Golden Knights roster at a glance for Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Vegas Golden Knights clinched a spot in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs for the eighth time in their nine seasons, but the ride was a bumpy one, including a coaching change with eight games remaining in the regular season when John Tortorella was hired to replace Bruce Cassidy on March 29. Still, they went 39-26-17 to win the Pacific Division. 
With 11 players remaining from the team that won the Stanley Cup in 2023, there is a core of experienced winners that know how to handle whatever the playoffs throw at them.
Here is the 2026 Vegas Golden Knights roster at a glance:

FORWARDS

Ivan Barbashev (6-0, 203), Moscow, Russia: Barbashev set an NHL career-best with 61 points (23 goals, 38 assists) in 82 games. Barbashev was acquired by the Golden Knights in a trade with the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 26, 2023, and had 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 22 postseason games to help Vegas win the Stanley Cup. The 30-year-old had six points (three goals, three assists) during the playoffs in 2019 to help the Blues win the Cup.

Pavel Dorofeyev (6-1, 194), Nizhny Tagil, Russia: Dorofeyev led Vegas with 37 goals in 82 games, the second-straight season he's scored at least 35 and became the first Golden Knights player to have consecutive 30-goal seasons. The 25-year-old also set a Vegas single-season record with 20 power-play goals. He was selected by the Golden Knights in the third round (No. 79) of the 2019 NHL Draft.

Nic Dowd (6-2, 195), Huntsville, Alabama: Dowd had five points (one goal, four assists) in 20 games in a bottom-six role after being acquired in a trade with the Washington Capitals on March 5. The 35-year-old also provides a physical presence and strong defensive play.

Jack Eichel (6-2, 208), North Chelmsford, Massachusetts: The 29-year-old had a team-leading 9- points (27 goals, 63 assists) in 74 games. In his fifth season since being acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres on Nov. 4, 2021, he's been the Golden Knights' No. 1 center almost since he debuted for them on Feb. 16, 2022, following surgery for a neck injury. He led Vegas with 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) in 22 games in the run to the Stanley Cup in 2023, and this season added a gold medal with Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics to his resume.

Tomas Hertl (6-3, 220), Praha, Czechia: Hertl had 58 points (24 goals, 34 assists) in 82 games in his third season with Vegas since being acquired in a trade with the San Jose Sharks on March 8, 2024. The 32-year-old can play center or on the wing, and has been used most recently in the middle on the third line. He's a key part of Vegas' top power play unit, and his 13 power-play goals were second-most on the team.

Alexander Holtz (6-0, 198), Stockholm, Sweden: The 24-year-old played a depth role with nine points (three goals, six assists) in 28 games, and he also had nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 13 games with Henderson of the American Hockey League. He was acquired in a trade with the New Jersey Devils, along with goalie Akira Schmid, on June 29, 2024.

Brett Howden (6-2, 201), Oakbank, Manitoba: The 28-year-old had 22 points (12 goals, 10 assists) in 58 games playing center in a middle-six role. He missed 21 games because of a lower-body injury. He's in his fifth season with the Golden Knights since being acquired in a trade with the New York Rangers on July 17, 2021. In his second season with Vegas, he had 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 22 playoff games in the run to the Cup, including the overtime winner against the Dallas Stars in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final.

William Karlsson (6-0, 190), Marsta, Sweden: One of the four remaining "Golden Misfits" from Vegas' expansion season in 2017-18, the 33-year-old has been out since Nov. 8 because of a lower-body injury and his availability for the postseason is unknown. He had seven points (four goals, three assists) in 14 games.

Keegan Kolesar (6-2, 216), Brandon, Manitoba: The 29-year-old had 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) and was seventh in the NHL with 270 hits in 82 games on the fourth line. Kolesar made his NHL debut with Vegas on Jan. 11, 2020, after being acquired in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets on June 24, 2017. He had five points (two goals, three assists) to help Vegas win the Cup in 2023.

Mitch Marner (6-0, 180), Markham, Ontario: Vegas' biggest offseason move was acquiring Marner in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1 after he signed an eight-year contract. The 28-year-old had five points (one goal, four assists) in six games to help Team Canada win the silver medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics, and stayed at a high level when the NHL season resumed, with a team-best 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) in 24 games. He finished second on the team with 80 points (24 goals, 56 assists) in 81 games while playing mostly center, a change after he spent most of his first nine NHL seasons at right wing.

Brandon Saad (6-1, 207), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: The 33-year-old had nine points (three goals, six assists) in 49 games as a depth forward. A two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks (2013, 2015), Saad is in his second season with Vegas after being signed as a free agent Jan. 31, 2025.

Colton Sissons (6-1, 200), North Vancouver, British Columbia: He had 11 points (six goals, five assists) in 66 games in a bottom-six role in his first season with Vegas after being acquired, along with defenseman Jeremy Lauzon, in a trade with the Nashville Predators on June 30. He can be trusted to play against other teams' top players, and also has experience in big games, including 12 points (six goals, six assists) in 22 games to help the Predators reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2017.

