It may surprise you to know that hockey existed in Las Vegas for 50 years before The Golden Knights came on the scene. Here are a few quirky facts about hockey’s history with Sin City. 

• The Golden Knights are the first expansion team to reach the Stanley Cup Final in their first season since the St. Louis Blues in 1968 (who won the cup this year).
• Speaking of 1968. The Las Vegas Gamblers (California-Nevada Hockey League) played their first game in Vegas on June. 22, 1968 and were the first official semi/pro hockey club in Sin City.
• The Golden Knights entered their first season as an official NHL team with 500-1 odds to win the Stanley Cup.
• It may surprise you to know that the NHL’s first outdoor game was in Las Vegas in 1991 during Wayne Gretzky’s tenure with the Los Angeles Kings. Caesars Palace booked the LA Kings and NY Rangers to play a preseason game on a temporary rink built on one of its parking lots.
• Sadly The Golden Knights have already retired a jersey number. The 2017 October 1^st mass shooting at the Mandalay Bay which killed 58 people was on the same day as the Golden Knights preseason home match against the San Jose Sharks. In the home finale of the regular season in April 2018, the Golden Knights retired No. 58 to honor the victims.
• Las Vegas is actually a hockey town from way back. The Wranglers and Thunder are Las Vegas’s most famous former hockey teams. There have been 8 minor league or semi-pro teams to have called Las Vegas home before The Golden Knights arrived.
• Among the first fans to make season-ticket commitments during The Golden Knight’s first ticket drive in 2015-16? UFC president Dana White and legendary boxer Floyd Mayweather.
• Manon Rheaume, the only woman to ever play in an NHL preseason game (1992 for Tampa Bay), played for the IHL’s Las Vegas Thunder in 1994-95. The Thunder was the city’s 3^rd hockey franchise.

Now that you’re caught up on all the hockey history of Las Vegas, the good folks at Air Canada Vacations are promoting and incredible offer! Book your stay anytime the Las Vegas Golden Knights play and get a preferred vacation package! Offer ends August 25th so DO NOT delay!

Here’s a sample of the amazing offers included in this deal. 

Non-stop flights from Vancouver
$429 Taxes & other fees included
Luxor Hotel and Casino
Pyramid room / November 17 – 3 nights

Non-stop flights from Calgary
$479 Taxes & other fees included
Excalibur Hotel and Casino
Resort Tower King room / November 19 – 3 nights

Non-stop flights from Edmonton
$429 Taxes & other fees included
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Deluxe Run of House room / October 1 – 3 nights

Get in touch with us or a preferred Experience Specialist to book now!