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.”

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

The Las Vegas Raiders are working toward finalizing an agreement to make Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak their head coach, a person with knowledge of the discussions said Sunday.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no contract was in place and no announcement can be made until after next Sunday's Super Bowl between the Seahawks and New England Patriots in Santa Clara, California.

Kubiak interviewed with the Raiders on Saturday for the second time and appeared in recent days to be their primary target.

Kubiak, 38, would be the third coach in three seasons for the Raiders and fifth full-time leader since they moved to Las Vegas in 2020. He succeeds Pete Carroll, who went 3-14 in one season in Las Vegas after a storied run with Seattle that included two Super Bowl appearances and one championship.

Kubiak likely will be counted on to mold Fernando Mendoza, who led Indiana to the national championship, into the franchise quarterback the organization has long sought. The Raiders own the top pick in this year's draft, and they are expected to use that selection on the Heisman Trophy winner.

The front office will have nearly $90 million in salary cap space to surround Mendoza with talent, the second-highest amount in the league, according to overthecap.com.

It was Kubiak's work with Sam Darnold that got the Raiders' attention. Darnold, taken third overall by the New York Jets in the 2018 NFL draft, had been considered a bust until leading Minnesota to a 14-win season in 2024. But the Vikings moved on from Darnold, and he proved that season was no fluke, winning 14 games in Seattle en route to making the Super Bowl against New England.

Kubiak's father, Gary, coached Denver to the Super Bowl title in the 2015 seasons, and he played quarterback for the Broncos from 1983-91. Gary and Klint Kubiak would be the 10th father-son pair to serve as NFL head coaches, including interim coaches.

Kubiak also has two brothers who are on staffs of other NFL teams — Klay with San Francisco and Klein with Dallas. Klay Kubiak, the 49ers' offensive coordinator, also interviewed with the Raiders.

The Raiders have been searching for a path back to their glory days. Three Lombardi Trophies sit in the team's facility, but the Raiders haven't won a playoff game since their last Super Bowl appearance in the 2002 season. They have made the postseason just twice since then, most recently in the 2021 season.

Owner Mark Davis, frustrated at the lack of success, put the search in the hands of minority owner Tom Brady and general manager John Spytek.

Brady was notably complimentary of Kubiak while serving as the Fox Sports analyst during the NFC championship game last Sunday between the Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams NFC. Darnold completed 25 of 36 passes for 346 yards and three touchdowns in Seattle's 31-27 victory.

Davis also made it clear that Brady and Spytek will oversee football operations even beyond the coaching search.

The Raiders interviewed 15 candidates.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl