50 Fun Facts About Vegas Golden Knights

Which division did the Golden Knights win in their debut 2017-18 season with an expansion-record 51 victories?

Pacific Division: Vegas took it with 51 wins and 109 points, though oddsmakers had put its chances of winning the Stanley Cup at 500 to 1 when the season began.

Which two NHL teams played outdoors at Caesars Palace in 1991?

The Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers met in the first outdoor game between NHL clubs, on a rink in the Caesars Palace car park; the Kings won 5-2 as grasshoppers hopped onto the ice and froze.

Which billionaire led the consortium that founded the Golden Knights in 2017?

Bill Foley, who made his fortune reviving the title insurer Fidelity National Financial and first played hockey as a boy in Ottawa, led the group, with the Maloof family, founders of the Palms, as minority partners.

Fans put over 13,000 deposits on what to land Las Vegas an NHL team?

Season tickets: the drive needed 10,000 deposits to show the league there was demand, took 5,000 in its first day and a half, and had passed 13,000 by June 2015, when the NHL said it would take expansion bids.

Which company's bid to revive the Nordiques competed with Las Vegas in the 2015 expansion process?

Quebecor, which manages Quebec City's Videotron Centre, was the only other applicant; in 2016 the NHL shelved its bid, citing the weak Canadian dollar and a league that already had more teams in the East than the West.

What expansion fee did the Golden Knights' owners pay the NHL?

$500 million: only when the last instalment was paid, on March 1, 2017, was the NHL's first new club since 2000 allowed to sign players and sit in on league meetings.

Which former Capitals general manager became the Golden Knights' first GM?

George McPhee, who ran the Capitals from 1997 to 2014, was hired in July 2016 and turned the expansion draft into a market, taking picks and prospects from teams that wanted certain players left alone.

'Knights' honours the Black Knights of which institution, the team owner's alma mater?

The United States Military Academy at West Point calls its teams the Black Knights; the owner wanted that exact name for his hockey club too, but dropped it after federal officials objected.

Why did the owner leave 'Las' out of the Vegas Golden Knights' name?

Locals just say 'Vegas', the owner explained at the November 2016 unveiling, and four words struck him as one too many; 'Golden' stayed because Nevada mines more gold than any other state.

Which military branch initially opposed the Golden Knights trademark because of its parachute team?

The U.S. Army, whose parachute team is also called the Golden Knights, filed its opposition in January 2018, midway through the hockey team's first season; the two sides signed a coexistence agreement that July.

Who was the Golden Knights' first head coach?

Gerard Gallant coached the inaugural 2017-18 team to the Final and won the Jack Adams Award; he was fired on January 15, 2020, during a four-game losing streak.

From which team did Vegas pluck goalie Marc-Andre Fleury in the 2017 expansion draft?

Pittsburgh Penguins: Fleury, a three-time Cup winner there, waived his no-movement clause to be exposed, and Pittsburgh added a second-round pick to make sure Vegas took him.

Who was the first player the Golden Knights ever signed, in March 2017?

Reid Duke, a Brandon Wheat Kings centre once drafted by Minnesota, signed on March 6, 2017, yet the first Golden Knight never played an NHL game, spending his Vegas years in the minors.

Who scored the Golden Knights' first two goals in the October 2017 opener at Dallas?

James Neal scored twice in the third period to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 win at Dallas on October 6, 2017, and Vegas went on to win eight of its first nine games.

At their first home game in October 2017, the Golden Knights replaced every advertisement on the boards with which message?

Vegas Strong ran around the boards in place of the usual advertising on October 10, 2017, nine days after the Route 91 festival shooting, while the team raised money for the victims.

Which fourth-string goalie was pressed into action after Fleury, Subban and Dansk were all hurt?

Maxime Lagace, a free-agent signing who began the season in the minors, debuted on October 30, 2017, when Dansk was hurt, and kept the net until December; Vegas even had to use a fifth goalie, Dylan Ferguson.

What nickname was given to the expansion-draft castoffs who starred in Vegas's first season?

The Golden Misfits: players their old teams had left unprotected in the expansion draft won their division and reached the Stanley Cup Final in the franchise's first season.

Whom did the Golden Knights sweep for their first playoff series win in 2018?

