Well, we’ve finally confirmed the news we hoped we would get when this day started.
Our sources in Las Vegas with extensive knowledge of the organization and the expansion process have confirmed the Executive Committee formulated a positive recommendation for expansion to Las Vegas and the official announcement will come on June 22nd prior to the NHL Awards ceremony.
There has not yet been confirmation on division, expansion draft date, or any other details as previously reported by Francois Gagnon.
The announcement is currently scheduled to take place at a press conference in Las Vegas to be held before the Awards, not during. The league has had a habit of changing these types of events before, but at the moment that’s when Commissioner Bettman is expected, presumably with The Creator by his side, to say the magic words and grant Las Vegas its first major professional sports franchise.
The next step in the process is for Mr. Foley to sign the expansion contract and send it, plus $500 million, back to the league. At that point, the 30 owners will vote at the Board of Governors meeting to accept the expansion contract and expand the league to 31. Las Vegas will begin play in the 2017-18 season.
Our sources were not told directly whether or not Quebec City will also be awarded a franchise, but we were told “it’s pretty much widely assumed we’re coming in alone.”
So crack a cold one, click the link, and sing it with me people
VIVA LAS VEGAS!!!
Ned Ryerson
This story is a pretty good calculated risk. If it’s wrong, no big deal considering this isn’t ESPN or another top shelf reporting agency. If it’s right, Sin Bin has a very nice scoop.
Daoloth
I think it would be pretty awkward to have meetings in Vegas without giving them a team. There too many connections to AEG or other things for me to think it wont happen.. All those Frozen Fury tournaments seemed popular along with the season ticket sales. People are always in Vegas its a lot better than say Atlantic City which is bankrupt :).
I hope they call the team simply Vegas Knights its a play on Vegas nights while avoiding stupid out dated colors… Calling them the Black Knights would be too close to Black Hawks which became Blackhawks anyways. On the road they can be the White Knights, while at home the Black Knights by uniform colors :).
Congrats to Vegas even though I doubt I’ll be watching after the Sharks get shafted… I don’t see the Kings winning anything anytime soon its too slanted for Canada and their Captains… 2 Americans winning Cup as Captain I think gives a good idea why the Canadian biased sport does worse than College football and Basketball… As for pro Sports its well behind MLB, NFL, NBA, even Pro Tennis or Golf beat it soundly :(… Nascar I don’t count as a sport, though the ratings seem much better since that is on normal TV even covered by ESPN unlike SCF.
Bo Dingle
Har har hardee har har. So the most degenerate city in America has landed its first true tomato, top shelf, ding dong major professional sports franchise. What fun it will be seeing this city and its giant flatulent ego fall flat on its face