The NHL is growing. I’m not sure how since no one watches hockey, but evidently they think they need another team in their silly league. The NHL has added a 31st team, because having an odd number of teams sounds like a good idea. They’ve decided to set up shop in Sin City, and we will be forced to call them the Las Vegas Golden Knights. I can picture that conversation now:
Golden Knights Owner: “Hey, if we’re going to add another hockey team we should put it in the hottest place on earth, like Vegas.”
NHL Commissioner: “Yes!! We should also make sure the players have easy access to get in a lot of trouble. Because everyone loves a team of bad boys.”
Golden Knights Owner: “Should we pay off the NFL to move the Oakland Raiders to Vegas too?? This way our players won’t look so bad when everyone’s getting arrested for soliciting prostitutes.”
NHL Commissioner: “Good idea!! Now you’re using that big brain of yours!!”
I’m pretty sure that’s exactly how it went.
Anyway, last night, the picks were announced for the Expansion Draft. This draft allowed the Golden Knights to select 1 player from each of the 30 teams currently in the NHL. They were allowed to select from a list of unprotected players as provided by each team. Most notably, the Golden Knights added Marc-Andre Fleury and James Neal. You can check out their entire roster by clicking here.
Fleury is a three-time Stanley Cup Champion goalie who has played his entire career for the Pittsburgh Penguins. There are worse goaltenders to start a franchise with. They also added left-winger James Neal from the Nashville Predators. Neal has been with the Predators since 2014 and most recently helped lead them to the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Golden Knights will play their home games at T-Mobile Arena (right on the Vegas strip baby). And they will don the ugliest uniforms known to man. I mean seriously, scroll back up and drink those things in one more time. It looks like communism invaded the medieval times. But seriously, the Golden Knights will join the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. The last time the NHL expanded they added the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Minnesota Wild prior to the 2000-2001 NHL season. They each finished in last in their respective divisions. The question is, how will the Golden Knights fare in their first season??
Post your prediction in the comment section below. Thanks for reading, and check back later today for my thoughts on Phil Jackson’s interview from last night. You won’t want to miss it!!
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Dave Talks Sports 