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1 Of 31 Organization With 1 Of A Kind Owner

By

On July 9, 2018

In Team Ops

This picture sums it up The Creator’s style perfectly. In the picture, but not in the way. (Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)

It wasn’t an officially stated goal, but one of the most impressive accomplishments the Golden Knights achieved in their first season was truly becoming an NHL team. From the moment the puck dropped to the end we’re still trying to forget, there was never a feeling that the Golden Knights, or Vegas, was new to this. The building felt like an NHL arena, the fan base had the same (or more) passion as any other, and both the on and off ice products matched those of places that have been playing hockey games for decades.

Sure there were quirks like the opening “show” or the drumline, but there wasn’t anything a hockey fan can pinpoint and say “that’s something only an expansion team would do.” NHL.com columnist Nick Cotsonika put it as simply, but powerfully when he told me, “it feels like this team has been here forever.” That’s a testament to the entire staff, top to bottom.

However, there is one guy who is new to the NHL in every sense of the word and he’s not trying to fit in.

I guess I’m a different type of owner. I like to be with the guys and the coaches and the hockey staff, learn as much as I can, interchange with them, goof around with them, that’s kind of my style. Most owners don’t do that. I believe the players like it. I believe I had some small piece in our success and I’m going to keep on doing it and we’re going to get better. –The Creator on Vegas Hockey Hotline on 6/22/18

The owner of the newest franchise might be the most hands-on owner in the entire league. He gave locker room speeches. He ate meals with the team regularly. He bought a ping pong table, a dart board, and a bubble hockey machine because he heard players mention they “needed” them. He even arranged for car washes and detailing to take place in the parking lot of City National Arena because Marc-Andre Fleury mentioned one time that he didn’t have time to clean his car.

Then, when the players weren’t using it, he went military style on them in a way only an owner like him could.

So a couple of days later I had a meeting with the guys and I said, “It’s like the military. Use it or lose it.” I told them, “If you don’t use that car wash and detailing, I’m pulling it because I’m not going to have these guys just sitting around.” The next day there were 17 cars lined up. –The Creator to The Hockey News

He’s different, in a good way. I’ve talked to plenty of players about the owner and they all seem to genuinely enjoy his style. Where most hands-on owners want to be one of the guys, The Creator actually seems to have become one of the guys. So much so that there’s a “team policy” in which calling him by the wrong name costs you a pretty penny.

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The Creator And McNabb Talk Golf With Sirius PGA Radio

By

On May 9, 2018

In Fans

Neal might be better at golf than he is hockey, and he’s pretty good at hockey. (Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)

As they await their next destination, the Vegas media tour continues. This time, legendary PGA golfer Fred Couples chatted with two of the Golden Knights biggest contributors.

I went to George and I said, ‘George are you going to grow a beard?’ He said, ‘You know I’ve seen a lot of coaches grow a beard and they lose the first two games. That beard comes right off.’ -The Creator on Sirius PGA Radio with Fred Couples

Couples has followed the Golden Knights success all season and is captivated by their deep playoff run. In separate interviews with The Creator and defenseman Brayden McNabb, Freddy “Boom Boom” discussed the Western Conference finals, and of course a little golf.

We knew we were contenders. We knew we could possibly go far in the playoffs and even win. We believe in that room and it’s contagious. -Brayden McNabb on Sirius PGA Radio with Fred Couples

The Sirius PGA Radio host brought up x-factor type players and mentioned Marc-Andre Fleury and his postseason performance. Naturally, the man in charge spoke of his admiration for Fleury and made it known the goaltender is a Golden Knight for life.

He’s a great individual. He’s got a great family. My goal for Flower is to have him retire in this town. I really appreciate what he’s done, his attitude, and what he’s done for this team. -The Creator

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Vegas Golden Knights Rank 14th On Forbes NHL Franchise Valuation List

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On December 5, 2017

In Team Ops

Every year Forbes releases a list of the most valuable franchises in the NHL. The leader, for the third straight year, is the New York Rangers coming in at $1.5 billion. For this year, the Vegas Golden Knights were simply slotted in at the price The Creator paid for the franchise, $500 million.

FULL LIST

The interesting number is the Golden Knights debt to income ratio, which is listed at 42%. Having no historical data to go off, it’s hard to determine where that number should be less than two years into existence and without a full season under their belt, but it’s certainly a number to keep our eyes on.

Next year’s chart will be much more telling as Forbes will estimate the Golden Knights revenue and operating income which will shift the debt ratio.

The $500 million fee paid by the Golden Knights to become the NHL’s 31st team this season as a base line for the value of hockey teams illustrates the league’s enormous financial success as it has grown from six to 31 franchises. -Mike Ozanian, Forbes

The Maple Leafs, Canadiens, and Blackhawks were the only other teams that checked in at over $1 billion.

