The bright lights of Las Vegas are an attraction that brings millions of tourists every year to see the sights and sounds of the Las Vegas strip. Located in the Mohave Desert, the area is known primarily or it's warm climate. However, it is an ice storm that is brewing in Sin City. That ice storm is being caused by the NHL's newest franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Golden Knights are the 64th expansion team in the four major US sports. Of the 63 previous expansion teams, only five have ever made it to the postseason in their first year. Four of those five were in one season (1967-68) when six NHL expansion teams were all placed in one division.
Exactly one-third of the previous major sports expansion teams finished their league with the worst record in their first season.
Moreover, the Golden Knights are the first team to finish their inaugural regular season with a winning record, clinching their division with an impressive 51-24-7 record (109 standings points). That is history-making in it of its own. Surely, all the fun would end there, right?
Playoffs!? Let's talk about playoffs...
Every sports enthusiast knows that there is just another level of play that comes with any sports' postseason. Once the playoffs begin, it is a whole new atmosphere, and the intensity is cranked up big time on the big stage. What you did in the regular season no longer matters.
It starts all over and teams must win four Best-of-seven series to be a part of history forever. That is exactly why some NHL followers realistically would expect the 2017-18 NHL Pacific Division champions to fall when it comes playoff time, especially with their first-round matchup being the Los Angeles Kings, who have found success in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
That has not deterred this first-year franchise, as they have a commanding 3-0 lead on the 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cup Champions.
How far can they go?
While The Golden Knights are a first-year franchise, they do not lack the experience in their locker room. Most notably, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and winger James Neal were part of the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals last year.
While Fleury didn't start, he made a huge contribution to getting his team there.
It is with this experience - as well as a surprising amount of chemistry shown to this point - why in June, it could be the Vegas Golden Knights we call Stanley Cup Champions. History has already been accomplished. Can they go all the way and do something unprecedented in the sports world: Win the whole darn thing in their first season?