The Los Angeles Kings, Cup winners in 2012 and 2014, scored only three goals in four straight one-goal losses: 1-0, 2-1 in double overtime, 3-2 and 1-0.

Which two teams before Vegas reached the Stanley Cup Final in their first season?

The Toronto Arenas and St. Louis Blues: Toronto won the 1918 Cup in the NHL's first season, and the 1968 Blues came out of a division made up only of new teams, so one of them had to reach the Final.

Which team beat the Golden Knights in the 2018 Stanley Cup Final?

The Washington Capitals lost the opener 6-4 in Las Vegas, then won four straight, clinching 4-3 on June 7, 2018, for the first Stanley Cup in their history.

Whose cross-check on Joe Pavelski in Game 7 in 2019 drew the major penalty that sank Vegas?

Cody Eakin's cross-check injured Pavelski with Vegas up 3-0; San Jose scored four times on the five-minute major and won 5-4 in overtime, and the NHL later apologised to Vegas for the call.

Which future captain did Vegas acquire from Ottawa at the 2019 trade deadline?

Mark Stone came from Ottawa at the 2019 deadline for Erik Brannstrom, Oscar Lindberg and a second-round pick; Vegas, which had played without a captain since its debut, made him its first in January 2021.

Which recently fired Sharks coach became the Golden Knights' second head coach in January 2020?

Peter DeBoer, fired by San Jose in December 2019, took over on January 15, 2020, reached the 2020 conference final and 2021 semifinal, and was fired in May 2022 after Vegas missed the playoffs.

Which defenseman signed a seven-year deal with Vegas in the 2020 offseason?

Alex Pietrangelo, who had captained his previous team to the 2019 Cup, signed for seven years and $61.6 million on October 12, 2020, and Vegas traded Nate Schmidt to Vancouver that same day.

Which award did Fleury win with Vegas in 2021, sharing the Jennings with Robin Lehner the same year?

The Vezina Trophy went to Fleury in 2021 for a 1.98 goals-against average and .928 save percentage; weeks later Vegas dealt him to the Blackhawks for minor-leaguer Mikael Hakkarainen to clear cap space.

Which star center came from Buffalo in November 2021 for Alex Tuch, Peyton Krebs and two picks?

Jack Eichel arrived on November 4, 2021, had the artificial-disc neck surgery Buffalo had refused, and debuted for Vegas on February 16, 2022; the team missed the playoffs that spring anyway.

Which former Bruins coach was hired in 2022 and won the Cup in his first Vegas season?

Bruce Cassidy was hired on June 14, 2022, eight days after Boston fired him, and won the Cup in his first Vegas season; Vegas fired him in turn in March 2026 with eight games left in the season.

Which goalie took over in the second round and backstopped Vegas to the 2023 Stanley Cup?

Adin Hill, acquired from San Jose in August 2022, replaced the injured Laurent Brossoit during the second round against Edmonton and went 11-4 the rest of the way, including the Game 5 clincher.

Whom did Vegas beat in five games to win the 2023 Stanley Cup?

The Florida Panthers, the East's last seed, had knocked out the record-setting Bruins in round one but lost the Final in five games, the last a 9-3 rout in Las Vegas.

Who won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2023?

Jonathan Marchessault, never drafted and left unprotected by his old club in the 2017 expansion draft, won the Conn Smythe with 13 goals and 25 points in the 2023 playoffs.

The Golden Knights owner's founding prediction was 'playoffs in three' and what?

Cup in six was the owner's pledge, paired with playoffs in three; Vegas actually reached the playoffs in season one and won the Stanley Cup in its sixth season, 2022-23.

Which Golden Knight won the 2018 Lady Byng Trophy after scoring 43 goals?

William Karlsson, who had scored six goals for Columbus the year before, erupted for 43 goals and 78 points in 2017-18 and took the Lady Byng as the league's most gentlemanly player.

Vegas became the first team shut out in a Winter Classic in a 3-0 loss to which opponent in 2024?

The Seattle Kraken blanked the defending Stanley Cup champions 3-0 at T-Mobile Park on January 1, 2024, as goalie Joey Daccord stopped all 35 shots for the first shutout in Winter Classic history.

Which longtime San Jose star did Vegas add at the 2024 trade deadline along with Noah Hanifin and Anthony Mantha?

