By Ed Condran
There is no team in the NHL that has more of a home ice advantage than the Vegas Golden Knights, who started the season 8-0 at The Fortress. “We love playing here,” goalie Adin Hill said after blanking the Flames 5-0 in October. “The fans are great. There’s so much support. It’s an amazing atmosphere.”
It helps to have bonafide stars in Tomas Hertl, Mark Stone and Jack Eichel, but home dominance predates the 2024-2025 campaign. The Golden Knights’ all-time home record is 178-80-20, which is extraordinary since most expansion teams struggle at the start.
However, the Golden Knights have a ridiculous lifetime home-winning percentage of .676. It helps that the vibe is terrific at T-Mobile Arena, which is as rollicking as raucous arenas such as Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia and Manhattan’s Madison Square Garden.
As soon as Panic at the Disco’s “Vegas Lights” is played at T-Mobile Arena, the capacity crowd roars. There’s a good reason why the arena is filled. The Golden Knights are a very good product featuring considerably skilled players. Hertl is a dynamic player – an amazing puck handler and a tremendous goal scorer.
The Golden Knights were fortunate to pluck Hertl when the San Jose Sharks conducted their fire sale in March. Eichel is a superstar who forced a move from the dysfunctional Buffalo Sabres. The Knights were fortunate to receive the one-time top prospect in a blockbuster deal three years ago.
The relationship between Eichel and the Sabres reached a point of no return after an unfortunate dispute over whether Eichel was permitted to undergo the surgery he requested for a severe neck injury. The Golden Knights appear to be the winners of that deal. Eichel has fit in perfectly.
And then there is Stone, who is a valuable Golden Knight. Stone has been rock solid, pun intended. The winger is the heart and soul of the squad. The trio and the rest of the team obviously get some juice playing at home since the Golden Knights have struggled on the road. But it’s a long season.
The odds are that the Golden Knights will continue playing well at The Fortress, and if the squad picks it up while as the visitors, this could be a memorable season. The Golden Knights won its first Stanley Cup in 2023. Perhaps home ice advantage will help propel the Golden Knights to another championship.
