Vegas Golden Knights facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vegas Golden Knights |
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| Conference | Western |
| Division | Pacific |
| Founded | 2017 |
| History | Vegas Golden Knights 2017–present |
| Home arena | T-Mobile Arena |
| City | Paradise, Nevada |
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| Colors | Steel grey, gold, red, black |
| Media | KMCC (TV) KKGK (Fox Sports 1340/98.9) (English radio) KENO (Deportes Vegas 1460) (Spanish radio) |
| Owner(s) | Black Knight Sports and Entertainment (Bill Foley) (majority) Adrienne Maloof (minority) |
| General manager | Kelly McCrimmon |
| Head coach | Bruce Cassidy |
| Captain | Mark Stone |
| Minor league affiliates | Henderson Silver Knights (AHL) Tahoe Knight Monsters (ECHL) |
| Stanley Cups | 1 (2022–23) |
| Conference championships | 2 (2017–18, 2022–23) |
| Presidents' Trophies | 0 |
| Division championships | 4 (2017–18, 2019–20, 2022–23, 2024–25) |
The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team. They are based in the Las Vegas area in Nevada. The team plays in the National Hockey League (NHL). They are part of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference.
The Golden Knights started in 2017 as a new team, called an expansion team. They were the first major sports team for Las Vegas. The team is mostly owned by Black Knight Sports and Entertainment, led by Bill Foley. Their home games are played at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada.
The Golden Knights quickly became successful. They made it to the Stanley Cup playoffs in their first four seasons. In their very first season, they reached the Stanley Cup Final. They won 13 playoff games that year, which was a record for a new team. In 2023, the team returned to the Stanley Cup Final. They won their first Stanley Cup championship, beating the Florida Panthers in five games.
Contents
Team History
How the Team Started
The NHL had played games in Las Vegas since 1991. That year, the city hosted the first outdoor NHL game. It was a preseason game between the Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers. The NHL Awards ceremonies have also been held in Las Vegas since 2009.
Talk about a Las Vegas team grew in 2014. A new arena, T-Mobile Arena, was being built. In November 2014, reports said that businessman Bill Foley would lead the ownership group. In December 2014, the NHL allowed Foley to start a season ticket drive. This was to see if people in Las Vegas wanted a team.
The ticket drive began in February 2015. It got 5,000 deposits in just a day and a half. By April 2015, it reached its goal of 10,000 deposits. This showed strong interest in a team.
In June 2015, the NHL officially opened bids for new teams. Foley had over 13,200 season ticket deposits. On June 22, 2016, the Las Vegas team was approved by a unanimous vote. They would start playing in the 2017–18 NHL season. The team became the first major professional sports team in Las Vegas. Foley paid the league's $500 million expansion fee. He then hired George McPhee as the first general manager. On November 22, 2016, the team's name was announced: the Vegas Golden Knights.
First Season: 2017–2018
On March 1, 2017, the team officially began operations. They could now sign players. Five days later, they signed their first player, Reid Duke.
The team announced Gerard Gallant as their first head coach on April 13, 2017. They also set up their farm system. This included agreements with the Chicago Wolves (AHL) and Quad City Mallards (ECHL).
The Golden Knights picked players in the 2017 NHL expansion draft on June 21, 2017. They chose one player from each of the 30 NHL teams. Key picks included goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and winger James Neal. At the 2017 NHL entry draft, Cody Glass was their first player picked.
The Golden Knights played their first game on October 6, 2017. They beat the Dallas Stars. James Neal scored the team's first two goals.
Their first home game was on October 10, 2017, against the Arizona Coyotes. Before the game, there was a ceremony to honor victims of the October 1 mass shooting in Las Vegas. The team won 5–2. This made their start 3–0, a record for a new NHL team. They were the first NHL team to win eight of their first nine games.
The Golden Knights kept setting records. They won six straight games in December. On February 1, 2018, they set a record for wins by a new team with 34 wins. On February 21, 2018, they set a record for most points with 84.
On March 26, they made the playoffs. They were the first new team since 1979–80 to do this. On March 31, they won the Pacific Division title. This made them the first new team in major sports to win their division in their first season. Their first season was seen as one of the most successful for any new sports team.
In the playoffs, they won their first game against the Los Angeles Kings. Six days later, they swept the Kings, winning the series 4–0. This was the first time a new NHL team swept its first playoff series. On May 6, 2018, they beat the San Jose Sharks. This sent them to the conference finals. On May 20, Vegas beat the Winnipeg Jets to win the conference finals. They became the third NHL team to reach the Stanley Cup Final in their first season. The Golden Knights lost the Stanley Cup Final to the Washington Capitals in five games. Still, they won 13 playoff games, a record for a new team.
Winning the Stanley Cup: 2018–Present
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Before the 2018–19 season, the Golden Knights added winger Max Pacioretty and center Paul Stastny. They also got future captain Mark Stone in a trade. The team made the playoffs again. However, they lost in the first round to the San Jose Sharks in seven games. They had been leading the series 3–1.
