What the Knights see behind them is an improbable run of historic proportions, but this is a new year and new team, one that will try and make its own history.
Ed Graney
Ed Graney is a sports columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, covering a variety of topics and the Las Vegas sports scene.
egraney@reviewjournal.com … @edgraney on Twitter. 702-383-4618
Welcome to simple economics in the world of fun and games, where the overnight success of an expansion hockey team can drastically alter who is allowed to purchase tickets.
Youth seems to be serving Vegas well in terms of how future seasons might appear, but that’s not stopping a few young defensemen from forcing management to pause before relegating them elsewhere when training camp ends.
It’s that time again, only the second time, but the Golden Knights will begin training camp Friday as a means to prepare for The Season Following The Most Improbable Season.
The onus for the NHL’s drug program not being scrutinized on a deeper and more profound and specific level falls on all of us in my business. It’s a much bigger deal than the Golden Knights’ Nate Schmidt.
Nate Schmidt issued a 375-word statement Sunday in response to being suspended by the NHL for 20 games , a result ofthe Golden Knights defenseman violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.
It has been true all along that the Golden Knights could prove even better than last season and still not come close to advancing as far in the playoffs.
Marc-Andre Fleury has a three-year extension, Winnipeg center Paul Stastny is in the fold, and general manager George McPhee was on a Twitter photograph with Bark-Andre Furry.
James Neal is gone because Calgary was willing to offer him a five-year deal, something Vegas believed too long a tenure for a winger who will be 31 by the time next season arrives.
With a handful of signings, Golden Knights general manager George McPhee didn’t put Vegas in a potentially regrettable situation down the line.
Zach Whitecloud is a 21-year old defenseman born in Brandon, Manitoba and raised in the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation.
No matter what occurs in free agency — which big names the Knights might sign, which ones they might miss out on, which if any UFAs return to the team — general manager George McPhee will steadfastly follow analytic evaluations.
Had the winner’s card for the Jack Adams Trophy not read Gallant’s name, it would have reduced those hanging chads in Florida some years back to a minor controversy.
If advancing to a Stanley Cup Final was unpredictable and authentic and compelling — all true — the memories will never fade.
The only thing that changed since the season began is that George McPhee did such a good job with the expansion draft, Vegas should never have to endure the constant losing usually attached to a first-year team.
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