Vegas Golden Knights’ Forward Group Matured Last Season – The Hockey Writers – Vegas Golden Knights

For much of their existence, the Vegas Golden Knights have built their success through aggressive trades and blockbuster acquisitions. From Mark Stone to Jack Eichel and Tomas Hertl, general manager Kelly McCrimmon has never been afraid to take a big swing if it means improving the roster.

That philosophy has often led to criticism that Vegas doesn’t develop its own players or lacks young “homegrown” contributors. They had a great homegrown contributor in Pavel Dorofeyev, but he was traded to the New York Rangers on June 26.

Throughout the 2025-26 season, the Golden Knights dealt with injuries, lineup and coaching changes, along with another deep playoff run. If there was one consistently positive development throughout the year, it was the reminder that, despite having one of the best veteran cores in the NHL, the team also has a deep and versatile forward group.

Brett Howden Took Another Step Forward

Every contender needs players that can exceed expectations; few players fit that description better than Brett Howden throughout the season. Since arriving in Vegas, Howden has steadily developed into an important piece of the Golden Knights’ lineup. His performance throughout the 2025-26 season was a key factor in establishing himself as more than just a depth option.

With 12 goals and 10 assists across 58 regular season games as well as 14 goals and four assists over 22 playoff games, Howden showed that he can contribute offensively while handling an increase in responsibility throughout the lineup. Whether he was playing down the middle, moving to the wing or playing on special teams, he consistently earned the trust of both head coach Bruce Cassidy and John Tortorella.

What’s most important is that he proved capable of producing in a middle-six role. This is significant for Vegas moving forward, as championship contenders are always searching for players who can provide secondary scoring without eating up top-line minutes or massive contracts. His ability to play in varying positions and situations makes him one of Vegas’ most dependable players behind the stars.

The Forward Group Weathered Injuries Again

Rarely does an NHL team make it through a season with a fully healthy lineup… even more rare is Vegas making it through without injury. At various points, injuries forced players into larger roles and required the coaching staff to shuffle lines. With many teams, those kinds of disruptions can derail the offense. Lucky for Vegas, that never truly happened.

Instead, the Golden Knights continued to find ways to generate offense regardless of who was unavailable. Throughout the lineup, players were able to step into bigger roles when needed, and the team’s overall structure allowed them to maintain their identity no matter who was on the ice.

Players like Colton Sissons, Nic Dowd and Keegan Kolesar showed that they were able to provide meaningful minutes when it was necessary, while veterans embraced different roles depending on the team’s needs. The ability to move players through the lineup without significantly altering the team’s style of play became one of the biggest strengths of the season.

A Promising Sign for the Future

Perhaps one of the most encouraging aspects of these developments is what they say about the organization as a whole. For years, the Golden Knights have been defined by their willingness to acquire an established star and relentlessness on the market. That approach has worked well for them, producing Stanley Cup Final appearances and a championship in just eight seasons.

However, the NHL’s salary cap system eventually requires every contender to revert back to younger, less expensive players able to step into larger roles. The 2025-26 season started to suggest that the Golden Knights are stepping into that phase. Howden has continued to outperform expectations and has become one of the most valuable depth pieces, and shown that he can provide meaningful NHL minutes. These developments may not be headline-grabbing the same way a blockbuster trade is, but they prove important to the organization’s future in a different way.

The veteran core remains firmly in place and should be able to keep the team among the Western Conference’s contenders. But one of the biggest positives from this season was the realization that the next group of forwards is beginning to emerge.