Morning Skate Report: Oct. 8, 2025

Opening Knight for the 2025-26 season has arrived for the Vegas Golden Knights as they begin Season IX with a matchup against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: TNT
Streaming: HBO MAX
Radio: FOX Sports Las Vegas 98.9/1340 | Deportes Vegas 1460
Pregame Show: Scripps Sports (Vegas 34 in Vegas; full network) and KnightTime+ at 6 p.m.

NOTES
The Golden Knights open their season on home ice for the seventh time in nine seasons.

In the offseason, the Golden Knights added Mitch Marner, Cole Reinhardt, Colton Sissons, and Jeremy Lauzon to the roster.

Vegas posted a 50-22-10 record and 110 points in the 2024-25 season. They earned their fourth Pacific Division title but lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

OPENING KNIGHT
The Gold Carpet presented by Naqvi Injury Law will begin on Toshiba Plaza at 3:30 p.m. Fans are encouraged to arrive at 3 p.m. to welcome broadcasters, members of the VGK cast, Vegas celebrities, and players ahead of the game. Fans in attendance inside The Fortress will receive a Limited Edition Collectible Mitch Marner Player Pin presented by Naqvi Injury Law. An all new in-arena pregame show will take place prior to the game and will allow fans to experience a one-of-a-kind show, featuring never-before-seen elements.

VGK LOCALS MENU
You spoke, we listened! The Vegas Golden Knights are excited to offer the VGK Locals Menu at all home games for gameday essential concessions. Menu items include nachos, hot dogs, pretzels, waters and sodas priced at $5.50 each. Season Ticket Members will receive an additional 10% off all concessions in the building including the VGK Locals Menu.

VGK MILESTONE WATCH
Noah Hanifin – One game away from 100 games as a Golden Knight
Reilly Smith – Three points away from 300 points as a Golden Knight
William Karlsson – Four points away from 400 points as a Golden Knight
Brett Howden – Eight points away from 100 points as a Golden Knight

CAREER MILESTONE WATCH
Tomas Hertl – Three assists away from 300 career assists
Adin Hill – Four wins away from 100 career wins
Colton Sissons – Five goals away from 100 career goals
Tomas Hertl – Nine games away from 800 career games

BY THE NUMBERS
6 – Vegas has won six straight season-opening games and have won seven of eight season-openers.

IX – The Golden Knights look to begin Season IX as a franchise on Wednesday night.

.875 – Vegas has an all-time points percentage of .875 in season-opening games, which is the best percentage among all teams in NHL history

PREGAME SOUND

2024-25 SEASON SERIES
The Golden Knights went 1-3-0 against the Kings in the 2024-25 regular season. Vegas earned a 6-1 victory in the first matchup of the season on Oct. 22, 2024, at T-Mobile Arena. Tomas Hertl led the team with four points (2G, 2A) in the victory. Mark Stone (1G, 2A) and Pavel Dorofeyev (1G, 1A) also had multi-point games. Alexander Holtz and Ivan Barbashev tallied the remaining goals in the third period to lift Vegas over the Kings. Los Angeles took the next three games against Vegas throughout the season. Los Angeles defeated the Golden Knights, 6-3, on Oct. 30, 2024, at Crypto.com Arena. Dorofeyev scored twice in the loss. In the third matchup of the season against the Pacific Division rivals, the Golden Knights fell, 6-5, on Feb. 24 at Crypto.com Arena. Brayden McNabb and Stone recorded the two goals in the loss. Vegas closed out their season series against the Kings on March 9 at T-Mobile Arena with a 6-5 loss. Hertl recorded his first hat trick as a Golden Knight, and Jack Eichel and Stone each notched two assists in the loss.

OPPOSITION UPDATE
The Los Angeles Kings visit the Golden Knights on the second game of a back-to-back to open the 2025-26 season. The club fell to the Colorado Avalanche, 4-1, in their home opener on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. Kevin Fiala scored the only goal for the Kings who suffered a three-goal loss to Colorado in the first game of a new season for the second time in the last three years. Wednesday’s game is the first game of a three-game road trip for the Kings.

A VEGAS VICTORY WOULD…
- Mark the 362^nd win in franchise history
- Give the Golden Knights a 19-15-3 all-time record against Los Angeles
- Give the Golden Knights an 8-1-0 record on Opening Knight
- Give Vegas their seventh consecutive season-opening win, making them the third team in the last 30 years to reach the mark

KEYS TO THE GAME
New Guys: The Golden Knights added a few new faces to their lineup for the 2025-26 season. General Manager Kelly McCrimmon stated that the additions of Mitch Marner, Colton Sissons, Jeremy Lauzon, and Cole Reinhardt create a lineup that is elite and follows the teams’ winning mentality.

Fresh Start: The new season ensures a fresh 0-0-0 start for every team. Head Coach Bruce Cassidy stated that he is looking for the team to play winning hockey as quickly as possible by focusing on details, fundamentals, and building team chemistry right out of the gate.