Talk about spoiling all the fun.
After the Las Vegas Golden Knights clinched a trip to the Stanley Cup Final a couple weeks ago, one of the biggest questions around the team’s improbable run to the top of the hockey world was whether or not it was good for the sport.
Initially, I found myself in the group that thought Vegas’ run was embarrassing to the league. I wondered how a team that was formed from the castaways of 30 other NHL franchises could be so successful? It made the NHL look amateurish.
However, after some time passed and after watching the first two Cup games against Washington, I’ve reconsidered. And while I still think it shines a bad light on teams that gave away the wrong players to Vegas or those organizations — like the Sabres — that have put a bad product on the ice for years, it’s good for the sport itself.
Watching how the city has embraced its first professional sports franchise is a solid reminder of what sports is all about. Although the arena probably would’ve been packed most nights even if Vegas wasn’t a playoff contender, their run catapulted what has now become the hottest ticket in one of the hottest cities in America.
The numbers speak for themselves: 51 regular season wins, 109 points and just four postseason losses through 17 playoff games.
The construction of the Knights franchise is quite a striking tale of decisions that will shape the league, and how other teams do business, for years to come. Savvy trades, smart free agent signings and hiring the right people to put together a complex puzzle created the perfect mix. General manager George McPhee and head coach Gerard Gallant deserve all recognition coming their way, and frankly should be the first two names hanging in the T-Mobile Area rafters in a few years.
To get a group of guys that are coming from so many different coaches and systems and cities to all buy into the same message and organization is pretty challenging. Add into the mix the fact that you’re a professional athlete playing in Vegas with all the added attention and distractions that come with it, and it’s nothing short of a miracle that this team suffered no major hiccups along the way.
The Golden Knights not only beat teams, but they dominated them and were fun to watch. Vegas scored the fifth-most goals in the league, while allowing the eight fewest. William Karlsson, who had just six goals with Columbus last season, exploded for 43 in 2017-18.
The list of amazing achievements goes on, but all you really need to know about the team is that they’re still playing hockey in June while 29 other teams have long been on an extended summer vacation.
So, why all of the anger and rooting against Vegas’ run? I’d venture a guess that it’s rooted in jealousy.
Twelve NHL franchises have never won the Cup, including St. Louis (in the league since 1967), Buffalo (1970) and Vancouver (1970). I’m sure it pains many of those long-suffering fans to see a team in its first year of existence dominate. In Vancouver’s case, Vegas even beat the Canucks on four separate occasions this season.
Another related explanation may be the fact that fans are now seeing some former players that their teams let go surpass all kinds of expectations in their first year with the Knights. Players like Reilly Smith, or James Neal or even Marc-Andre Fleury. It’s the equivalent of seeing an ex-girlfriend do well only a few months after the breakup. Except in this case it’s happening on the ice in front of millions of people.
Finally, the hate and befuddlement could be caused by the fact that expansion teams have rarely done well in the history of sports.
In fact, they’ve been the laughing stock of various leagues for years.The 1992 Ottawa Senators went an astoundingly bad 10-70-4. The NBA’s Vancouver Grizzlies went 15-67 in 1995.
The team that probably perfectly illustrates how tough it was to succeed as an expansion team is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs entered the NFL in 1976 and proceeded to have one season with double-digit wins in their first 21 years of existence. Not only is it tough to build a team from scratch, it’s also a tall order to try and sustain some success in those early years when so many things could go wrong.
Vegas, however, may very well win the Cup this year and have some additional success down the road. The Knights are built for the long haul with a franchise goaltender, a quick, sharp-shooting forward group and a tough, lockdown group of defenders.
Most people around the sports world agree that something like this will most likely never happen again to an expansion team — and maybe it shouldn’t. But, for now, fans should sit back and enjoy this Vegas team being on the biggest stage in the sport. If you just can’t cheer for the underdog, well, you can always flip to the NBA Finals.
