The Golden Knights and the Holy Stanley Cup
Well, here we are, round three of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs, and the Vegas Golden Knights continue their improbable and historic inaugural season. After sweeping the Los Angeles Kings in round one and beating the San Jose Sharks in six games in round two, they are embroiled in a tough best-of-seven match against the Winnipeg Jets. After dropping game one of the series, 4-2, all of Las Vegas—and Golden Knights fans everywhere—wait with bated breath to see how this team of misfits responds in game two.
En route to becoming the greatest expansion team in the history of professional sports—with more records to set—the Golden Knights have defied all of the early negativity. Hockey in Las Vegas? Surely, you jest, was the collective response. Yet owner Bill Foley guaranteed that his Cinderella team—comprised of players whose previous teams deemed expendable—would win the Stanley Cup within six years.
However, they have progressed far beyond what Mr. Foley probably thought in this inaugural season. Even Jack Adams Award nominee head coach Gerard Gallant was fired by the Florida Panthers in November, 2016.
Not only did the city embrace their new team, this new team embraced its city. Following the deadliest mass shooting in American history on 1 October, the Golden Knights visited those injured and donated $300,000 to victims and their families. At their home opener on 10 October, the Golden Knights honored the first responders who worked tirelessly to save lives. It was a heartwarming and tearful moment and served to effect an incredible bond between a team and its city never before seen and likely never to be seen again.
Throughout the season, the Golden Knights have continued to impress and earn fans. With a 51-24-7 record in the regular season, they are the first expansion team in any major sport to win their division. They are the fastest team in NHL history to earn 100 points in a season. They are the first team to reach the playoffs since the 66-67 Chicago Bulls. And then some.
Will they be the only team to win a championship their first year? We will have to wait and see.
