Comments / New

If the Golden Knights played in the NHL Global Series, where would they play?

The Vegas Golden Knights, now 3 years old as an NHL franchise, have been pretty good.

It’s difficult for the hockey world to not take notice of the Golden Knights when your first two seasons include a berth in the Stanley Cup Final and a playoff appearance that should have gone much farther than the first round.

Emphasis on world.

The NHL Global Series continued Friday between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the Nashville Predators and Boston Bruins will do the honors next season in the Czech Republic. The Colorado Avalanche and Columbus Blue Jackets will also play in Finland next season.

So, it got me thinking: If the Golden Knights were ever called upon to be in the Global Series, what place would be the best host for them?

A Winter Classic or a Stadium Series has always seemed to be more in the cards, and that could be a possibility in the coming years with Allegiant Stadium set to open next year. Golden Knights owner Bill Foley has even said himself that he would be more in tune with those types of games than going abroad.

“I really like to see our team play here, as opposed to traveling a long distance, get exhausted or get sick, come back and not be healthy when the season starts,” Foley said on April 25. “If it’s a regular season type game, I don’t mind flying to Montreal. That’s OK, but that’s about as far as we need to go. We need to be here, play our home games at T-Mobile [Arena], keep our fans engaged and keep the excitement.”

I asked some of you wonderful people through Twitter for suggestions, and some were very good. Some of them gave me a good chuckle.

London

This was the popular choice, and it makes sense because, you know, knights in London are an actual thing.

A game in London would be fantastic. The United Kingdom as a whole is a great hockey hotbed, even if they’re terrible and they know it, the lovable saps.

The humidity might be absolute crap right now, but it’s cold enough to put together a decent hockey rink. Maybe O2 Arena would be ideal. The Golden Knights would appeal to the British contingent who likes knights, or something.

My only reservation: If Vegas played the Los Angeles Kings, it would be the most obnoxious, obvious marketing ploy.

Maybe in a few years, if the Kings are better, this would be a great matchup. London would be my dream destination to travel to if it came to be.

Saskatchewan

This would also be great, but with complications.

The NHL Heritage Classic just wrapped up in Saskatchewan. Should another game come through there, it would, likely, solely involve Canadian teams unless the NHL wanted to get bold.

Watching the Heritage Classic on Oct. 26 was great. The Jets and Flames played a tremendous game. There was even snow! Watch the Golden Knights play in some snow. Watch Vegas fans ask everyone, ‘what in the world is that stuff?’ I say that as if I forget we had a damn snow day back in February.

I’d be cool with this if the NHL was willing to make it a double-entendre event for Canada. I can’t imagine it, but it’d be awesome. Mosaic Stadium is an awesome place for an outdoor game.

Sweden

Obvious choice, right?

William Karlsson would get the superstar treatment in his homeland. The marketability for Karlsson in a few days in Stockholm would be astronomical.

You know that Volvo billboard on the I-215 heading toward Summerlin? Imagine that times 10,000.

The Global Series has reached Sweden in every year of its existence since 2017 (where Tampa and Buffalo are at right now). It would make a great deal of sense for Vegas to play there.

Australia

Likely would never happen, but some of you said this and I’d love hockey in the Land from Down Under.

Sydney Olympic Park would be a fantastic venue for a hockey game. The weather is damn-near pristine all year round. Australia has the weird thing where summer is winter and winter is summer, but if you can get around that, go for it.

Travel might be a pain in the ass; about 17 hours from Vegas to Sydney by plane. It’d be one hell of a way to grow the game, though.

Honorable mentions

Paris: Not the actual city, mind you — have the rink right outside the hotel on the Strip. If this happens, the press box better be inside Mon Ami Gabi.

Greece: If I were able to go, I’d get very fat, very quickly. I don’t think I’d make it to the game as I’d drown in baklava.

Japan: This wouldn’t be out of the ordinary, but it hasn’t been done since 2000. I’d like it, though.

Reno: HAHAHAHAHA … I mean, a fine choice. However, I would not go.