Vegas Golden Knights

Vegas Golden Knights
2017–18 Vegas Golden Knights season
Conference Western
Division Pacific
Founded 2017
History Vegas Golden Knights
2017–present
Home arena T-Mobile Arena
City Paradise, Nevada
Colors Steel grey, gold, red, black[1]
                   
Media AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain
KRLV (Fox Sports 1340/98.9)
KENO (ESPN Deportes 1460)
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Owner(s) Bill Foley (70%)[2]
Maloof family (30%)
General manager George McPhee
Head coach Gerard Gallant
Captain Vacant
Minor league affiliates Chicago Wolves (AHL)
Quad City Mallards (ECHL)
Stanley Cups 0
Conference championships 0
Presidents' Trophy 0
Division championships 0
Official website nhl.com/goldenknights

The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The team is scheduled to play their debut season in the 2017–18 NHL season, and will be a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The team is owned by Black Knight Sports & Entertainment, a consortium led by Bill Foley,[3] and will play its home games at T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada.[4]

Franchise history

Background and establishment

The NHL has had a presence in Las Vegas since 1991, when an outdoor game was held in Las Vegas, with the Los Angeles Kings facing the New York Rangers outside Caesars Palace in a preseason exhibition game. The city has since hosted the Frozen Fury, a pre-season competition between the Los Angeles Kings and the Colorado Avalanche, and the NHL Awards ceremonies have been held in Las Vegas since 2009.[5] In 2009, the media speculated about a plan involving Hollywood producer Jerry Bruckheimer to move the team then known as the Phoenix Coyotes to Nevada.[6]

Rumors of a Las Vegas expansion team surfaced again in August 2014, prospecting a new indoor arena on the Strip (built as a joint venture between Anschutz Entertainment Group, owners of the Los Angeles Kings, and MGM Resorts International) as the potential home arena, although this would later be denied by the league.[7][8][9] On November 12, 2014, it was reported by the New York Post that the league had selected the Maloof family—former owners of the National Basketball Association's Sacramento Kings, and a minority owner of the Palms Casino Resort—along with Bill Foley, to lead the ownership group for a Las Vegas expansion team. However, neither Foley, the Maloofs, AEG, or MGM commented on the speculation.[10][11] On December 8, 2014, following a meeting with the NHL's board of governors, commissioner Gary Bettman announced that he would not object to Foley holding a season ticket drive to gauge interest in a Las Vegas team. However, Bettman also warned the media to "[not] make more out of this than it is."[12][13] On February 10, 2015, the season ticket drive began, with interested parties placing ten percent deposits on season tickets for a prospective team at the new arena by the 2016–17 season. 5,000 season ticket deposits were collected by Hockey Vision Las Vegas, an organization representing the Bill Foley and the Maloof families as owners of the potential franchise, bringing the ticket drive 50 percent of the way to the self-determined goal of 10,000 deposits.[14] By April 2015, the drive had met its goal; Hockey Vision Las Vegas then began to solicit corporate and casino ticket sales to reach a supplemental goal of 13,000 total season ticket sales for the team's inaugural season.[15]

On June 24, 2015, the league officially opened up the window for prospective owners to bid on expansion teams. By this point, Foley had secured more than 13,200 season-ticket deposits for the arena. On July 21, 2015, the NHL confirmed it had received an application for an expansion team from Bill Foley for a Las Vegas team; it was one of two bids to have been submitted, the other being a bid from Quebecor to revive the Quebec Nordiques at a new arena in Quebec City. On August 5, 2015, the NHL announced it had invited both Las Vegas and Quebec to move into Phase II of the league expansion bid[16] and subsequently advanced to Phase III. On September 29, Bill Foley and Quebecor met the NHL's executive committee in New York City to present their respective bids.[17]

During into the league owners' meetings and the NHL Awards ceremony held on June 22, 2016, Bettman officially announced that the expansion franchise had been awarded to Las Vegas, and would begin play in the 2017–18 NHL season.[18] With the official approval of the Las Vegas expansion bid, the team became the first major professional sports franchise to be based in Las Vegas, and the first NHL expansion team since 2000. Foley then committed to give $500 million to help fund the team[19] and began the process of hiring its principal staff and determining its official identity, among other developments. Foley announced that former Washington Capitals general manager George McPhee would become the franchise's first general manager.[20][21][22] On November 22, 2016, the name was revealed as the Vegas Golden Knights.

