Table of Contents
Vegas Golden Knights
Foundation and Expansion Era
The 31st Franchise
The Vegas Golden Knights officially joined the NHL on June 22, 2016, becoming the first “Big Four” professional sports team to call Las Vegas home. 1)
The First Signing
On March 6, 2017, center Reid Duke became the first player ever signed to a contract in the history of the Golden Knights franchise. 2)
Expansion Draft Strategy
During the 2017 Expansion Draft, Vegas acquired extra draft picks and players by making “side deals” with teams to protect specific exposed players. 3)
Cody Glass: The First Pick
Cody Glass was the first amateur player ever drafted by the Golden Knights, selected sixth overall in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. 4)
The Inaugural Captain
Vegas famously played their first three seasons without an official captain before naming Mark Stone the first captain in team history in 2021. 5)
Milestone Wins and Seasons
The 400-Win Mark
On April 13, 2026, the Golden Knights reached a major franchise milestone by recording their 400th regular-season win in a dominant 6-2 victory over Winnipeg. 6)
Nine Seasons, Eight Playoffs
As of the 2025-26 season, Vegas has maintained an incredible level of consistency, qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in eight of their first nine years. 7)
Pacific Division Champions
The Golden Knights captured another Pacific Division title in 2026, finishing the regular season with 95 points and a first-place divisional standing. 8)
Inaugural Division Title
Vegas is the only modern-era expansion team in major sports history to win their division in their very first season of play (2017-18). 9)
Tortorella’s Late Arrival
In a shocking late-season move in 2026, the team hired John Tortorella as head coach with only eight games remaining in the regular season. 10)
Player Records and Statistics
Eichel’s Career High
In 2025-26, superstar center Jack Eichel led the Golden Knights in scoring with a career-best 90 points, including a team-high 63 assists. 11)
Power Play Specialist
Pavel Dorofeyev set a new Vegas single-season record in 2025-26 by scoring 20 power-play goals, leading the team’s man-advantage unit. 12)
Consecutive 30-Goal Seasons
Pavel Dorofeyev became the first player in franchise history to record consecutive 30-goal seasons, netting 37 total goals in 2025-26. 13)
The Iron Man of Vegas
Brayden McNabb, an “Original Misfit,” holds the franchise record for the most regular-season games played in a Golden Knights jersey. 14)
Karlsson’s Scoring Record
William Karlsson still holds the franchise record for most goals in a single season, scoring 43 during the team's miraculous 2017-18 debut. 15)
Stone’s Efficiency
During the 2025-26 campaign, captain Mark Stone ranked 9th in the entire NHL in points per game, averaging 1.27 before an injury shortened his season. 16)
Theodore’s Assist Milestone
Defenseman Shea Theodore became the all-time leader in assists for a Vegas defenseman, surpassing 300 assists as a Golden Knight in 2026. 17)
Marchessault’s Playoff MVP
Jonathan Marchessault won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2023, the first and only player in team history to be named the playoff's most valuable player. 18)
Notable Trades and Acquisitions
The Eichel Blockbuster
Vegas acquired Jack Eichel from the Buffalo Sabres on November 4, 2021, in exchange for Alex Tuch, Peyton Krebs, and two draft picks. 19)
The Return of Reilly Smith
An “Original Misfit,” Reilly Smith, returned to the team via trade in March 2025 and currently sits fourth in franchise history for game-winning goals. 20)
Acquiring Tomas Hertl
The Golden Knights traded for star center Tomas Hertl at the 2024 trade deadline, sending a first-round pick to the rival San Jose Sharks. 21)
Stone from Ottawa
The franchise acquired future captain Mark Stone from the Ottawa Senators at the 2019 trade deadline, instantly signing him to an eight-year extension. 22)
Mark Barbashev's Trade
Ivan Barbashev was acquired from the St. Louis Blues in 2023 and has since set a personal career high of 61 points while playing for Vegas. 23)
Defensive Depth from Calgary
The team bolstered its blue line for the 2026 playoffs by acquiring defenseman Rasmus Andersson in a mid-season trade with the Calgary Flames. 24)
The 2023 Championship Run
The 9-Goal Clincher
The Golden Knights won their first Stanley Cup in 2023 by defeating the Florida Panthers 9-3, tying the record for most goals in a Cup-clinching game. 25)
Stone's Hat Trick
Mark Stone became the first player in the NHL's modern era to record a hat trick in a Stanley Cup-clinching game during the 2023 Final. 26)
The "Golden Misfits"
The core group of six players from the 2017 expansion roster stayed with the team long enough to eventually lift the Stanley Cup together in 2023. 27)
Cassidy’s Rapid Ring
Head coach Bruce Cassidy won the Stanley Cup in his very first season with the Golden Knights (2022-23) after being hired in the summer of 2022. 28)
Adin Hill’s Heroics
Relief goaltender Adin Hill became a Vegas legend by stepping in mid-playoffs in 2023 and backstopping the team to 11 wins and the championship. 29)
Traditions and Team Culture
The Knighting Ceremony
Before every home game, a theatrical “Knighting Ceremony” occurs on ice, featuring a medieval battle between a Vegas Knight and the opposing team's mascot. 30)
The "Fortress" Atmosphere
T-Mobile Arena is nicknamed “The Fortress” and is widely considered one of the loudest and most intimidating home rinks in the NHL. 31)
Chance the Gila Monster
The team’s official mascot, Chance, is a yellow Gila monster, chosen to represent the unique wildlife of the Nevada desert. 32)
The "Vegas Strong" Numbers
The Golden Knights retired the number 58 in 2018 to honor the victims of the October 1 mass shooting in Las Vegas. 33)
Gold Chrome Helmets
Vegas was the first NHL team to introduce and wear permanent metallic “chrome gold” helmets during their home games starting in 2020. 34)
Community and Global Impact
2026 Olympic Success
Star center Jack Eichel added to his trophy case in 2026 by winning a gold medal with Team USA at the Winter Olympics while representing Vegas. 35)
Mental Health Advocacy
The franchise hosts an annual “Mental Health Awareness Knight,” with the 2026 event held on April 13 to support local community wellness programs. 36)
Youth Hockey Growth
The Jr. Golden Knights girls' hockey program reached a milestone in 2026 by capturing their second national title, showcasing local growth of the sport. 37)
America's VetDogs Partnership
The Golden Knights Foundation partners with “America's VetDogs” to co-raise service dogs like “Maverick” to assist veterans and first responders. 38)
Reading Week Outreach
In 2025, Golden Knights players and staff visited over 20 local elementary schools to promote literacy during Nevada Reading Week. 39)
Random Trivia and Firsts
First Playoff Series Sweep
In 2018, Vegas became the first expansion team in NHL history to sweep a playoff series in its inaugural season, defeating the Kings. 40)
The Golden Knights Auction
The team hosts “VGK Authentics,” an official auction site where fans can bid on game-worn jerseys and specialty “Military Appreciation” gear. 41)
Third Period Dominance
In the 2025-26 season, Vegas led the league with a +36 goal differential in the third period, the second-best mark in the NHL. 42)
First Winter Classic
Vegas played in their first outdoor Winter Classic game on January 1, 2024, facing the Seattle Kraken at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. 43)
Minor League Affiliation
The Henderson Silver Knights, based in the neighboring city of Henderson, have served as the team's primary AHL affiliate since 2020. 44)
The 40-Win Foundation
Despite various coaching changes and injuries, Vegas has recorded at least 40 wins in seven of its first nine seasons of existence. 45)