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Adin Hill, Vegas Golden Knights (Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Golden Knights: 3 Key Ingredients for a Deep Playoff Run in 2025

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Cooper Krigbaum | Last updated Apr 11, 2025 10:05 AM ET

Last season at this time, the Vegas Golden Knights were clinging to playoff hopes, ultimately sliding in as the second wild card team and drawing a first-round matchup with the Dallas Stars.

Just one point shy of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning New York Rangers, the Stars ousted the defending Stanley Cup champions in a highly contested seven-game series. A year after their historic run, the misfits packed their bags earlier than expected.

This season, though, has been a different story.

The Golden Knights are chasing their fourth Pacific Division title in just their eighth year of existence—and they’re making a convincing case as one of the NHL’s best. With 103 points as of April 9, Vegas sits second in the Western Conference and fourth overall in the NHL.

But as history reminds us, playoff success takes more than a strong regular season. So, what needs to fall into place for a second Stanley Cup to find its way to the Strip?

Here are three key ingredients for a deep playoff push for the Golden Knights.

Goaltending

On March 14, almost a month ago, general manager Kelly McCrimmon extended goaltender Adin Hill to a six-year contract worth $6.25 million per season. This season, he’s been their rock in net, holding a .906 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.49 goals-against average (GAA).

Being one of the league’s best goaltenders, it’s vital for this Golden Knights team that he’s on his A-game. In his last 10 games, he’s 7-2-1 with a .918 SV% and a 2.06 GAA; that would be sixth best over this 10-game span, but tied for first in wins.

Hill has had his ups and downs, as every goaltender does during the season, but it seems like he’s catching fire. What better time to do that than in April, mere days before the playoffs?

Given the stature of some of the teams in the Western Conference, if the Golden Knights want to have a chance, they’ll need to have their backbone at his best.

Defend the Fortress

It’s no secret the Western Conference is stacked, given some of the moves teams made at the trade deadline. The Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, and Winnipeg Jets all added ahead of the playoffs and look like favorites to win it all. Each team has its case, but so do the Golden Knights.

Only five teams have better home records this season, the Jets and Stars being two of them. With a 27-9-3 record, it will be key to defending the fortress during the playoffs. This came back to bite them last year against the Stars, losing two out of three at home during the seven-game series.

As we wind down playoff matchups, it’ll likely be the St. Louis Blues or Minnesota Wild for the Golden Knights. To put it in perspective further, the Wild have the second-best away record in the league as compared to the Blues, who are at 11.

Winning on home ice is critical in the playoffs, and it’s going to be one of the biggest determinations when it’s all said and done for Vegas.

Special Teams

Ah, yes, special teams, the make-or-break for most teams in the playoffs. While the playoffs are a different beast compared to the regular season, it’s fair to say that the Golden Knights’ power play will continue to dominate come late April. Tomáš Hertl’s
addition last season and Pavel Dorofeyev’s surge this season have made a lethal combination for any penalty kill.

Adding to that, having Jack Eichel and his career year helps a lot. Using the power play to their advantage will be important as there’s a reason it’s one of the best in the league, with a conversion rate of 29.1, sitting behind the Jets.

Victor Olofsson, Vegas Golden Knights (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)

However, the penalty kill is a different story, something that’s been a work in progress since puck drop in October. They only kill 76.1 percent, which is in the bottom half of the league.

If they want to come out of the gates firing on all cylinders, they must keep the PP hot and get the PK going.

Playoffs Rapidly Approaching

The Golden Knights kick things off on April 19, just 11 days away. It’ll be interesting to see who between the Wild and Blues leap into that first wild card spot and ultimately play Vegas in the first round. Regardless of who they play, though, they’ll need these three things to get another sniff at another Stanley Cup.