Based on the rousing success the Golden Knights have had on the ice, as well as with ticket sales, merchandise, and sponsorship, we can reasonably expect the Golden Knights to move up near the top 10 by next year.

He may still have his mind on “Playoffs by three, Cup by six,” but a spot amongst the NHL’s elite in valuation is something The Creator is also dying to see.

The Creator Speaks His Mind On Potentially Selling At The Deadline

By

On November 30, 2017

In Team Ops

As the games tick off the schedule and the Golden Knights remain not only in the playoff chase, but in first place, no one can help themselves but to wonder how George McPhee and company will handle the roster come deadline day.

He’s always in the picture. (Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)

The stated plan has always been “Playoffs by 3, Cup by 6” with the obvious path to achievement being through acquiring as many assets as possible now to supplement the future. However, with the current Golden Knights proving to be more capable than many expected, including the GM, it’s time to wonder how that plan will change.

When asked recently, and over the course of the past few weeks, George McPhee repeats nearly word for word the exact same statement.

We do have a master plan but if this team is in the hunt way down the road, way down the road in March, then we will stay in the hunt. I wouldn’t derail it. It’s not fair to this team or this community. -George McPhee

That all sounds good and well, but we’re talking about George McPhee here. He’s an incredibly calculated man who isn’t likely to let a few games change a plan he’s had in place for about 18 months since he got the job.

But there’s an elephant in the room, and in the case of the Golden Knights, he literally sits directly next to the McPhee every single game. Here at SinBin.vegas, we call him The Creator. The man who paid for the team, who coined the “Playoffs by three, Cup by six” mantra, and the man who said this recently on the Golden Knights official podcast.

People that know me from my business and my careers, they know I don’t enter anything to not win. I win at everything. -The Creator

The guys on the Sheriff, Lawless and Some Guy Named Dave (Hashtag #SLGND of course. Can’t forget that because they remind us 47 times per episode) posed the question directly to the Golden Knights owner; do you “raise” or “fold” on trading away some of your players at the deadline?

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The Mantra Puts Major Pressure On McPhee And Gallant

By

On August 5, 2017

In Team Ops

Playoffs in three, Cup in six, the mantra. As a fan, you’ve got to love the optimism, no matter how unlikely you feel it may be, but have you ever wondered how George McPhee and Gerard Gallant feel about the mantra? Let’s be honest, it has to make them uneasy.

Does The Creator’s wish list mean there’s an apocalypse clock on McPhee and Gallant and does “no excuses, that’s the standard,” mean the coach/GM duo have a hard deadline? Whether true or not, there’s no question every time the mantra is said publicly by the guy signing the checks, pressure has to be mounting for McPhee and Gallant.

So, just how ambitious or impatient is The Creator with his future plan? After researching expansion history, “playoffs in three and Cup in six” doesn’t seem that far off for a new owner’s expectations. We can’t find any other owners publicly stating a mantra like this (let alone hundreds of times), but it appears to be a standard set decades ago. In fact, three and six would actually have been considered overly patient for many new owners.

San Jose Sharks
First coach: George Kingston
Two seasons: 1991-93 (fired offseason)
Win% .129 (28-129-7)

First GM: Jack Ferreira
One season: 1990-92; 17 wins (39 points)

Ottawa Senators
First Coach: Rick Bowness
Four seasons: 1992-95 (fired mid-season)
Win% .204 (39-178-18)

First GM: Mel Bridgman
One season: 1991-93; 10 wins (24 points)

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Playoffs In 3, Cup In 6; A Mantra Better Off Believed Than Doubted

By

On August 4, 2017

In Team Ops

It’s a saying that shouldn’t be new to Golden Knights fans, players, and especially George McPhee, “Playoffs in three, Cup in six.” A mantra that dates back on record as far as February 2016, and one that in the mind of the man behind it probably dates back to the moment he first thought about buying an NHL team.

Four months before Gary Bettman stood behind a podium at the Wynn and awarded Vegas an NHL franchise, The Creator had his a timeline made up in his mind. “Playoffs in three, Cup in six”

I don’t think it’s quick at all. Playoffs in three, Cup in six. Period, no excuses, that’s the standard. I consider that being very patient. -The Creator

Let me have him repeat what he said to News3’s Amber Dixon (see tweet below for video) again.

Period. No excuses, that’s the standard. -The Creator

Which begs two very simple questions. What if they aren’t in the playoffs by 2020 and what if the Stanley Cup is not being paraded down Las Vegas Boulevard in June of 2023?

Only time will tell, and it’s certainly not crazy to hear the mantra and instantly disbelieve it. But this isn’t a claim coming from some fan, a player, or worse off some no-good blogger. It’s coming from a guy who simply doesn’t let things fail, and someone whose portfolio of successes isn’t exactly confined to one area of expertise like most believe.

