LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Winter Olympics break could be a great reset for the Golden Knights, who until Wednesday had lost seven of eight games.
Or the Games could be arriving at just the wrong time because Vegas had convincing victories this week over Vancouver and Los Angeles, and now any momentum likely will be gone.
Or, and most likely, the break could be a mixed bag.
That's the view of Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy, also an assistant under Team Canada coach Jon Cooper.
As Cassidy pointed out, the break isn't really one for many of his players. Nine Golden Knights are on Olympics rosters, including five for gold medal favorites the United States and Canada.
“The top guys are playing the most minutes, and they're the ones to go over there and represent their country,” Cassidy said. “I think it's a better answer on the flip side when we see when the last game is played for Canada. Well, all our guys, right?”
This roughly three-week stoppage does have the clear advantage of helping what has been a banged-up Golden Knights team get healthy.
Cassidy said he expected defenseman Brayden McNabb (upper body) back in the lineup when the team resumes play. Forwards Brandon Saad (undisclosed) and Colton Sissons (upper body) shouldn't be far behind McNabb.
Centers William Karlsson (lower body) and Brett Howden (lower body) and forward Jonas Rondbjerg (undisclosed) are week-to-week. Cassidy said he needs to see goalie Carter Hart (lower body) on the ice before knowing more about his status.
Defenseman Noah Hanifin, who also plays for the U.S., said it would be “huge” to start getting players back.
“It's obviously been a challenge for everyone this year dealing with that a little bit,” Hanifin said. “We're all hoping the guys get the recovery and the stuff they need over this break and come back.”
Cassidy has been forced to juggle his lineup all season, and it hasn't always been pretty. Vegas lost seven of eight games in late December/early January and then experienced this most recent matching skid.
The Golden Knights also have left a lot of points on the table, losing 14 games in overtime or shootouts, tied with the Kings for highest in the NHL.
Even with all that, they are four points ahead of two-time defending Western Conference champion Edmonton in the Pacific Division with a game in hand. The Golden Knights have the fourth-best odds (9-1) to win the Stanley Cup, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
“I think, all things considered, the stretches that we haven't played well, we've been able to sneak points out of games,” said defenseman Shea Theodore, who also plays for Canada. “With the lineups that we've had, we haven't had a lot of our regulars in. So that's definitely promising on the way we've been able to play over the last little bit.”
Especially the two most recent games.
The Golden Knights beat the Canucks 5-2 on Wednesday and the Kings 4-1 on Thursday.
“I know our division isn't as strong as some of the others when you look at the records, but there are still good teams in there,” Cassidy said. "For whatever reason, each of us has had our ups and downs. But I can only control what we do. We've been grinding the last 10 days.
“I didn't think we were as far away as maybe it looked, so that's the good news.”
Vegas, like the rest of the league, will be tested once the Olympic torch or extinguished, setting up what could be a war of attrition to the regular-season finish line.
The Golden Knights play 18 games in 35 days when they return to action. Cassidy said the grind will especially be tough on players who advance to the gold medal game, and a potential U.S.-Canada final also would carry all the emotions associated with a tense rivalry.
But even if those players don't get a true break, Cassidy said many not in Italy will benefit from getting some time off.
“It's different for everybody,” Cassidy said. “But is it too much for the guys not going over there, 17 days, and pick it up again? Every guy's in a different spot.”
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Vegas Golden Knights' Shea Theodore (27), Pavel Dorofeyev (16) and Mitch Marner (93) celebrate a goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Rasmus Andersson (4), defenseman Noah Hanifin (15), left wing Ivan Barbashev (49), and center Jack Eichel (9) celebrate Barbashev's goal against the Vancouver Canucks after during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — More than 24 hours before the first shot flew at a Final Four that really feels like a five-team affair, Arizona already had a win.
The Wildcats kept their coach from bolting to that fifth team — North Carolina.
Tommy Lloyd dropped the news of the contract extension that will keep him in Tucson through 2031 at Friday's news conference in advance of a titanic matchup against Michigan.
The meandering coaching search at one of the country's most storied programs has shared headlines with Saturday night's much-anticipated national semifinal that happens to feature two of Carolina's reported coaching targets.
"We’ve been able to get some things done the past couple days," Lloyd said.
Like Lloyd, Michigan coach Dusty May has spent most of this tournament batting down speculation that he might be the replacement for Hubert Davis, who was fired after the Tar Heels blew a 19-point lead in a loss to VCU in the first round of the tournament last month.
Not surprisingly, May was asked about it again the day before the big game.
“Yeah, I love it at Michigan, but you’ll never hear me comment on any other job unless Michigan lets me go and then I’ll comment on every job,” he said.
It's no big surprise that these two coaches are among the hottest commodities in hoops. Just look at the teams they brought to Indy.
There are no fewer than nine potential NBA stars sprinkled across the two rosters, which is why the winner of this, the second of Saturday night's semifinals, will almost certainly be a favorite against the UConn-Illinois winner in the undercard.
“It's the Final Four for a reason. It's the best teams, the best four," Arizona freshman Brayden Burries said. "UConn, Illinois, they're great teams. If we do win Saturday, we know we have a great shot at it. But no, we're not thinking about that now.”
Depending on which mock draft you check, Arizona's top NBA pick will either be Koa Peat (14 points, 5.5 rebounds) or Burries, a 16-point-a-game, McDonalds All-American who is shooting 68% from 3 over the tournament.
It's a striking stat for a team that attempted the third-lowest percentage of 3s in the country, if only because of all the tall, lanky talent it has across the court.
“We're doubling down on what we're good at, and we're believing in Coach Lloyd," said Arizona guard Jaden Bradley, a senior who has spent three years in Tucson after transferring from Alabama. “I like to get in the paint and get fouled. And when teams take that away, we're capable from 3 and we can knock those down, as well.”
Michigan is a 1 1/2-point favorite, according to the BetMGM Sportsbook, in a matchup of the top two teams in the KenPom rankings.
Michigan's best — but hardly its only — NBA prospect is Yaxel Lendeborg, who has scored 25, 23 and 27 in three straight blowout wins in the tournament.
Lendeborg came to Michigan last offseason from UAB. He was part of a quick rebuild, the likes of which are made possible in the era of the rapid-fire transfer portal. The architect is May, who himself arrived in Ann Arbor two seasons ago, just a year removed from a Final Four appearance with Florida A&M.
Michigan's four top scorers — Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr., Aday Mara and Elliot Cadeau — played at different colleges last season.
May conceded to feeling some relief now that the transfer portal is considered a legit way to build a roster. Gone are the days of spending hundreds of hours recruiting high schoolers, only to learn that they've chosen someplace else.
“When I say we’re saving time, we don’t waste time with all the other things,” May said. “We still have to do our research. We still have the intel. We still have to spend an inordinate amount of time. We just don’t have to spend it the way we used to.”
As this Final Four is showing, it's not just the players whose every move is under a microscope.
“I didn’t want to make this entire Final Four about that because I’m just a small part of something much bigger,” Lloyd said of his contract extension. “But on that same note, I’d also like to let you know that North Carolina is an amazing place. I mean, it’s a one of one. It’s an honor to even be considered for that job.”
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
Arizona guard Brayden Burries smiles after a win over Purdue in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 28, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Kelley L Cox)
Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg passes during practice ahead of an NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game against Arizona at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Michigan head coach Dusty May watches during practice ahead of an NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game against Arizona at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd watches during practice ahead of an NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game against against Michigan at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
