Name, logo reveal for new AHL team soon
Golden Knights president Kerry Bubolz said the new American Hockey League team in Henderson will reveal its name and logo “in the not too distant future.”
Bubolz released a statement Tuesday after the Henderson City Council approved spending up to $42 million to split the cost of a new arena that would serve as the home of the Knights’ top minor league affiliate.
“Our team is committed to serving the great community of Henderson while creating memorable, positive experiences for our fans and their families,” Bubolz said. “Locals have responded to the idea of AHL hockey in Henderson with vigorous enthusiasm since the relocation was announced, as we have received over 7,600 season-ticket deposits to date.
“These deposit holders and hockey fans across the valley can look forward to more exciting announcements regarding the team — including our name and logo unveiling — in the not too distant future.”
Golden Knights majority owner Bill Foley confirmed in February his group submitted a trademark application for Silver Knights, and it was “right at the top of the list” as an option for the team’s name.
Silver Knights was one of the final three names Foley considered for his NHL franchise along with Desert Knights.
Foley told the Review-journal he also considered team names based on local reptiles, as well as types of predatory birds such as hawks and falcons.
The Golden Knights purchased the San Antonio AHL franchise Feb. 6 and relocated it to the Las Vegas Valley. The new minor league team is scheduled to begin play for the 2020-21 season at Orleans Arena.
The AHL club will practice and be headquartered at the under-construction Lifeguard Arena in Henderson.
Stanley Cup on Strip?
All signs continue to point to Las Vegas factoring into the NHL’S return-to-play plan in some fashion. The latest model reported by Le Journal de Montreal would feature 24 teams playing in two hub cities, with the conference finals and Stanley Cup Final then held at T-mobile Arena.
Commissioner Gary Bettman said Monday the league is considering “probably eight or nine different places” that can accommodate “a dozen or so teams in one location.”
Las Vegas remains in the running to be one of the hub cities, according to people with knowledge of the situation who were not authorized to speak on the record.
Edmonton, Alberta, has made a public pitch to host, while Columbus, Ohio, Dallas, Minnesota and Toronto have been consistently mentioned as possibilities in media reports across the U.S. and Canada.
Gaming challenge
Forwards Ryan Reaves and Alex Tuch will participate in the NHL Player Gaming Challenge on Thursday.
The duo will take on Thatcher Demko and Adam Gaudette of the Vancouver Canucks at 2 p.m. PT in a best-of-three match on the EA Sports NHL 20 video game. Tuch and Demko were teammates at Boston College for two seasons.
The NHL Player Gaming Challenge features players from all 31 teams, in addition to NHL Seattle, competing for charity. The matches are available at the NHL’S platforms on Twitch, Youtube, Twitter and Facebook Premiere.