Here we go, it’s Day 2 of making crazy predictions (here are Ken’s from yesterday). I truly believe a couple of my predictions will come true this season. Especially, the one about Jack Eichel squaring off against Connor McDavid.
Call me crazy, but Shea Theodore will pass his career high in goals in 2023-24.
There have been theories floating over the past several seasons that Alex Pietrangelo’s presence impacted Theodore’s growth. It’s an easy assumption, considering Theodore was the Golden Knights’ biggest threat in the 2020 postseason. The Original Misfit registered seven goals in the bubble and 12 assists to go along with his breakout performance. Months later Pietrangelo was acquired and appeared to slow Theodore down.
The 28-year-old flashed some skill in the Stanley Cup Final and there’s reason to believe it will carry over to October. After playing in Bruce Cassidy’s system for 76 games, Theodore is in a position to flourish offensively. Look for Theodore to top 15 or more goals this season. Maybe enough to earn a few Norris Trophy votes.
Call me crazy, but there will be a goalie controversy at some point during the season.
As the reigning champions, every single road game this season will be a special occasion for the opposition. No matter how things are going, the Golden Knights will be a measuring stick game for every single team. Of the 41 road games this year, here are the five I’m looking forward to most.
5) November 14th, 2023 at Washington
The game itself is not all that exciting, or at least on paper it’s not. But, the Golden Knights have three days off before this game so it will almost certainly be their chance to visit the White House.
Politics aside, it’s always been a really neat tradition to see the champions of each league make the visit. It typically results in a funny comment or two from the sitting president and a chance to see the players a bit out of their element.
In exactly five months to the day, the Golden Knights will take the ice outdoors at T-Mobile Park in Seattle for the 2024 Winter Classic.
The Stanley Cup Champions will don brand new creme-colored jerseys featuring a new logo. Their opponents, the Seattle Kraken, are expected to wear dark-colored sweaters with a logo riffing off the 1917 Stanley Cup-winning Metropolitans logo.
Thanks to some excellent sleuthing from a source who shall remain unnamed, we have our first look at some of the features from the upcoming Winter Classic jerseys and logos.
Not only do we see a new “V” logo, but there also appears to be a new font as well. The picture isn’t perfect but it appears to be modeled after the famous Flamingo Hotel font.
It could be a while until we get the official unveil of the jerseys as last year they weren’t shown off until mid-November for the January 1st game. So, for now, just keep zooming further and further in on these blurry photos and let your imagination run wild.
When the Golden Knights face off against the Colorado Avalanche on February 20th, they’ll become the 26th NHL team to skate outdoors. While five other franchises have waited for almost two decades, Vegas will get their opportunity up in Northern Nevada in only their fourth season.
Outdoor Weekend
Here’s a cool fact about Lake Tahoe, it never freezes over.
The Lake Tahoe Basin has its share of below-freezing days and nights, but surprisingly enough the Lake itself has never frozen over. On occasion, Emerald Bay has been covered with a layer of ice, and ice also forms in cold protected inlets. However, Lake Tahoe’s great depth and volume of water is always in motion and keeps it from being the world’s largest ice rink. -KeepTahoeBlue.org
Luckily, the league did their research and will avoid any ice cracking disasters. The NHL games will take place at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort in Stateline, NV. It’s reported that an ice sheet will be built around the resorts golf course, however it was unclear exactly where. Will an NHL game be played be on a massive three-hole water hazard?
Vegas’ Opponent
Many were confused why the NHL would choose the Avalanche over one of the three California teams. I’d imagine there were several reasons, but one would have to be the spotlight factor. Colorado and Vegas are two premier teams in the West division, it allows the league and networks a chance to showcase both clubs. In all likelihood, it could be a playoff series preview. San Jose may be closer to Lake Tahoe, but clearly, the league felt a superior Colorado team would make for a better event.
During the entire Winter Classic today I couldn’t get my mind off the thought of someday watching the Vegas Golden Knights play in the NHL’s regular season gem. A while back we explored the idea of the Golden Knights being the away team at a game at West Point against the New York Rangers.
Well, it’s time to let that dream die… at least for 2018. The Creator confirmed the organization did indeed explore the possibility of playing a game at the home of the United States Army, but its not suitable for an NHL game at the moment.
The West Point rink doesn’t have NHL standard glass. The glass isn’t flexible. No (other) plans on the Winter Classic. -The Creator
However, his plans to bring his new team to the school he holds so near and dear to his heart are not going down because of some rigid glass.
We are going to have a day trip to West Point during an East Coast swing so the players can experience the institution.
So, no Winter Classic at West Point, no preseason game there, and no other discussions about Vegas playing in the 2018 Winter Classic anywhere else at this point. But that trip to West Point is going to be amazing for everyone involved.
Usually Drop The Gloves gives a chance for the writers on this site to disagree with each other, but sometimes an article we write strikes a nerve in you, the readers. That’s what happened with my recent article titled “Las Vegas In Winter Classic 2018 At West Point? Yes Please.” Former Guest Post contributor Stephen J Sochor sent in his rebuttal, which is now the first ever Drop The Gloves Guest Post. So, here goes.
