Mark Stone scored in his sixth consecutive game on January 9, 2026, leading the Vegas Golden Knights to a 5-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. His scoring streak is now one game shy of tying the franchise record set by Max Pacioretty. But Stone’s hot hand isn’t the biggest story surrounding the Golden Knights right now.
Seven players from the Vegas roster will represent their countries at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics next month. That’s more than most NHL franchises and a testament to what this expansion team has built in less than a decade of existence. When the Golden Knights took the ice for their first game in October 2017, skeptics wondered if Las Vegas could support professional hockey. Now, the city is sending nearly a quarter of an Olympic hockey roster to Italy.
The Canadian Contingent
Three Golden Knights will wear the maple leaf in Milano Cortina. Mark Stone, the team captain, heads to his first Olympics after years of international experience. He represented Canada at the 2019 IIHF World Championship and won gold at the 2016 World Championship. His 1.43 points per game currently ranks fifth among all NHL skaters.
Stone’s leadership extends beyond statistics. He’s the emotional core of this team, the player who sets the tone in the locker room and on the ice. Canada’s coaching staff understands what he brings. Players like Stone don’t show up on highlight reels every night, but they win championships.
Mitch Marner joins Stone on Canada’s roster. Playing in his 700th career NHL game on January 11, Marner recorded a goal and an assist in a 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. His addition to the Golden Knights via trade midseason provided exactly the offensive firepower Vegas needed. He’s a playmaker who makes everyone around him better, the kind of player who elevates his entire line.
Defenseman Shea Theodore completes the Canadian trio. His time on ice leads all Golden Knights, and his 20 points through the first half of the season demonstrates his importance to Vegas’s blue line. Theodore recorded a career-high 57 points last season and earned a silver medal at the 2019 IIHF World Championship. His ability to contribute offensively while maintaining defensive responsibility makes him invaluable in international competition.
Head coach Bruce Cassidy will also represent Canada, joining his players in Italy. Having your head coach and three key players together at the Olympics creates interesting dynamics. They’ll spend two weeks competing at the highest level, building chemistry that could pay dividends when the NHL season resumes.
The American Duo
Forward Jack Eichel and defenseman Noah Hanifin will represent the United States. Both players are experiencing their first Olympics, though they’ve competed internationally before.
Eichel was one of the first six Americans named to the preliminary roster back in June. His selection surprised nobody who watches hockey regularly. He’s one of the elite centers in the game, capable of taking over shifts and creating scoring chances from nothing. His vision and hockey IQ allow him to see plays developing before they happen.
Hanifin has played 31 games this season, producing 16 points from the blue line. The Boston native represented the United States at the 2025 Four Nations Face-Off in February, helping the Americans advance to the championship game. He’s also competed internationally at three IIHF World Championships and twice at the World Junior Championship.
The United States plays Latvia in their first game on February 12. Both Eichel and Hanifin will be under pressure to deliver. American hockey has historically underperformed at the Olympics despite having elite NHL talent. This year feels different, but that’s what people say every four years.
The Czech Addition
Forward Tomas Hertl rounds out the Golden Knights’ Olympic contingent, representing Czechia. Team Czechia announced on January 6 that Hertl had been named to the roster, giving Vegas representation across three nations.
Hertl brings veteran experience and a scoring touch to the Czech team. His style of play fits international hockey perfectly. He’s physical, skilled, and capable of producing in tight-checking games where space is limited.
What This Means for Vegas
Having seven players at the Olympics creates both opportunities and risks for the Golden Knights. On the positive side, it’s tremendous exposure for the franchise. Every time Stone, Marner, Theodore, Eichel, Hanifin, Hertl, or Cassidy appears on screen during Olympic coverage, viewers see Vegas Golden Knights highlighted. That’s marketing you can’t buy.
The international competition also provides development opportunities. Players face different styles of play, adapt to international ice dimensions, and experience pressure situations that don’t exist in regular season games. They return to their NHL teams with new perspectives and experiences.
But there are also concerns. Injuries happen in international competition. A player could suffer a season-ending injury while representing their country, leaving the Golden Knights short-handed for the playoff push. It’s happened before to other teams, and it will happen again.
The fatigue factor is real. These players will spend two weeks competing at maximum intensity, flying across time zones, dealing with different schedules, and adjusting to unfamiliar environments. When they return, they’ll have missed two weeks of practice with their actual team. The NHL season pauses for the Olympics, but the adjustment period afterward affects performance.
