The hockey thread

[Rewind]

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

[Penguin]

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.

[Rewind]

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

[Penguin]

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

[Penguin]

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.

[Penguin]

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

[Penguin]

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

[Rewind]

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

[Rewind]

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

[Rewind]

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!