The end of summer is fast-approaching, which means the Vegas Golden Knights are less than two months away. Here are some thoughts about the anxious wait.

It’s May 5, 2024. The Vegas Golden Knights are in a tight battle with the Dallas Stars in Game 7 of the first round. It’s a goaltender battle between Jake Oettinger and Adin Hill, with both netminders dueling to the death. Ultimately, the Stars prevailed by a score of 2-1, sending the Golden Knights home early.

It was a drastic fall from grace for the defending champions, who were suddenly leaving the Stanley Cup playoffs. The team with the all-star cast was looking to the offseason, where numerous question marks emerged.

“Could Vegas retain any of their unrestricted free agents?”

“What moves could the Golden Knights make to remedy the potential losses?”

Unfortunately, the two answers went to the wayside as the team lost nearly half their starting forwards from 2023-24. On top of that, they missed out on big names like Steven Stamkos, who’s hob-nobbing with Luke Bryan in Nashville. It was a disastrous period for Kelly McCrimmon, who resorted to signing low-cost options like Victor Olofsson.

The good news is it’s less than two months for Vegas to turn the page. They can get off on the right foot by pummeling the Colorado Avalanche in the season opener at T-Mobile Arena. They will put away the summer heat that’s melting everyone away, bringing in cooler temperatures. But what will be some things to watch for when the new hockey year rolls around?

The Vegas Golden Knights have a revenge tour in mind, starting at T-Mobile Arena

October 9 will be when the unofficial “Revenge Tour” starts for the Vegas Golden Knights. They want to dominate the Stanley Cup playoffs again and hoist the most coveted trophy in sports. Of course, that will feature new faces on the team, which include Olofsson and Ilya Samsonov.

However, fans will see Noah Hanifin and Tomas Hertl play their first full season with the Golden Knights. Last season, Hertl was absent in the playoff series against the Dallas Stars, while Hanifin was decent. Fans will see what these two superstars will do in a full campaign. The center is projected to be deployed on the second line with Mark Stone and Pavel Dorofeyev, while the defenseman is predicted to be part of the first pairing.

As for the goalie situation, all eyes will be on Adin Hill as the starting goaltender for 2024-25. The British Columbia native has the chance to sell goaltending and goaltending accessories. Of course, that starts with staying healthy, which has been a consistent problem during his Vegas tenure.

Other storylines will emerge, including how the team will handle hockey in a post-Marchessault world. Not having the “Original Misfit” around will sting. However, it’s a new season and fans root for the logo on the front of the jersey. When they arrive at T-Mobile Arena, the only thing on their minds will be watching their favorite team compete for another Stanley Cup. After that, there will be another all-night party at Toshiba Plaza, where the temperatures will be as hot as the team.