Toronto Star
· collected 2026-09-18 · by Mark Anderson The Associated Press
The Las Vegas Golden Knights opened their training camp with a sense of unfinished business after coming two victories short of winning the Stanley Cup last season. Center Jack Eichel and general manager Kelly McCrimmon emphasized the team's hunger to win, particularly since they have been among favorites at +850 to 10-1 odds for this upcoming season. The article highlights the franchise’s history of making significant changes, including coaching transitions that led them to their most recent Stanley Cup Final appearance under Bruce Cassidy and John Tortorella.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Golden Knights, entering their 10th season, opened training camp with a sense of unfinished business after falling just short of winning the Stanley Cup last year. The team fired and hired three coaches in quick succession following an unexpected run to the Stanley Cup Finals against Carolina, where they led 2-1 at one point but ultimately fell short by two victories. Center Jack Eichel emphasized that coming so close to victory is hard to forget, motivating the team as they prepare for the new season, which starts with a game against Chicago on September 29. The Golden Knights remain among the favorites, listed at odds between +850 and 10-1, highlighting their status as Cup contenders once again.
Written for “Nhl Golden Knights Camp” on 2026-09-18,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Life is seldom dull around the Golden Knights, and that was certainly the case at the end of last season when Vegas fired its championship coach, hired another title-winning coach and then moved on to a third after an unlikely Stanley Cup Final run.
asserted
Vegas → fire → run
What truly matters to the Golden Knights is not so much the process, but the end.
asserted
matters → matter → Knights
They came two victories from their second Cup in four years, even leading Carolina 2-1 at one point.
“You don’t forget coming two games short of winning the Stanley Cup,” center Jack Eichel said Thursday on the first day of training camp.
asserted
Eichel → come → camp
Now with another season seemingly suddenly upon them with Chicago visiting on Sept. 29, the Golden Knights are especially hungry to finish the job.
asserted
Knights → visit → job
They again are among the favorites, listed at between +850 and 10-1 odds at major sportsbooks.
asserted
They → list → sportsbooks
As Vegas enters its 10th season, the standard has been the Cup since the Golden Knights made the final in its first year in 2018 and lost in five games to Washington.
asserted
Knights → enter → Washington
“I sure think it’s unfinished business,” general manager Kelly McCrimmon said.
asserted
McCrimmon → think → ?
“You’re two wins away from a Stanley Cup and weren’t able to make that happen.
asserted
that → ’re → Cup
That’s the focus going into every year.
asserted
That → ’ → year
It’s a long journey.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
You’ve got to be a playoff team first.
asserted
You → get → ?
You’ve got to take the steps that go with it, which starts with a good camp, a good start to the regular season and then it’s 84 games.
asserted
it → get → season
This franchise has never been afraid to make big changes, beginning with the run-up to the expansion draft in 2017.
asserted
franchise → make → 2017
Vegas made a series of shrewd moves that landed them such cornerstone players as William Karlsson and Shea Theodore who remain key members of the roster.
asserted
who → make → roster
Management never stopped trying to upgrade the lineup — and those who coached the players.
asserted
who → stop → players
The Golden Knights fired Gerard Gallant in January 2020 and Pete DeBoer in May 2022, and even Bruce Cassidy was far from irreplaceable after taking Vegas to the 2023 Cup title.
uncertain
Cassidy → fire → title
He was let go with eight games left last season and the Golden Knights in danger of missing the playoffs.
asserted
Knights → let → playoffs
In came John Tortorella, who led Tampa Bay to the 2004 championship and introduced a fiery element to the Golden Knights locker room.
asserted
who → come → room
That sparked the players on a 7-0-1 season-ending run to go from third place in the Pacific Division to first.
asserted
That → spark → first
Vegas then rolled through the first three rounds of the playoffs, including pulling off a stunning sweep of Presidents’ Trophy winner Colorado.
asserted
Vegas → roll → Colorado
The Golden Knights then came close to winning another Cup, taking a 2-1 lead over the Hurricanes that probably should have been 3-0 if not for blowing a two-goal lead in the third period of Game 2.
asserted
that → come → Game
Carolina closed out the series in six games on Vegas’ ice.
asserted
Carolina → close → ice
“When you come that close, it stinks,” forward Mitch Marner said.
asserted
Marner → come → ?
Even though Tortorella got the Golden Knights so close, he was gone shortly afterward.
asserted
he → get → ?
The franchise had its eyes on Ryan Craig, who coached the club’s American Hockey League affiliate in neighboring Henderson.
asserted
who → have → Henderson
Few know the organization better; he has been with the main club or in the system since 2017.
asserted
he → know → 2017
“I don’t think Craig is going to have to change a whole lot when it comes to messaging as far as the way we do things and operate,” captain Mark Stone said.
asserted
Stone → think → things
“We were two games away from another Stanley Cup, so we like (how) the team was built.
asserted
team → like → Cup
We like where the team’s mindset is.
asserted
mindset → like → ?
“He needs to kind of get his message out there, but I’m pretty confident in the ability of the guys in the room to take whatever message we’re getting and run with it.”
asserted
we → need → it
The Golden Knights will never be satisfied with falling short.
asserted
Knights → satisfy → ?
They have missed the playoffs just once in team history, one of the greatest expansion franchises ever in North American major sports.
asserted
They → miss → sports
Everyone knows the expectations and understands management will do whatever it can fulfill those.
asserted
it → know → those
“I feel like this group always feels like we have something to prove,” Eichel said.
asserted
Eichel → feel → something
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