Start of operations: 2017–present

On March 1, 2017 (coinciding with the league's trade deadline), the team completed its expansion fee payments and filings, making it eligible to formally begin operations such as free agent acquisition, and participation in league meetings.[23] Five days later, the Golden Knights made its first personnel move by signing Reid Duke to a three-year entry-level contract.[24][25] Duke's junior team was the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League, a team that was coached and managed by current Golden Knights assistant general manager Kelly McCrimmon.[26] He was later sent by the Golden Knights on a PTC with the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League.[27]

The team announced inaugural head coach Gerard Gallant on April 13.[28] On May 4, the Golden Knights signed Vadim Shipachyov as their second player.[29] On May 16, the Golden Knights entered into a multi-year affiliation with the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League for player development.[30] On June 1, 2017, they signed forward Tomas Hyka, who played for the BK Mladá Boleslav in the Czech Extraliga.[31]

The team participated in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft on June 21, 2017, selecting an available player from all 30 teams in the NHL. The draft was held at the team's future home venue, the T-Mobile Arena. The NHL Awards were also hosted on the same day, at the same location, prior to the draft. Some notable selections included goalie Marc-Andre Fleury from the Pittsburgh Penguins and winger James Neal from the Nashville Predators. At the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Cody Glass was the first player selected by the Golden Knights.

Team information

Foley's original preferred name for the proposed team was the "Las Vegas Black Knights"—in tribute to the Army Black Knights, his alma mater.[32] When he hired McPhee, Foley stated that he was working with the league to determine a suitable brand for the team, but that "it may not be until September that we have our name and logo. But when we do, that's when we'll have our big public celebration. We want to sell a lot of jerseys that day." He also admitted that his preferred name of "Black Knights" was unlikely due to various legal issues with trademarks, copyrights and domain names. For instance, even if West Point officials gave their blessing to using the nickname, the federal government would have had the final say.[33] He registered a number of trademarks for potential names, some based on "Knights" and others based on "Hawks" (the latter unlikely as it would likely clash with the Chicago Blackhawks), admitting some of the trademarks were deliberate decoys.[34]

On October 4, 2016, Foley announced that the team would be known as the Desert Knights, Silver Knights, or Golden Knights. He told Yahoo! Sports that his group already had "clearance on those names", and made their final decision in late August.[35]

On November 22, 2016, the name was revealed as the Vegas Golden Knights, excluding 'Las' from the name. The team's logo (as well as its secondary logo and word mark) was also revealed, incorporating a black V to represent Vegas.[36][37][38]

On November 28, 2016, a few reports were released stating that the United States Army were reviewing the rights to the name, as it has been used by their parachute team since 1959.[39] The United States Patent and Trademark Office rejected the Golden Knights' trademark application on December 8, citing an objection from the College of Saint Rose; the team plans on appealing the decision on the grounds that multiple other collegiate teams also use the name.[40]

Players and personnel

Current roster

Updated August 18, 2017[41]

# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace
— France Bellemare, Pierre-EdouardPierre-Edouard Bellemare C L 32 2017 Le Blanc-Mesnil, France
— United States Bischoff, JakeJake Bischoff D L 23 2017 Cambridge, Minnesota
— Canada Carrier, WilliamWilliam Carrier LW L 22 2017 LaSalle, Quebec
— Canada Clarkson, DavidDavid Clarkson  RW R 33 2017 Etobicoke, Ontario
— Sweden Dansk, OscarOscar Dansk G L 23 2017 Stockholm, Sweden
— Canada Duke, ReidReid Duke C R 21 2017 Calgary, Alberta
— Canada Eakin, CodyCody Eakin C L 26 2017 Winnipeg, Manitoba
— Canada Engelland, DerykDeryk Engelland D R 35 2017 Edmonton, Alberta
— Canada Fleury, Marc-AndreMarc-Andre Fleury G L 32 2017 Sorel-Tracy, Quebec
— Canada Garrison, JasonJason Garrison D L 32 2017 White Rock, British Columbia
— Belarus Grabovski, MikhailMikhail Grabovski  C L 33 2017 Potsdam, East Germany
— Russia Gusev, NikitaNikita Gusev LW R 25 2017 Moscow, Russia
— Finland Haula, ErikErik Haula C L 26 2017 Pori, Finland
— Canada Hunt, BradBrad Hunt D L 29 2017 Maple Ridge, British Columbia
— Czech Republic Hyka, TomasTomas Hyka F L 24 2017 Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic
— Sweden Karlsson, WilliamWilliam Karlsson C L 23 2017 Märsta, Sweden
— Canada Lagace, MaximeMaxime Lagace G L 24 2017 Longueuil, Quebec
— Canada Leipsic, BrendanBrendan Leipsic F L 23 2017 Winnipeg, Manitoba
— Sweden Lindberg, OscarOscar Lindberg F L 25 2017 Skellefteå, Sweden
— Canada Marchessault, JonathanJonathan Marchessault C R 26 2017 Cap-Rouge, Quebec
— United States Matteau, StefanStefan Matteau LW L 23 2017 Chicago, Illinois
— Canada McNabb, BraydenBrayden McNabb D L 26 2017 Davidson, Saskatchewan
— United States Merrill, JonJon Merrill D L 25 2017 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
— Canada Miller, ColinColin Miller D R 24 2017 Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
— Canada Neal, JamesJames Neal RW L 29 2017 Whitby, Ontario
— Czech Republic Nosek, TomasTomas Nosek C L 24 2017 Pardubice, Czechoslovakia
— Canada Perron, DavidDavid Perron F R 29 2017 Sherbrooke, Quebec
— Canada Pickard, CalvinCalvin Pickard G L 25 2017 Winnipeg, Manitoba
— Finland Pulkkinen, TeemuTeemu Pulkkinen RW R 25 2017 Vantaa, Finland
— Canada Reinhart, GriffinGriffin Reinhart D L 23 2017 West Vancouver, British Columbia
— Switzerland Sbisa, LucaLuca Sbisa D L 27 2017 Ozieri, Italy
— United States Schmidt, NateNate Schmidt D L 26 2017 St. Cloud, Minnesota
— Russia Shipachyov, VadimVadim Shipachyov C L 30 2017 Cherepovets, Soviet Union
— Canada Smith, ReillyReilly Smith RW L 26 2017 Etobicoke, Ontario
— Canada Stoner, ClaytonClayton Stoner D L 32 2017 Port McNeill, British Columbia
— Canada Theodore, SheaShea Theodore D L 22 2017 Langley, British Columbia
— United States Thompson, PaulPaul Thompson RW R 28 2017 Derry, New Hampshire
— United States Tuch, AlexAlex Tuch RW R 21 2017 Syracuse, New York
— United States Tynan, T.J.T.J. Tynan F R 25 2017 Orland Park, Illinois

Retired numbers

The team will not be able to issue the jersey number #99 to any of its members as that number was retired in honor of Gretzky for all NHL teams at the 2000 NHL All-Star Game.[42]

Head coaches

General managers

Media

On April 12, 2017, it was announced that Lotus Communications Corporation had acquired the radio broadcast rights to the Golden Knights, with games to air on KRLV 1340/98.9 Fox Sports Radio Las Vegas, and a weekly broadcast in Spanish on sister ESPN Deportes Radio affiliate KENO; the team will be only the third NHL franchise (alongside the Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers) to offer Spanish-language radio broadcasts. KRLV will broadcast pre- and post-game shows, as well as a weekly talk show dedicated to the team.[44][45]

On May 23, 2017, it was announced that AT&T SportsNet will be the exclusive regional television rightsholder for all Golden Knights games not exclusively carried nationally by NBCSN or NBC. Golden Knights regional telecasts will be available to viewers in Nevada, parts of Arizona and California, as well as Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming. Carriage negotiations will begin to add AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain to local CenturyLink and Cox systems in Southern Nevada, which had previously not carried the network as it did not serve any local teams.[46]