Tomas Hertl had spent all 11 of his NHL seasons with the Sharks before the trade on March 8, 2024; even so, Vegas lost its title defence to Dallas in the first round.

Whom did Vegas beat in the 2018 Western Conference Final to reach the Stanley Cup Final?

The Winnipeg Jets lost the 2018 Western Conference Final in five games after winning the opener 4-2; Ryan Reaves scored the series-clinching goal in a 2-1 win on May 20, 2018.

Which AHL club served as the Golden Knights' first affiliate, from 2017 to 2020?

The Chicago Wolves were the Golden Knights' first AHL affiliate from 2017 to 2020, reaching the 2019 Calder Cup Final before Vegas bought its own franchise and moved it to Henderson.

The opening in the knight's helmet on the Golden Knights' crest forms which letter?

V: the eye-slit of the barbute, a 15th-century Italian helmet, is cut as a V for Vegas instead of the T or Y shape typical of such helmets.

What colour were the Golden Knights' home jerseys for their first five seasons, before gold took over?

Gray: the club said its steel gray stood for strength and durability and wore it at home until 2022-23, when the gold alternate introduced in 2020 became the main jersey.

Which 1990s Las Vegas minor-league team, once home to goalie Manon Rheaume, inspired the Golden Knights' first Reverse Retro jersey?

Las Vegas Thunder: with no NHL past of its own to revive, Vegas borrowed the striping of the IHL club where Rheaume, the first woman to play for an NHL team, kept goal in the 1990s.

Which Las Vegas-resident defenceman addressed the crowd before the Golden Knights' first home game in October 2017?

Deryk Engelland, who had lived in Las Vegas since playing for the ECHL Wranglers, delivered the emotional pre-game address on October 10, 2017, then scored in the 5-2 win.

What kind of creature is Golden Knights mascot Chance?

A Gila monster: the club passed over a knight because knight mascots proved less friendly to children, and gave Chance, a desert lizard, his debut at the second home game in October 2017.

T-Mobile Arena's nickname is what?

The Fortress is T-Mobile Arena's nickname; a mock castle sits high in the stands, a skating knight opens the pre-game show, and Vegas lost only 10 of its 41 home games in regulation in its first season.

Which two companies built T-Mobile Arena as a joint venture?

MGM Resorts and AEG paid for the roughly $375 million arena themselves and opened it in April 2016, more than two months before the NHL gave Las Vegas a team to play in it.

Which Toronto star joined Vegas in a 2025 sign-and-trade and scored a hat trick in the 2026 Stanley Cup Final?

Mitch Marner signed an eight-year, $96 million contract with Toronto and was traded to Vegas for Nicolas Roy hours before free agency opened, then had 29 points in his first Vegas playoff run.

From which team did Vegas receive Shea Theodore as a sweetener during the 2017 expansion draft?

The Anaheim Ducks traded Shea Theodore to Vegas on June 21, 2017, so the Golden Knights would select defenceman Clayton Stoner and his contract in the expansion draft.

Which Russian forward retired from the NHL after just three games as a Golden Knight?

Vadim Shipachyov, a star signed from the KHL, played three games and scored once, was suspended for refusing to report to the AHL, and had his contract terminated in November 2017 so he could go home to Russia.

Which winger did Vegas acquire from Montreal before the 2018–19 season?

Max Pacioretty, Montreal's captain, came to Vegas on September 10, 2018, for Tomas Tatar, a second-round pick and prospect Nick Suzuki, who grew up to captain Montreal himself.

What does the Golden Knights' secondary logo of two crossed swords sit behind?

A red star sits in front of the crossed swords, copying the star on the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign.

Which AHL franchise did the Golden Knights buy in 2020 and relocate as the Henderson Silver Knights?

The San Antonio Rampage were bought from the NBA Spurs' owners in February 2020 and became the Henderson Silver Knights, a name that plays on Nevada's nickname, the Silver State.

Which Heisman-winning former quarterback co-owns the Tahoe Knight Monsters, the Golden Knights' ECHL affiliate?

Tim Tebow and his wife Demi are part-owners of the expansion club at Stateline, Nevada, which signed on with Vegas in 2024 and so put both of the Golden Knights' farm teams in one state.