25 due to injury, but still picked up nine assists and a -9 plus/minus. He is expected to start 2025-26 with Henderson but will provide depth if needed for the Golden Knights.

Rondbjerg spent most of the 2024-25 season in the AHL, where he tallied 11 goals and 15 assists (26 points) in 53 games. He's shuffled back and fourth between the AHL and NHL for four straight seasons, appeared in 76 total NHL games, posting three goals and seven assists (10 points). Expect him to be a fringe roster player again in 2025-26.

Lavoie was claimed off waivers from Edmonton in early October but appeared in just nine games with the Golden Knights, spending most of the season in Henderson (AHL). The 24-year-old forward had 17 goals and 10 assists (27 points) in 42 AHL games and will likely begin the 2025-26 season with Henderson.

Davies spent the entire 2024-25 season with the Belleville Senators (AHL), where he had 48 points (11G / 37A) in 72 games. Davies provides organizational depth on the blueline, but he'll likely start the season with Henderson (AHL).

Korczak was a full-time NHLer in 2024-25 but served as the Golden Knights' No.7 defenseman, appearing in just 40 games. He finished the season with 10 points (0G / 10A), 34 SO and 59 hits in 40 games. With Alex Pietrangelo expected to miss all of 2025-26 (and maybe retiring), Korczak should be an everyday player for Vegas this season.

Reinhardt was a sixth-round pick of the Ottawa Senators in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft and will have a change of scenery in the 2025-26 season after joining the Vegas Golden Knights organization on a two-year, two-way contract. The 25-year-old scored 32 points (14G / 18A) in 45 games with the Belleville Senators (AHL) last season.

Megna has played 193 career NHL games but spent most of the 2024-25 season in the AHL. The 32-year-old defenseman scored 16 points (2G / 14A) in 62 games with the Charlotte Checkers (AHL). He provides the Vegas Golden Knights with depth at the defence position after signing a two-year deal worth $800K AAV.

Pietrangelo and the Golden Knights released a statement on Monday that Pietrangelo is dealing with hips that would require bilateral femur reconstruction, with no guarantee of success. “After exploring options with doctors as well as my family, it’s been advised to remove the intensity of hockey to see if my body can improve so that I can return to a normal quality of life," Pietrangelo said. The veteran blueliner will be stepping away from hockey for the 2025-26 season, and his future beyond that is uncertain. Pietrangelo will be placed on LTIR.

By acquiring Marner's rights, the Golden Knights were able to secure an eight-year contract worth $12M AAV before free agency opened on July 1st. Marner entered the league as a 19-year-old in the 2016-17 season and played the entirety of his nine-year career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, being amongst the league leaders over that time with 741 points (221G / 520A) in 657 games. The 28-year-old Marner will be motivated to continue his point-per-game production with a new team, likely playing alongside Jack Eichel.

By acquiring Marner's rights, the Golden Knights were able to secure an eight-year contract worth $12M AAV before free agency opened on July 1st. Marner entered the league as a 19-year-old in the 2016-17 season and played the entirety of his nine-year career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, being amongst the league leaders over that time with 741 points (221G / 520A) in 657 games. The 28-year-old Marner will be motivated to continue his point-per-game production with a new team, likely playing alongside Jack Eichel.