References

  1. ↑ "Introducing the Vegas Golden Knights". Vegas Golden Knights. November 22, 2016. Retrieved November 23, 2016. The team's colors - steel grey, gold, red and black - reflect the community and the focus of the team:...
  2. ↑ Ewing, Mark (July 16, 2017). "Bill Foley And The National Hockey League's Newest Franchise, The Vegas Golden Knights". Forbes. Retrieved July 23, 2017.
  3. ↑ Rosen, Dan (June 22, 2016). "Las Vegas awarded NHL franchise". National Hockey League. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
  4. ↑ Mitanis, Marcus (February 19, 2016). "T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to Open Spring 2016". Skyrisecities. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
  5. ↑ "2009 NHL Awards heads to Las Vegas for first time". National Hockey League. March 13, 2009.
  6. ↑ "Hollywood aspirations for NHL". The Globe and Mail. Toronto.
  7. ↑ "NHL says no credibility to report of Las Vegas expansion team". Las Vegas Sun. August 27, 2014. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
  8. ↑ "NHL denies expansion report, including a second team in Toronto". Toronto Star. August 27, 2014. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Gallagher: Bettman has changed his tune on NHL expansion". The Province. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
  10. ↑ "NHL picks owners for likely Vegas team". New York Post. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Maloof family joins effort to land Las Vegas NHL team". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  12. ↑ "NHL gets serious about Las Vegas; can Canadiens redefine themselves?". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 10, 2014.
  13. ↑ "NHL allows Las Vegas to explore expansion interest". The Canadian Press. Retrieved December 10, 2014.
  14. ↑ Snellas, Alan (February 12, 2015). "NHL ticket drive already halfway to goal". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  15. ↑ Snellas, Alan (April 11, 2015). "Businessman behind NHL drive has blue-jeans, relaxed approach". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  16. ↑ McLaren, Ian (August 5, 2015). "Las Vegas group invited to participate in Phase 2 of NHL expansion application process - NHL on The Score - Scores, standings, news, leaders". TheScore.com. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Quebecor makes pitch to NHL in hopes of landing franchise". National Hockey League. The Canadian Press. September 30, 2015. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  18. ↑ Beacham, Greg (June 14, 2016). "NHL rolls the dice on Las Vegas expansion". Associated Press. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  19. ↑ Heitner, Darren (22 June 2016). "The NHL Leads the Way in Bringing Pro Sports to Las Vegas". Inc.com. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  20. ↑ "GEORGE MCPHEE HIRED AS LAS VEGAS GM". July 13, 2016. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  21. ↑ "McPhee named GM of Las Vegas expansion team". July 13, 2016. Retrieved July 13, 2016.
  22. ↑ "Las Vegas NHL franchise now faces many tough hockey decisions — VIDEO". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  23. ↑ "Golden Knights file paperwork, make final payment to NHL ahead of trade deadline". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  24. ↑ "Golden Knights Sign Reid Duke To Entry-Level Contract" (in en_US). National Hockey League. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  25. ↑ "Reid Duke becomes Vegas Golden Knights' first signing: Three odd facts to know". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  26. ↑ "Golden Knights sign first player: Duke of WHL". ESPN. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  27. ↑ "Golden Knights’ 1st player Reid Duke signs PTC with Chicago Wolves". Las Vegas Review Journal. April 7, 2017.
  28. ↑ "Golden Knights Name Gerard Gallant Head Coach". National Hockey League. April 13, 2017. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  29. ↑ "Golden Knights sign Vadim Shipachyov to two-year contract". National Hockey League. May 4, 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
  30. ↑ "WOLVES, GOLDEN KNIGHTS ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP". AHL. May 16, 2017.
  31. ↑ "Golden Knights Sign Forward Tomas Hyka To An Entry-Level Contract". National Hockey League. June 1, 2017. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  32. ↑ "Will Las Vegas be called the Black Knights?". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
  33. ↑ "Bill Foley’s frustration grows over lack of name for Las Vegas NHL team". July 15, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  34. ↑ Cotsonika, Nicholas J. (September 3, 2016). "BILL FOLEY UPDATES THE STATUS OF THE NAMING OF OUR TEAM". Black Knight Sports & Entertainment. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  35. ↑ Cooper, Josh (October 4, 2016). "NHL Las Vegas team chooses name, owner denies floating fakes". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  36. ↑ Kimelman, Adam (November 22, 2016). "Vegas Golden Knights official team name". National Hockey League. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
  37. ↑ Coppinger, Mike. "Las Vegas NHL expansion team will be named the 'Golden Knights'". USA Today. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  38. ↑ Gretz, Adam (November 22, 2016). "Say hello to the Vegas Golden Knights". NBC Sports. Retrieved November 23, 2016. But the important thing here is the name, as well as the logo which works the letter “V” (for Vegas, obviously) into the knight’s mask.
  39. ↑ Cooper, Josh (November 28, 2016). "Army 'reviewing' Vegas Golden Knights name". Retrieved November 29, 2016.
  40. ↑ Clarke, Mary (December 7, 2016). "The Vegas Golden Knights’ trademark application was denied weeks after being unveiled". SB Nation. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
  41. ↑ "Vegas Golden Knights 2017 Roster". Vegas Golden Knights. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  42. ↑ "Perfect setting: Gretzky's number retired before All-Star Game". CNN Sports Illustrated. Associated Press. February 6, 2000. Archived from the original on November 12, 2013. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  43. ↑ "George McPhee named GM of Las Vegas expansion team". The Washington Post. 2016-07-13. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
  44. ↑ "By broadcasting select games in Spanish, Golden Knights aim to reach new demographic". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  45. ↑ "Golden Knights, Lotus Broadcasting happy with partnership". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  46. ↑ "Golden Knights officially announce TV deal with ROOT SPORTS". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
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