Golden Knights in first place, but they're far from perfect

LAS VEGAS — A week-plus into the 2025-26 NHL season, the Vegas Golden Knights are in first place.

They’ve yet to lose in regulation. They’ve managed to accrue points in all five games thus far. They’re dealing with injuries. Their big-time off-season acquisition is still trying to get to his game. They struggle scoring in 5-on-5 hockey.

Yet here they are. At the top of the Pacific Division standings. The Knights improved to 3-0-2 following Thursday’s wild 6-5 win over the Boston Bruins at T-Mobile Arena, a game where a scare was thrown into the crowd when Vegas’ top two players left the ice injured but both Jack Eichel and Mark Stone were able to return to the game.

“This was one of our more complete games,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “We got behind early again, but we took it to Boston and to me, it means we’re moving in the right direction.

“Are we playing a full 60 minutes? Not yet. But I’m looking at long pockets of good hockey. You build your game as you go. It’s still early.”

Of their 20 goals scored to date, just half have come in 5-on-5 situations. Mitch Marner has yet to score though he is averaging a little over a point a game on the strength of six assists.

Of greater concern are the injuries. Adin Hill was injured Tuesday in the 4-2 win over Calgary and left the game. The good news was he participated in the morning skate Thursday though he served as the backup for Akira Schmid against Boston.

But that isn’t the only injury that the Knights are dealing with. Defenseman Noah Hanifin was hurt on opening night against the Kings on Oct. 8 and hasn’t played since. It’s giving Ben Hutton a chance to play regular minutes as Cassidy reworked his defensive pairs, playing Hutton with Zach Whitecloud and using Kaedan Korczak with Jeremy Lauzon as his third D pairing.

Forward Brett Howden also has a lower-body injury after he was scratched Tuesday against the Flames. Cole Reinhardt took Howden’s spot and was in the lineup Thursday and scored his first goal with the Knights as he tied the game 2-2 late in the first period.

Howden is listed as day-to-day according to Cassidy so he might be available for Saturday’s rematch with the Flames at T-Mobile.

So with everything that has been going on, how are these guys still undefeated?

For starters, Eichel is playing at the high level he has going back the last couple of years. The team’s top center and highest-paid player is moving the top line effectively. And while Marner is still seeking his first goal as a Golden Knight, he is still contributing, both in 5-on-5 and on the power play.

And no one in the NHL got off to a hotter start than second-line winger Pavel Dorofeyev. He had five goals in the first three games and Monday was selected as the NHL’s First Star for last week. He has been a beast on the power play, setting up at the right doorstep of the opposition’s goal and forcing teams to cover him, leaving Eichel, Marner and Mark Stone free to operate.

“I think we have a really resilient group,” Eichel said. “We feel we’re never out of games. I think we’d like to start faster and not have to play from behind.”

Stone said: “We’re still learning. We’re incorporating pieces. Offensively, we’re still a little off. We’re trying to be a more complete team, offensively and defensively.”

Stone and Marner have switched spots, with Stone once again skating with Eichel and Ivan Barbashev and Marner playing with Dorofeyev and Tomas Hertl on the second line. William Karlsson, who scored twice against the Bruins, is starting to pick up his game on the third line.

Cassidy said before Thursday’s game he’d like to see a little better start from the Knights.

“We haven’t been at our best at puck drop,” he said. “We need to be more engaged and get to our game quicker. I’d like to see us manage pucks better and make better decisions with the puck.”

He still felt that way afterward. But a win’s a win and two points are two points.

“I liked the way we bounced back,” Cassidy said. “We got down early and came right back. They scored again and we answered. We’ll keep talking to them about starting faster and getting the lead and not playing from behind.”

With new faces and different line combinations, perhaps it’s taking a little longer for things to click.

“We’re still getting used to the new guys,” said Hertl, who scored in the second period. “I think we’re still finding our identity as a team.”

It’s not the most ideal way to play. And eventually, it will catch up with the Knights. But they’re finding ways to stay in games and they are getting the results. It’s not perfect, yet. But it’ll do for the time being.