Cole Smith (6-3, 195), Brainerd, Minnesota: The 30-year-old scored two goals in 21 games after being acquired in a trade with the Nashville Predators on March 3. 

Reilly Smith (6-1, 185), Mimico, Ontario: An original Golden Knight, Smith had 26 points (16 goals, 10 assists) in 69 games in the second season of his return to Vegas after being acquired in a trade with the New York Rangers on March 6, 2025. He scored the game-winning goal in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final in a 9-3 win against the Florida Panthers in 2023, and his 21 playoff goals are fourth all-time for Vegas.

Mark Stone (6-3, 210), Winnipeg, Manitoba: Stone has the third-most points for Vegas with 73 (28 goals, 45 assists) despite playing 60 games because of injuries. When the 33-year-old is healthy, he is an offensive driver and two-way threat, scoring nine power-play goals and one short-handed goal. In his eighth season with Vegas since being acquired in a trade with the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 25, 2019, he was named Vegas' first captain on Jan. 13, 2021. He had 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists) in 22 playoff games when the Golden Knights won the Cup in 2023.

DEFENSEMEN

Rasmus Andersson (6-1, 202), Malmo, Sweden: He had 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) and averaged 21:42 of ice time in 33 games after being acquired in a trade with the Calgary Flames on Jan. 18. The 29-year-old had an NHL career-best with 17 goals in 81 games. He's a dependable presence who has skated at least 21:00 per game for six-straight seasons.

Noah Hanifin (6-3, 206), Boston Massachusetts: The 29-year-old has formed a solid second defense pair alongside Andersson, who was also his teammate for six seasons (2018-24) with the Flames. Hanifin had 28 points (three goals, 25 assists) and averaged 22:36 in ice time in 71 games in his third season with the Golden Knights after being acquired from the Flames as part of a three-team deal that included the Philadelphia Flyers on March 6, 2024. Hanifin also won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Ben Hutton (6-3, 209), Brockville, Ontario: The 32-year-old had 15 points (six goals, nine assists) and averaged 14:35 of ice time in 55 games in a depth role. In his fifth season since signing as a free agent on Oct. 28, 2021, he played two games in the run to the Stanley Cup in 2023.

Kaedan Korczak (6-3, 206), Yorkton, Saskatchewan: In his fifth season with Vegas, the 25-year-old set NHL career-highs in games (78), goals (three), assists (13) and points (16). Selected by Vegas in the second round (No. 41) of the 2019 NHL Draft, Korczak had a plus-6, even-strength goal differential, second among Vegas defensemen in the regular season.

Jeremy Lauzon (6-3, 225), Val-d'Or, Quebec: Acquired in a trade with the Nashville Predators on June 30, he had 13 points (one goal, 12 assists) in 68 games. The 28-year-old led Vegas defensemen with 251 hits, was third with 97 blocked shots, and his average ice time of 1:54 per game short-handed was second on Vegas.

Brayden McNabb (6-4, 215), Davidson, Saskatchewan: Another of the remaining "Golden Misfits," McNabb had 11 points (five goals, seven assists) in 63 games. He missed 19 games because of an upper-body injury sustained Dec. 31. He played mostly on the top pair alongside Theodore, and his 20:31 of ice time is fourth among Vegas defensemen. He was first over the boards when Vegas was short-handed, averaging 2:25 per game, and his 142 blocked shots led the team in the regular season. He had four assists and a plus-7 rating in 21 games during the 2023 playoffs to help Vegas win the Cup.

Shea Theodore (6-2, 197), Aldergrove, British Columbia: The 30-year-old had 39 points (10 goals, 29 assists) and averaged 22:50 of ice time in 70 games. He made a smooth adjustment in responsibility as Vegas' No. 1 defenseman following the health-related departure of Alex Pietrangelo after last season. His 65 points in the playoffs are fifth among all Vegas players. That includes 13 points (one goal, 12 assists) in 21 postseason games in the successful 2023 Stanley Cup run.

GOALIES

Carter Hart (6-2, 196), Sherwood Park, Alberta: Hart went 11-3-3 with a 2.71 goals-against average and .891 save percentage in 17 games. The 27-year-old signed a two-year contract on Oct. 24 and made his season debut Dec. 2 against the Chicago Blackhawks, making 27 saves in a 4-3 shootout win. 

Adin Hill (6-4, 222), Comox, British Columbia: Hill was 10-9-6 with a 3.04 GAA, .871 save percentage and one shutout in 27 games in his fourth season with the Golden Knights since being acquired in a trade with the San Jose Sharks on Aug. 29, 2022. He emerged as Vegas' No. 1 goalie during the 2023 Stanley Cup run, going 11-4 with a .932 save percentage and two shutouts in 16 playoff games (14 starts). 

Akira Schmid (6-5, 190), Bern, Switzerland: Injuries to Hill and Hart allowed the 25-year-old to set NHL career-bests in games (34), starts (29), wins (16) and shutouts (two). He also had a 2.59 GAA and .893 save percentage. Schmid might not see much time during the playoffs, but he gives the coaching staff a strong third option if either of the other goalies falter. He's in his second season with Vegas after being acquired in a trade with the New Jersey Devils on June 29, 2024.