Playoff games that start past many kids, and some adults, bed times, NHL Awards voters who watch little Western Conference hockey, and Winter Classic Games that are hosted in cities west of the Mississippi River, this is the NHL and its lack of interest for those fans who follow teams in the West. Why would the Las Vegas Something Knights agree to extend an east coast road trip by at least 3 days, AND lose a home date in the process? This is so short-sighted, and it does nothing for most of the fans in Las Vegas, whether they are season ticket holders or not.
The Las Vegas franchise is another chapter in growing the game to areas that are not traditional hockey bases. Stealing a home date from the fans that support the team in order to give their opponent a game in their backyard is preposterous. Even if you don’t believe the team will be able to compete for a playoff game next year, why would The Creator be happy to give up millions in tickets, merchandise, and local tax revenue? If you do believe the team can compete for the playoffs in year one, then what is to gain by extending a road trip by half a week for a singular “road” game?
The Rangers however must be the away team as their agreement with Madison Square Garden forbids them to give up a home game. Enter Las Vegas. There’s an obvious connection with The Creator to his alma mater, but the idea makes sense beyond that.
The NHL wants to do all it can to highlight Las Vegas in its first season, and aside from opening night, which will almost certainly be a Vegas home game, the Winter Classic is the premier slot. There is this problem though…
We would love to be involved in an outdoor game, but we wouldn’t give up a home date to do it. –The Creator to the LVRJ
My question, why not? At this very moment season ticket holders are beginning the process of selecting their seats for the inaugural season at T-Mobile Arena. The plan is for the team to play four preseason games and 41 regular season games in the building. But if there’s ever been a team in a position to give up a home game without the ire of their fan base it’s this one.
Last week hockey fans watched the Montreal Canadiens skate circles around the Boston Bruins in the annual Winter Classic. Boston lost 5-1 in the ‘House that Brady built.’ Maybe that’s why Bruins Captain Zdeno Chara was so embarrassed by his team’s play.
We’ve got to be better. We know that. But let’s pick it up (word beginning with ‘F’ only reserved for SinBin.vegas podcasts) mentally too. – Zdeno Chara
You see the Winter Classic is a big deal. Each team is honored to be invited to play outdoors. Most teams circle the date, and get their own TV show hyping it up. However, it didn’t seem as if the B’s took it as seriously as the Habs. And it was apparent in the four-part series on EPIX. P.K. Subban, Brendan Gallagher, and Mike Condon all showed excitement, and determination for Montreal. While Boston seemed to be taking the game as if it was another ordinary, regular season game. Well it isn’t.
I’ve brought this up before, but the topic came up on Twitter again, so I figured we should properly tackle it.
@SinBinVegas if Vegas gets an NHL team, do you think they would ever get to host a winter classic?
First of all Las Vegas currently doesn’t have the proper outdoor venue. When you consider this year’s outdoor games will be played at Gillette Stadium (68,000 capacity), Coors Field (50,000 capacity), and the TCF Bank Stadium (50,000 capacity) all dwarf Sam Boyd Stadium (40,000 capacity). Sam Boyd also doesn’t have the space, parking or amenities that the other stadiums posses. It would need some major renovations to hold a major professional event like an outdoor NHL game. The City of Las Vegas will have to build a state-of- the- art stadium that can hold 60,000+ people. Unfortunately there are no legitimate plans in the works, unless you are unlike us and believe this 100,000 seat stadium could become a reality.
Secondly, the NHL loves to promote their teams, especially new expansion teams. So an outdoor game between Las Vegas and the Arizona Coyotes makes sense. However, the Phoenix area has fine venues, in fact maybe some of the best. Southern Arizona has held Super Bowls, National Titles, Pro Bowls and WrestleMania’s for crying out loud. So it would make more sense to host an outdoor game in Arizona. Good news however, this would put the Las Vegas franchise in an outdoor game much faster. Really, it’s a win-win for the NHL. They get to promote a new expansion team and continue to assist the Coyotes direction.
Lastly, it seems the Pacific conference will continue to get squeezed on Winter Classics. Now there have been Stadium Series games, but the Winter Classics get more hype. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a west coast New Year’s Day game. So if Las Vegas was to be awarded an outdoor game, it would be after the All-Star break. But really, who cares? An outdoor game is always an event.
To answer the question, it doesn’t look like there will be an outdoor hockey game anytime soon in Las Vegas. Based off its current venue situation. However, the Las Vegas franchise could certainly be invited to play in one in Arizona, which to me is good enough on its own. Let’s hope the more chatter about Las Vegas in an outdoor game will catch the eye of the NHL. Heck, this was pretty cool way back when, why not try it again?
VGK vs SEA (10/10/23) VGK -165 SEA +140 O/U 6 (O -125)
VGK at SJS (10/12/23) VGK -235 SJS +192 O/U 6.5 (U -120)
VGK vs ANA (10/14/23) VGK -350 ANA +275 O/U 6.5 (U -115)