The Franchise Perspective
Step back and consider what having seven Olympians says about the Golden Knights as an organization. In 2017, this franchise didn’t exist. General Manager George McPhee had to build a roster from expansion draft leftovers, players other teams didn’t protect. Everyone expected Vegas to struggle for years while developing young talent and accumulating assets.
Instead, the Golden Knights made the Stanley Cup Final in their first season. They won the Stanley Cup in their sixth season. And now, entering their ninth season, they have seven players representing three countries at the Olympics.
That’s not luck. That’s organizational excellence.
The front office makes smart trades, drafts well, develops players, and creates a culture where elite talent wants to play. Vegas is no longer a hockey afterthought. It’s a destination.
Players who join the Golden Knights talk about the professionalism of the organization, the quality of the facilities, and the enthusiasm of the fans. T-Mobile Arena sells out regularly. The atmosphere rivals any building in the league. The city has fully embraced hockey in ways many traditional markets haven’t.
The Mid-Season Reality Check
Despite having seven Olympians, the Golden Knights sit at 20-11-12 through 43 games. That’s good enough to lead the Pacific Division, but it’s not the dominant performance many expected. The team has dealt with injuries all season, inconsistent goaltending, and defensive lapses that have cost them games they should have won.
Carter Hart left the January 9 game against Columbus in the first period with a lower-body injury after facing just one shot. He didn’t return. Akira Schmid came in relief and stopped 21 of 23 shots, but the constant goaltending changes are creating instability.
The Golden Knights survived the first half by finding ways to win close games and getting production from their stars. Stone’s six-game goal streak exemplifies this. When your best players are your best players, you can overcome other weaknesses. But playoff hockey is different. Depth matters. Goaltending matters. Defense matters.
The Olympic break comes at an interesting time. The Golden Knights need rest and recovery, but they also need to maintain momentum. The two-week pause could help injured players heal, or it could disrupt the team’s rhythm.
Looking Ahead to Italy
The men’s hockey tournament runs from February 11 through February 22. NHL players are participating for the first time since 2014, making this Olympics particularly significant. The top hockey nations will field their strongest possible rosters, and the competition will be fierce.
Canada plays Czechia in their opening game on February 12. That means Stone, Marner, Theodore, and Cassidy will face Hertl in a meaningful game. It’s the kind of storyline that makes international hockey compelling. Teammates become opponents. Friendships get tested. National pride takes over.
The United States plays Latvia the same day. Eichel and Hanifin will be expected to dominate that matchup and set the tone for the tournament.
Every Vegas Golden Knights fan will be watching with mixed emotions. Pride that their players are representing their countries. Anxiety that someone might get hurt. Excitement to see how they perform on the world’s biggest stage.
The Championship Window
The Golden Knights are built to win now. They have elite talent, experienced veterans, and the depth to compete with anyone. But the window doesn’t stay open forever. Players age, contracts expire, salary cap constraints force difficult decisions.
Having seven players at the Olympics reinforces that this team is in championship mode. These are the years when everything needs to come together. The front office has assembled a roster capable of winning another Stanley Cup. Now the players need to deliver.
The path runs through the Olympics first. Stone, Marner, Theodore, Eichel, Hanifin, Hertl, and Cassidy will spend two weeks competing for gold medals. Then they’ll return to Las Vegas and focus on the real goal: bringing another championship to Nevada.
For a city that didn’t have professional hockey nine years ago, having seven players at the Olympics represents validation. Las Vegas isn’t just a hockey market. It’s one of the best hockey markets in North America.
Key Insights
Seven Golden Knights representing three nations at the 2026 Olympics demonstrates the franchise’s rapid ascent from expansion team to elite NHL organization in less than a decade.
The Olympic break creates both opportunities for rest and injury recovery while introducing risks of international competition injuries and potential disruption to team chemistry and momentum.
Mark Stone’s leadership and consistent production, including a six-game goal streak, exemplifies the veteran presence needed for playoff success, though goaltending instability remains a concern.
Having head coach Bruce Cassidy and three key Canadian players together at the Olympics could enhance team chemistry or create awkward dynamics depending on Canada’s performance and any potential conflicts.
Sources
Vegas Golden Knights Official Site
8 News Now Olympic Coverage
NHL.com Game Recap
KTNV Golden Knights Schedule
NHL Golden Knights Schedule
