Vegas Golden Knights History
The NHL has had a presence in Las Vegas since 1991, when the Los Angeles Kings faced off against the New York Rangers outdoors at Caesar's Palace in front of 14,000 fans, serving as a precursor to what would come to be known as the NHL Winter Classic series. From 1997 until 2016, the Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche played an annual preseason game called "The Frozen Fury." In 2014, businessman Bill Foley along with his partners the Maloof family began a ticket drive, reaching a goal of 10,000 deposits in 2015.
By the time the league began fielding applications, Vegas had secured 13,200 season ticket deposits. In June of 2016, the Vegas Golden Knights were approved to begin operation as the first major professional franchise to be based in Las Vegas.
Gerard Gallant was named the team's first head coach on April 13, 2017, and the process of building the Golden Knights began in earnest. The Golden Knights stocked up on talented players for their first lineup, including Marc-Andre Fleury, William Karlsson, Jonathan Marchessault, and Nate Schmidt, laying the groundwork for what would become the strongest inaugural season for an expansion team in league history.
In 2022-23, the Golden Knights became the NHL's fastest franchise to win the Stanley Cup, defeating the Florida Panthers in five games.
Vegas Golden Knights Team Info
Conference: Western
Division: Pacific
Year Founded: 2017
Team Colors: Gold, Black, Grey, Red
Team Rivals: Seattle Kraken, Vancouver Canucks, San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings
Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena
T-Mobile Arena opened in Las Vegas in 2016 and one year later became the home of the Vegas Golden Knights after they began play in the 2017-2018 season. Also home to the Las Vegas Raiders, T-Mobile Arena can accommodate up to 17,500 fans for hockey games. Located just west of the famed Las Vegas Strip, the arena features a world-class Las Vegas-style design and a wide variety of food and beverage options at each level.