In May 2019, Kelly McCrimmon became the new general manager. The team made more changes to its roster. In January 2020, head coach Gallant was replaced by Peter DeBoer.
The COVID-19 pandemic stopped the 2019–20 season. Vegas qualified for the playoffs. They won their first-round series against the Chicago Blackhawks. They then beat the Vancouver Canucks. Their playoff run ended in the conference finals, where they lost to the Dallas Stars.
Before the 2020–21 season, Mark Stone was named the team's first captain. The team also signed defenseman Alex Pietrangelo. The Golden Knights finished second in their division. In the playoffs, they beat the Minnesota Wild. They then defeated the Colorado Avalanche. However, they lost to the Montreal Canadiens in the semifinals. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury won the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goalie.
In the 2021 off-season, Fleury was traded due to salary cap limits. The team also acquired star center Jack Eichel from the Buffalo Sabres. The 2021–22 season saw many injuries to players. Because of this, the Golden Knights missed the playoffs for the first time.
2022–2023: Stanley Cup Champions
In the 2022 off-season, the team hired Bruce Cassidy as their new head coach.
Starting goalie Robin Lehner was out for the 2022–23 season due to surgery. The team relied on rookie Logan Thompson and acquired Adin Hill. The Golden Knights started the season strong. They slowed down in December and January but recovered well. They finished the season 22–4–5. They also added forwards Ivan Barbashev and Teddy Blueger. They won the Pacific Division championship.
In the playoffs, the Golden Knights beat the Winnipeg Jets in five games. They then defeated the Edmonton Oilers in six games. In the conference finals, they faced the Dallas Stars again. Vegas won the series in six games, reaching their second Stanley Cup Final.
The Golden Knights played the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final. Vegas won the Finals in five games, including a big 9–3 win in Game 5. This gave them their first Stanley Cup championship. It was also Las Vegas' first championship in any of the "big 4" North American sports leagues. Jonathan Marchessault won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs. The team achieved owner Bill Foley's goal of winning the Cup in their sixth season. They became the youngest team to win the Stanley Cup since 1967.
The Golden Knights kept most of their Cup-winning team for the 2023–24 season. They started strong, winning 11 of their first 12 games. Their seven-game winning streak at the start of the season was a record for a defending champion.
However, the team faced many injuries later in the season. They also played in the 2024 Winter Classic on New Year's Day, losing to Seattle. The team made trades to get Noah Hanifin, Tomas Hertl, and Anthony Mantha. They clinched a playoff spot on April 12. As a wild card team, they played the Dallas Stars again. Despite winning the first two games, the Golden Knights lost the series in seven games. This ended their title defense in the first round.
For the 2024–25 season, the Golden Knights won the Pacific Division. They made it to the second round of the playoffs but lost to the Edmonton Oilers.
Team Identity
Logos, Colors, and Uniforms
The team's main logo is a barbute helmet. It is placed on a black and gold shield. The helmet has a V-shaped opening. The secondary logo shows two crossing swords behind a red star. This star looks like the one on the famous Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign.
The team's main color is steel gray. This color stands for "strength and durability." Other team colors are gold, red, and black. Red is found in the Las Vegas skyline and at Red Rock Canyon. Black stands for "power and intensity."
The first uniforms were shown on June 20, 2017. Home uniforms are steel gray with black, gold, and red stripes. Road uniforms are white with steel gray, gold, and red stripes. The alternate swords logo is on the shoulders. In October 2020, a gold alternate uniform was introduced. In February 2021, shiny gold helmets were added. Starting with the 2022–23 season, the gold uniforms became the main ones, and the gray ones became the alternate.
The Golden Knights also have special "Reverse Retro" uniforms. Since the team is new, their retro design was inspired by Manon Rhéaume. She was the first female NHL player. She played for the Las Vegas Thunder, a team that no longer exists. This uniform is red and has the "crossing swords" logo. Their second "Reverse Retro" uniform was black with a diagonal "VEGAS" wordmark. This design was inspired by old hotels in Las Vegas.
For the 2024 Winter Classic, the Golden Knights wore special white uniforms. They had gold stripes, gray pants, and helmets. The crest was a gray "V" with gold trim.
Team Name
The name "Knights" honors the Black Knights of the United States Military Academy. This is where owner Bill Foley went to school. Knights are also seen as strong warriors. Foley wanted to name the team the Black Knights, but faced issues. He also could not use "Vegas Knights" because another team, the London Knights, owned that name in Canada.
"Golden" was added because gold is a valuable metal. Nevada is also the largest gold-producing state in the country. "Las" was left out of the name. This is because people often just say "Vegas" when talking about the city. Also, a four-word name would have been too long.
