NHL rolled the dice on a hockey franchise in the city of Las Vegas. A gamble that finally paid off after 6 years.
When the NHL Awards show was moved from traditional Toronto, Ontario Canada location to Las Vegas Nevada USA in June 2009 I didn’t think much of it. It’s just a one year gimmick. However when the NHL Awards show continued and STAYED in Las Vegas year after year, then my ‘Spidey sense’ started too tingle.
The NHL was basically testing the market and region to see if it would be able to support a NHL Franchise in the Mojave Desert. A Billionaire businessman named Bill Foley got his wish. He lead a season ticket drive to demonstrate local demand for hockey to the NHL Board of Governors, which didn’t want a expansion team to rely on casinos and tourist. Foley also paid a $500 million expansion fee, an arena already being built. Foley also invested millions of dollars more to turn it into a first-class organization.
Then in June 2016, the NHL league owners meeting approved the expansion bid with an unanimous vote. The city of Las Vegas, Nevada was getting a NHL team. In Nov 2016 a name was chosen called, Golden Knights. In June 2017 an expansion draft was held and Golden Knights were born.
The best pick up in the draft was Goaltender from the Pittsburgh Penguins, Marc-Andre Fleury. A fan favourite in Vegas for years to come. Other great expansion draft pics were, D- Shea Theodore, F-William Karlsson, F- Jonathan Marchessault. They were label the “Golden Misfits”. Played a pivotal role in the years to follow. Little did every NHL team know that year, these so called “Misfits” would make it to the Stanley Cup Finals in their inaugural year of 2017-18 season to face the Washington Capitals. A Historical run in NHL let alone in the professional sport and they almost got the job done in their first year but lost, 4 games to 1 against the Washington Capitals.
Following their 1st year in the league, the Las Vegas Golden Knights Management did everything in their power to kept that team competitive, and keep making the playoffs. Keeping the momentum going by making the playoffs 5 out of the 6 years of the teams existence going deep into the playoff. They made free agent signings every off season and making trades so the franchise is always in cup contention. Golden Knights management went so far as to fire the only head coach they ever had, Gerard Gallant and bring anther coach named Peter DeBoer who only lasted 2 seasons. The year the Golden Knights traded away fan favourite and franchise 1st overall pick Goaltender March-Andre Fleury, they missed the playoffs, they was heavily criticized for that move.
The Las Vegas Golden Knights finally hit the JACKPOT!! and won the Stanley Cup in 2023. I dream come true for Owner (Bill Foley) and President of Hockey Operations & former General Manager (2016-2019)George McPhee and current General Manager ,Kelly McCrimmon (2019- Present). It only took the franchise 6 years to win the cup. Teams like Arizona/UTAH, Columbus Blue Jackets, Winnipeg Jets, Seattle Kraken have never won a Stanley Cup never mind making it to the cup finals once.
In closing, The expansion draft rules were loosened to give future NHL expansions teams a better chance at being more competitive. The Golden Knights took advantage of this selecting the right group of core players to their rosters. They never let their foot off the gas pedal and kept added and building a better hockey team year after year. Bill Foley after hiring McPhee and McCrimmon, he gave them the resources and support to build the team into a championship.
Bill Foley understood the command structure and never denied them once. Every time McPhee or McCrimmon would go to Foley for something, Bill would say “OK”, They would explain what they wanted to do. Bill would ask some questions and not once did he say No, He trusted his 2 guys. They would take the heat at different times when things didn’t turn out as planned but that’s the nature of the business. Foley supported them and they both delivered for him.
Great ownership with deep pockets that trust the employees he has hired who had a vision and plan combined with a passion for success and winning. He surrounded himself with like minded people and smart hockey operations people to get the job done. Bill Foley was around the team a lot, getting involved by sitting in meetings, listening to their discussion, he would get their rational and he supported what they were doing because of that.
That’s how you win a Championship, The Las Vegas Golden Knights Way. Other teams should take note on how they did it.
For more info on the Las Vegas Golden Knights please visit: https://www.nhl.com/goldenknights/
