Since being brought into the NHL for the 2017/18 season, the Vegas Golden Knights have taken the league by storm. The team who everyone expected to be a lottery team for at least their first couple of seasons proved everyone wrong. The team made an incredible run to the Stanley Cup Finals in their first year of existence, followed by another strong season last year. Because of the immediate success, the Golden Knights fanbase has been stronger than anyone could've ever predicted.
In large part due to the passionate Golden Knights fanbase, there may be another professional hockey team soon coming to Las Vegas. The Golden Knights are reported to have been in discussions with The Orleans Hotel and Casino to start up an AHL team as soon as this coming October, sources say.
As of now nothing has been finalized, but the initial plan would be for the team to play the first two seasons out of the Orleans Arena. During this time, the Golden Knights would be working on constructing their own practice facilities for the team to play in Henderson. There is also a plan for the team name, which as of now would be the Henderson Silver Knights.
Currently, the Golden Knights AHL team is the Chicago Wolves. If a new team were to come to Vegas, it would mean cutting ties with the Wolves, who have served as the team's affiliate for the first three years of the Golden Knights franchise. After hearing the news, Wolves' general manager Wendell Young issued the following statement:
“The Chicago Wolves and Vegas Golden Knights continue to be partners with a common goal to win championships. If there comes a time when Vegas purchases the rights to another AHL franchise, then the Wolves will find a new NHL partner that also believes in the importance of competing for Calder Cups.”
Soon after this, the Golden Knights responded with a statement of their own:
“We have had discussions with the American Hockey League representatives regarding the possibility of securing an AHL club on an ongoing basis since our team's inception. While we remain very interested in the opportunity, specific details related to an acquisition or the potential location of the acquired team are yet to be determined.”
The Orleans Arena was the home of the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL from 2003-2014. It seats just over 7,700 people, and has hosted many other sporting events over the years from the Arena Football League to the Las Vegas Sin of the Lingerie Football League, and currently the Vegas Rollers of the World Tennis Team.
The biggest bonus this would give the Golden Knights organization is the roster shuffling of players. The Orleans Arena and the Golden Knights' T-Mobile Arena are just two miles apart. This makes travelling and living accommodations much less stressful on players who are swapping between the two teams.
One other major factor in all of this is that the Golden Knights do not currently have a say in hockey operations with the Chicago Wolves, due to the Wolves being independently owned and operated. Owning their own team would give the Vegas Knights full control over the organization and allow them to handle the players exactly how they believe is right.
Nothing has been finalized at this point. As of now, the Chicago Wolves still serve as the Golden Knights AHL squad. However, a source close to the Golden Knights has indicated the team is currently negotiating with two AHL teams. Because of how close the next season already is, it is likely a decision would have to be agreed upon right away for an AHL team to call Las Vegas home for the 2020/21 season.
Source: Jesse Granger