The more I talk to people, the more I realize they aren’t actually aware of who this guy is, what he’s done, and why when he says he’s going to do something, you are better off believing it than doubting it.

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Vegas Golden Knights Jerseys Unveiled

By

On June 20, 2017

In Team Ops

It’s a moment Golden Knights fans have been waiting for since the moment they were told the team name. Finally, at an Adidas event at Intrigue at the Wynn, the Golden Knights revealed their jerseys for the 2017-18 season.

Here are our observations followed by a bunch of photos and a few videos.

Observations

  • The jersey looks a lot better in person than it does on the pictures.
  • The design inside of the crest and the “rivets” are unique and certainly add to the logo on the jersey. Hopefully they keep them off the logo though.
  • The alternate logo on the shoulders looks spectacular.
  • The red color pops off the jersey much more when you see it with the pants and socks. On just the sweater portion, the red really gets lost.
  • The inside of the collar with the Vegas word mark is nice.
  • The collar is also two colors. It is black along the back and grey as it comes to the NHL logo in the front.
  • The NHL logo is very shiny, maybe too shiny.
  • The team gloves on the mannequin were white with gold accents. The Creator told me he doesn’t love the white gloves, that he wanted them to be  all gold. An Adidas representative who works very closely with the jerseys said the gold patten cannot be replicated on gloves because it will fall apart. It’ll be interesting to see what happens when October rolls around.
  • As for the helmet, it is black. There was a ton of chatter about it being gold, but it was seemingly vetoed by Adidas and/or the league. The Creator seemed a little disappointed when I asked him about it, but did say he likes the look of the black. Another issue is that it’s hard to replicate gold across multiple helmet manufacturers. There are up to around four different helmets players use and matching the gold to the jersey would have been “nearly impossible” as the rep told me.
  • Remember the idea of the jerseys being a “suit of armor” and having a”chainmail” pattern. That was there in one of the original concepts, but it went away rather quickly. According to Adidas, there hasn’t been chainmail in the design for quite some time.

Photos

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Vegas Golden Knights NHL Expansion Draft Live Blog

By

On June 18, 2017

In News, Team Ops

Click through to follow our live blog of the Expansion Draft and the eight events leading up to it.

Golden Knights Formally Respond To Denied Trademark With USPTO

By

On June 8, 2017

In News, Team Ops

On December 7th, the Vegas Golden Knights trademark was denied by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) because of “likelihood of confusion” with the College of St. Rose Golden Knights.

There are countless examples of college sports teams and professional sports teams with coexisting names including the UCLA Bruins and Boston Bruins, University of Miami Hurricanes and Carolina Hurricanes, etc. We will plan on making these arguments and others in our detailed written response to the office action which must be filed by June 7th, 2017. -Team Statement on December 7th

That statement, which consists of 1347 pages of argument, examples, and exhibits, has been prepared and sent to the USPTO for review. (If you feel like going through the whole thing, it can be found here.)

The response cites four reasons as to why “Vegas Golden Knights mark is not likely to be confused” with the College of St. Rose Golden Knights.

(1) sports fans (and the general public) have long been accustomed to distinguishing between unrelated sports teams using the same or similar nicknames and trademarks;

(2) more specifically, sports fans (and the general public) have long been accustomed to distinguishing between GOLDEN KNIGHTS and KNIGHTS marks for sporting events;

(3) sports fans, by their very nature, are knowledgable about the games they choose to watch and attend; and

(4) the parties’ marks differ materially in appearance, sound and commercial impression.

The response goes on to give hundreds of examples from the Arizona Coyotes and University of South Dakota Coyotes sharing name, to comparing 22 different trademarks with the word “knights,” to even citing an erotic movie theatre that shares its name with a family movie theatre (Mini Cinema).

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Apply To Be The Golden Knight

By

On May 29, 2017

In Team Ops

Have any interest in constantly being harassed by children? Want to be the only person inside of T-Mobile Arena hoping they crank up the air conditioning? Think it would be neat to be the actual person who acts out the scene The Creator has been dreaming about since the inception of the Golden Knights?

Well now you can!

Teamwork Online, the site where you go to get jobs with professional sports teams, has listed the position of team mascot. And as SinBin.vegas revealed in early February, this position actually needs to be filled twice.

We’re going to have two mascots. One fan-friendly, kid-friendly mascot and there’s going to be one awesome, mean mother… the guy you don’t want to meet in the woods. -The Creator

We’ve since dug a bit on the “other” mascot and discovered it’s likely to be a horse or a dragon.

The job listing also indicates a role of the mascot will be to run the social media accounts of the mascot(s). So, you can expect to see a Foley the Golden Knight or Foley the Trusty Horse Instagram account coming soon. (They better name one of the two Foley.)

Mascot social media accounts can be some of the best to follow, hopefully the Golden Knights take the fun approach and not the PR friendly approach.

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