The United States Army first opposed the team's name. Their parachute team uses the same nickname. But they later agreed to let the team use it. The College of Saint Rose also uses the name, but the team's trademark was approved after an appeal.
Team Mascot
The Golden Knights' mascot is a Gila monster named Chance. He was introduced on October 13, 2017. The team chose not to use a knight as a mascot. They felt that knight mascots used by other teams were not very kid-friendly. However, a skating knight often appears in the team's pre-game show.
Team Information
Broadcasting Games
The Golden Knights' games are shown on TV in Nevada, Idaho, Montana, and Arizona. Since the 2023–24 NHL season, KMCC is the main TV station for the Golden Knights. The team also has an online streaming service called KnightTime+.
Games are called by Dave Goucher (play-by-play) and Shane Hnidy (color commentator).
The team also has a radio deal with Lotus Broadcasting. Games are aired on KKGK 1340/98.9. This station is part of a network of nine stations. One game a week is also aired on KENO 1460, a Spanish-language sports radio station.
Minor League Teams
The Golden Knights have agreements with minor league teams. These teams help develop players for the main NHL team.
- In 2017, they partnered with the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL).
- In 2018, they partnered with the Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL.
- In 2020, the Golden Knights bought the San Antonio Rampage AHL team. They moved it to the Las Vegas area and renamed it the Henderson Silver Knights. This team started playing in the 2020–21 season.
- In 2022, they partnered with the Savannah Ghost Pirates of the ECHL.
- In 2024, they partnered with the new Tahoe Knight Monsters of the ECHL. This means both of their minor league teams are now in Nevada.
Season Records
Here are the results for the last five seasons of the Golden Knights.
- GP = Games played
- W = Wins
- L = Losses
- OTL = Overtime Losses
- Pts = Points
- GF = Goals for (how many goals they scored)
- GA = Goals against (how many goals were scored against them)
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | GF | GA | Finish | Playoffs |
| 2020–21 | 56 | 40 | 14 | 2 | 82 | 191 | 124 | 2nd, West | Lost in Stanley Cup semifinals, 2–4 (Canadiens) |
| 2021–22 | 82 | 43 | 31 | 8 | 94 | 266 | 248 | 4th, Pacific | Did not qualify |
| 2022–23 | 82 | 51 | 22 | 9 | 111 | 272 | 229 | 1st, Pacific | Stanley Cup champions, 4–1 (Panthers) |
| 2023–24 | 82 | 45 | 29 | 8 | 98 | 267 | 245 | 4th, Pacific | Lost in first round, 3–4 (Stars) |
| 2024–25 | 82 | 50 | 22 | 10 | 110 | 275 | 219 | 1st, Pacific | Lost in second round, 1–4 (Oilers) |
Players and Staff
Team Captains
- Mark Stone, 2021–present
Head Coaches
- Gerard Gallant, 2017–2020
- Peter DeBoer, 2020–2022
- Bruce Cassidy, 2022–present
General Managers
- George McPhee, 2016–2019
- Kelly McCrimmon, 2019–present
Team Awards and Honors
Awards and Trophies
- 2022–23
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl (Award for Western Conference champions)
- 2017–18
- 2022–23
Conn Smythe Trophy (Playoff MVP)
- Jonathan Marchessault: 2023
Jack Adams Award (Best Coach)
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike Player)
- William Karlsson: 2017–18
Mark Messier Leadership Award (Leadership and Community Service)
- Deryk Engelland: 2017–18
NHL General Manager of the Year Award (Best General Manager)
- George McPhee: 2017–18
Vezina Trophy (Best Goaltender)
- Marc-Andre Fleury: 2020–21
William M. Jennings Trophy (Fewest Goals Allowed)
- Marc-Andre Fleury and Robin Lehner: 2020–21
First-Round Draft Picks
These are the players the Golden Knights picked in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft:
- 2017: Cody Glass (6th overall), Nick Suzuki (13th overall), Erik Brannstrom (15th overall)
- 2019: Peyton Krebs (17th overall)
- 2020: Brendan Brisson (29th overall)
- 2021: Zach Dean (30th overall)
- 2023: David Edstrom (32nd overall)
- 2024: Trevor Connelly (19th overall)
Retired Numbers
The number 58 was retired by the team on March 31, 2018. This was done to honor the 58 victims who died in the October 2017 Las Vegas shooting.
The team also cannot use jersey number 99. This number was retired league-wide for all teams to honor Wayne Gretzky, a famous hockey player.
Team Statistics and Records
Top Scorers in Regular Season
These are the top ten players with the most points in the team's history.
- * – means the player is currently on the Golden Knights team.
Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game
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Individual Records
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See also
In Spanish: Vegas Golden Knights para niños
- City National Arena
- Henderson Silver Knights
- Las Vegas Thunder
- Las Vegas Wranglers
- Tahoe Knight Monsters
- Sports in the Las Vegas metropolitan area
