The Golden Knights have been the talk of hockey and beyond, a symbol of resilience, community spirit, and a new kind of success that has not been seen in the NHL in years. And it seems likely that they will soon add another chapter to their story: winning the Stanley Cup.
A decade ago, many would have scoffed at the idea of Las Vegas getting an NHL franchise and immediately making it a contender for the biggest prize in the sport. In fact, the annals of the league are littered with failed expansion teams and relocated ones that never made it. Yet, the Knights did not just survive their inaugural season, they seized it.
Knights owner Bill Foley set an ambitious goal at the outset, proclaiming his team would win a Stanley Cup by year six. Then, in the second season of their existence, the Knights shocked the world and won the title. Now, the Knights are just eight wins away from becoming the first back-to-back champions in the league’s 111-year history.
There are a lot of reasons for their incredible success. One is the unwavering support of the local community. In the wake of the Las Vegas shooting, the Knights quickly established themselves as a force for good, using their inaugural season to show the world that a city can come together and rise in the face of tragedy.
Another reason is the team’s strong culture and camaraderie. The players are a tight-knit group on and off the ice, forming a true family that has helped them perform at a high level all season long. Then there is the coaching staff, led by Pete DeBoer. The team’s disciplined approach to the game and emphasis on defense has made them a difficult team to beat.
And last but certainly not least, there is the play of goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. He has been a rock for the Knights in their meteoric rise to the top of the playoff standings, helping them go 9-2 in the postseason. His performance in the playoffs has put him on par with some of the greatest goaltenders in history.
The Knights’ players are not resting on their laurels as they prepare for the Western Conference final against Tampa Bay. They will need to keep up the pace if they want to reach the final again, but the relentless work ethic that McPhee and his staff have instilled in the squad hasn’t slowed down one bit.
In a pregame ceremony, the original members of the Knights’ expansion roster — Reilly Smith, Mark Stone, Jonathan Marchessault, Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb — skated on to the ice wearing their gold jerseys, accompanied by first responders and a large flag of mourning for the victims of the shooting. Then, as is customary in the NHL, the captain of the Golden Knights, Mark Stone, was handed the Stanley Cup and began to skate around the ice, celebrating with the crowd.