- May 21, 2026
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The NHL, at the end of the day, is a drama just like any other, complete with triumph, heartbreak, heroes and villains. The NHL’s hero probably depends on who you ask, and who their favorite team is, but these days, most can agree that the NHL’s number-one villain is the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Golden Knights began as a plucky Cinderella story, making the Stanley Cup Final as an expansion team in their inaugural season of 2017-18. Somewhere along the way, however, Vegas transformed from a ragtag group of overachievers into the NHL’s version of an evil empire.
There have been a number of factors that have led to the Golden Knights’ reversal of reputation, but on Wednesday, Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon posited his own theory as to why his team is the subject of so much vitriol.
“I think people have a hard time explaining why we win as much as we do,” McCrimmon said. “For me it’s jealously and people are uncomfortable admitting that we’ve done a hell of a job.”
“They’re just jealous” is the go-to slogan for most successful yet heavily criticized people that don’t want to self-reflect, but if we’re being honest, there’s probably at least some truth to McCrimmon’s comments. The Golden Knights joined the NHL as a manufactured expansion team and immediately experienced the kind of winning that would be the envy of most long-standing franchises. They’ve made the playoffs in all but one of their nine seasons, winning the Stanley Cup in 2023 and reaching the Stanley Cup Final twice more.
Of course, there are the more legitimate criticisms about them having an unfair advantage playing in a state with no income tax, pillaging stars from more traditional hockey markets, and the controversial signing of goaltender Carter Hart.
Whatever the reason, it seems McCrimmon and the Golden Knights don’t mind playing the villain as long as they’re winning.
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The Golden Knights began as a plucky Cinderella story, making the Stanley Cup Final as an expansion team in their inaugural season of 2017-18. Somewhere along the way, however, Vegas transformed from a ragtag group of overachievers into the NHL’s version of an evil empire.
There have been a number of factors that have led to the Golden Knights’ reversal of reputation, but on Wednesday, Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon posited his own theory as to why his team is the subject of so much vitriol.
“I think people have a hard time explaining why we win as much as we do,” McCrimmon said. “For me it’s jealously and people are uncomfortable admitting that we’ve done a hell of a job.”
“They’re just jealous” is the go-to slogan for most successful yet heavily criticized people that don’t want to self-reflect, but if we’re being honest, there’s probably at least some truth to McCrimmon’s comments. The Golden Knights joined the NHL as a manufactured expansion team and immediately experienced the kind of winning that would be the envy of most long-standing franchises. They’ve made the playoffs in all but one of their nine seasons, winning the Stanley Cup in 2023 and reaching the Stanley Cup Final twice more.
Of course, there are the more legitimate criticisms about them having an unfair advantage playing in a state with no income tax, pillaging stars from more traditional hockey markets, and the controversial signing of goaltender Carter Hart.
Whatever the reason, it seems McCrimmon and the Golden Knights don’t mind playing the villain as long as they’re winning.
Continue reading...