The hockey thread

This is the hockey thread, a place where hockey fans can talk about creases, backchecking, slapshots, penalty kills, waffle-boarding and other fun elements of the sport.

NHL Commisioner Gary Bettman announced in June 2016 that Las Vegas was awarded an expansion franchise. Yes, "awarded" -- but they had to pay a fee of $500,000,000, which was divided among the 30 existing teams. In 2017, the Las Vegas Golden Knights became the NHL's 31st team.

Seattle is hoping to be awarded the next expansion franchise -- and their fee would be $650,000,000. Yikes! Bettman opened the application process December 7. If an expansion team comes to Seattle, it will join the league in 2020.

NHL opens application process for Seattle expansion franchise

http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nhl/...D=ansmsnnews11

Expansion teams are usually pretty bad for the first few years but the Golden Knights won 8 of their first 9 games and they are in second place behind the Kings. I think there will be another expansion team in Canada soon.

The new facility will include retail space, a hotel and an innovation center. Show of hands: Who knows what an innovation center is?

New York Islanders win bid to build new arena at Belmont Park

http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nhl/...D=ansmsnnews11

Here is a nice article about the Golden Knights. They are tied with the Kings for first place now.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/ar...cup-contenders

I just saw on TV that Johnny Bower died. He was a goalie for the Maple Leafs and they won four Stanley Cups while he was on the team. The last one was in 1967.

If you want to vote on who should be the captains in the All-Star Game, you have to do it by January 1.

www.nhl.com/all-star-ballot

The Army has a parachute team that has been called the Golden Knights since 1969 and they say the Golden Knights hockey team should not be able to use the same name. The team is also using the same colors that the Army is using. The Army thinks there could be confusion but I do not think so. I do not think the team will have to change their name. Here is the story on ESPN.

http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/2...n-knights-name

Vigneault becomes the first NFL coach to be fired this season. He had a regular-season record of 226-147-37 and a playoff record of 31-30 with the Rangers but those numbers ultimately meant nothing to management. Boo-hoo, the Rangers won't be in the playoffs this year. Vigneault did not deserve to be fired.

Rangers fire coach Alain Vigneault after missing playoffs for first time since 2010

http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/2...w-york-rangers

The Golden Knights -- an expansion team! -- just defeated the Winnipeg Jets to win the Western Conference and will play either the Tampa Bay Lightning or the Washington Capitals for the Stanley Cup. (Tampa Bay leads that series, 3 games to 2. Game six is May 21.) The Golden Knights! An expansion team! Congratulations to Ryan Reaves, Daryk Engelland, Marc-André Fleury and company!

Vegas Golden Knights surge into Stanley Cup Final, extend improbable run

www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/23557031/go

Now we know. The Washington Capitals won their playoff series against Tampa Bay and will play the Golden Knights for the Stanley Cup. The championship games will be May 28 and May 30 in Las Vegas, June 2 and June 4 in Washington, and -- if necessary -- June 7 in Las Vegas, June 10 in Washington and June 13 in Las Vegas. This will be an exciting series. Go, Vegas!

I said "Go, Vegas!" -- and now they're gone. The Golden Knights beat the Capitals 6-4 in game one and then proceeded to lose games two, three, four and five. But hey, just wait till next year!

The Washington Capitals win their first Stanley Cup

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/07/s...n-knights.html

I love this letter from Steve McCarthy of Monrovia in today's Los Angeles Times: "Of course the Capitals will be invited to the White House. Look at how many Russians are on the team."

"Boo hoo, other coaches are making more money than I make." Yeah, so you quit -- and now you're not making any money. Brilliant.

Barry Trotz steps down as head coach of Washington Capitals despite Stanley Cup win

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...anley-cup-win/

Well, he didn't stay unemployed for very long.

Barry Trotz named Islanders' head coach

https://www.newsday.com/sports/hocke...ays-1.19342174

Here is a good story from ESPN about what we can expect from the Golden Knights next season. I think they will win the Pacific division again.

http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/2...rospect-system

General manager Rob Blake explained, "We haven't played the way we expected to." Just think how professional sports teams might improve if general managers could fire players instead of always making a scapegoat of the coach.

Kings fire John Stevens, name Willie Desjardins as interim coach

http://www.latimes.com/sports/kings/...103-story.html

The Golden Knights expansion team cost $500,000,000. The Seattle team will cost $650,000,000. Wow, talk about inflation!

Seattle chosen for NHL's 32nd team in 2021-22

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...se/2193444002/

Keith played for four teams in the Ontario Hockey League, three teams in the International Hockey League, one season in the East Coast Hockey League, one season in Finland Division 1 Hockey and one season in the British Hockey League. He never made it to the NHL but he certainly got to see the world!

Oilers name Keith Gretzky interim GM
The Sporting News, Jan 23 2019 4:25 PM

There is a new leadership group for the Edmonton Oilers. Following the firing of Peter Chiarelli early today, the team announced Keith Gretzky has been elevated to interim general manager. Gretzky, younger brother of NHL legend Wayne Gretzky, was the assistant general manager under Chiarelli. He previously worked with Chiarelli for the Bruins as the director of amateur scouting. Prior to joining Boston, Gretzky served on the scouting staff of the Arizona Coyotes. Oilers CEO Bob Nicholson will now oversee hockey operations, which includes finding the next permanent general manager.

http://www.sportingnews.com/ca/nhl/n...2dzqk686abgxl3

The Ducks, who have won only two of their last 21 games and are in last place in the Western Conference, have fired coach Randy Carlyle -- for the second time.

Ducks fire coach Randy Carlyle, appoint GM Bob Murray interim coach

https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp...210-story.html

Let's hope rowdy fans in St. Louis don't get drunk and try to tear down the Gateway Arch. Congratulations to Sanford, Binnington, O'Reilly and company!

Blues stifle Bruins 4-1 in Finals game 7 to win first Stanley Cup in team history

https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/s...-team-history/