The Golden Knights are in a wide-open race for the Stanley Cup in the 2026 playoffs, where most teams could potentially be bounced in the first round or win it all. The Golden Knights, known for their resilience and strong play under head coach John Tortorella, have found their game well under the new regime and are looking forward to a challenging first-round series against Utah. The last team to win both the President’s Cup for best regular-season record and Stanley Cup simultaneously in the same season was Chicago in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign. Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb credits his team's strong performance and belief in their ability to perform well in the playoffs. The team's recent success is attributed to goalie Carter Hart returning from injury.