The Vegas Golden Knights face a challenging week ahead, navigating a congested schedule, a series of injuries, and the looming "January Curse". Despite these hurdles, the team also celebrates the selection of several players to the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The "January Curse" and Recent Struggles
The Golden Knights are currently experiencing a slump, with a record of 1-5-3 in their last nine games. Historically, January has been a difficult month for the franchise; statistically, it's their worst month since 2020. The team has a lifetime record of 43-34-13 in January. Some have described the "January Curse" as a "pigeon that poops on the Golden Knights' Maserati". Entering January, the Golden Knights have been described as navigating a grim stretch of play. In their last six contests, they surrendered 25 goals. However, the upcoming schedule is considered "soft," presenting a crucial opportunity to regain momentum before the Olympic break. The team is aiming for a "New Year's Resolution" to maintain consistency.
Injury Woes
The Golden Knights are grappling with several key injuries:
- Brayden McNabb: Week-to-week with an upper-body injury, ending his "Iron Man" streak of 298 consecutive games.
- William Karlsson: Out week-to-week with a lower-body injury and is reportedly expected to miss the Winter Olympics for Team Sweden. Karlsson has been placed on the long-term injured reserve list.
- Shea Theodore: Currently on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.
- Adin Hill: On injured reserve until at least January 14, leaving Carter Hart and Akira Schmid to tend the net. Hill is dealing with a lower-body injury.
- Mark Stone: Listed as day-to-day.
On a positive note, Jack Eichel has returned to the lineup after missing seven games due to a lower-body injury.
Olympic Roster Nods
Despite the team's struggles, several Golden Knights players have been named to Olympic rosters for the 2026 Milano Cortina Games:
- Team Canada: Mark Stone, Mitch Marner, and Shea Theodore.
- Team USA: Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin. Hanifin represented Team USA during last year's 4 Nations Face-Off.
- Team Denmark: Jonas Rondbjerg.
However, William Karlsson will not be available to compete for Team Sweden due to injury.
Schedule for the Week of January 5-12
- January 6: at Winnipeg Jets
- January 8: vs Columbus Blue Jackets
- January 10: vs St. Louis Blues
- January 11: at San Jose Sharks
