The NHL's 31st Franchise Will be Called the Vegas Golden Knights

The National Hockey League’s 31^st Franchise officially has a name, and that name announced during an unveiling ceremony in Toshiba Place in front of the T-Mobile Arena is the Vegas Golden Knights. 

The NHL awarded Bill Foley the opportunity to bring the first major league sports franchise to the bright lights of Las Vegas exactly five months ago. The Golden Knights will begin play during the 2017-2018 NHL season. 

Prior to unveiling the name and logo for the Golden Knights, Foley addressed the crowd with a message of what the franchise would represent.

He said, “Our logo and our name is really going exhibit the highest the highest level of the warrior class; the knight. The knight protects the unprotected. The knight defends the realm. The knight never gives up, never gives in, always advances, never retreats, and that is what our team is going to be.”  

The league and its Board of Governors approved Foley’s group as the 31^st franchise, this past summer, on June 22. The newest franchise will mark the first expansion team for the NHL, in 16 seasons, when the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets joined the league, prior to the 2000-2001 season.

Before Foley took the stage, NHL Commissioner, Gary Bettman addressed the crowd, to the usual booing he gets around the league. He then joked that the booing was proof that they were an NHL city. 

He said, “Las Vegas, welcome to the NHL. We are thrilled to be here.”

 

The NHL is the first of the four major North American leagues to place a team within Las Vegas. The Golden Knights will be the eighth team in the Pacific Division and 15^th in the Western Conference. The Eastern Conference has 16 teams equally divided between both the Atlantic and Metropolitan Divisions. 

Next up for general manager, George McPhee, assistant general manager, Kelly McCrimmon and senior vice president, Murray Craven will be to get ready for the expansion draft and NHL entry draft next summer. They also will begin their search for the first head coach to lead the Golden Knights. 

The expansion draft will take place on June 20, 2018 and the other 30 teams must submit their lists of protected players by June 17 at 5:00 PM. The Golden Knights will then choose one player from each of the other 30 rosters, with the results from the expansion draft being released on June 21.