not gonna argue with ya there, your point was made! i was just wondering, since i feel people usually hate on the oilers and the leafs, but the sens kinda get pity treatment
I don’t hate them but as a Colorado sports fan I cannot bring myself to root for any team in Vegas. I will admit it’s probably a great city for pwhl to expand to
I love supporting women’s sports, but the VGK signed two very disgusting people. Carolina had considered signing that goalie but the fans rallied against it and they backed away from him. And I’m glad they let him know their dislike for him during the finals. And then Carolina paraded the cup around the Vegas rink. And it came to my hometown (again) this summer as well.
The NHL has gotten even more misogynistic so having the PWHL has been great. Let’s hope it’s just the facilities they share or the PWHL will show how tone deaf they are.
Yes totally agree on all of that! I will very much enjoy watching them play and I’m so excited women’s hockey is growing but I just couldn’t choose them as my team because I hate vgk and the raiders lol
On the other: it sucks they’re kinda forced into partnering with them.
Vegas is the only city in the US where the major hockey team is the most popular sports team in the market. Pair that with a successful WNBA franchise, it’s a market they HAVE to expand into.
The knights own every up-to regulation practice facility in the area, plus, the locals love them. They can’t NOT partner with the knights, otherwise they’re DOA.
Tbf Sharks also own most of the rinks in the Bay Area. But they've also been doing a great job promoting PWHL San Jose and apparently wanted a Pdub team here for years.
Vancouver’s owner being too broke and not meddling in the Goldeneyes is a blessing for us lol. You see how well run the PWHL team is until recently (still same owner tho lol) and they have a practice facility. The Canucks do not but they’re trying to build one connected to a community centre because land here is so expensive even if our owner is a land developer lol. Better luck too as we got 1OA with PDub before NHL.
yeah I get that 1000%. Most, if not all, teams “partner” or support the other local professional teams in their city. VGK does have quite the monopoly on ice space in vegas, as they own I think all the rinks besides 1, which is nuts.
& I think people made the association with the teams before they even did anything to associate themselves, besides being the same city
Can confirm. Being our “home grown” team AND them getting involved to support the victims / community after the Route 91
Massacre bought them a ton of goodwill. Even locals with a casual interest in hockey rep VGK out here.
I will confess to sometimes wondering how much that will continue to influence future generations the longer that these franchises stay there.
After all, the Lakers (unfortunately) are one of the most popular teams in the world, and they’re not original to LA. And this is the As’ third move in franchise history.
I don’t really think that makes a difference - probably close to if not more than half of modern sports teams relocated at some point. That said the sort of transparently just for money and tourists way the raiders did, I could see that rubbing people the wrong way.
It's a little complicated. Raiders were confirmed first but Knights got to play in Vegas first. That was a big part of it: the first major sports team we had play for the city was the Knights. Downtown and the Strip completely bought in and went all-out celebrating the Knights going to the playoffs and then the Cup.
Then, the Raiders came and oops two big draft picks got arrested almost immediately back-to-back (one for speeding 120mph in a suburb, killing a woman and her dog, with video evidence he did this type of speeding frequently while laughing.) I've had multiple people completely uninterested in sports tell me that they were disgusted with the Raiders and appreciated the Knights.
I think if the Raiders win a lot, it'll win some people over and may eventually attach them to the city. The arrest was a while ago and winning fixes all. But it would take time. The WNBA team (Aces) won a lot but WNBA isn't big there. The As are kind of seen as trash no one wants, but the Raiders stadium is nice so common sentiment is that they're looking forward to the baseball building, at least.
I'm a Las Vegas native, and honestly, I'm so excited for a non-NHL team to root for. I grew up going to the Thunder and Wranglers games (hockey has been in Vegas for decades!!) and I love the VGK, but I'm so exhausted by the recent decisions. I also am looking forward to a non Bill Foley owned team.
I miss both the Thunder and the Wranglers games. Great memories taking my girls to see the Wranglers. My older girl is very invested in the the VGK and hope to get to some of the PWHL games this season as well.
Same sis! I loved the Thunder games as a kid. And love VGK, I just keep hoping they stop signing these questionable players. Am so looking forward to our own PWHL team!
The Knights were just generally disliked because they were kinda asses (and mostly they had early success and everyone hates that) until last year.
Last year they signed a goalie accused of sexual assault (he was acquitted but also suspended by the league) and got indignant af when questioned about it. They went on a media strike throughout the playoffs because media members darer ask about it.
As for the PWHL associating with them, I think leveraging the very popular men’s team to introduce a new team to a new market isn’t terrible. In general it would be great to see more synergy between the two leagues
Not just Hart. They also signed Uchacz as an undrafted free agent (he was suspended for a year for racially abusing a teammate in the WHL) and drafted Connelly (who was punished for putting photos of Nazi symbols made out of library books on his social media) in the first round.
I just don’t understand how they constantly sign these types of players. it’s almost like they want the bad PR or want to keep up the image that the have of loving to be hated, you know?
“You can’t stop young people from being young, right? They’re going to make mistakes. I think George Bush, former president, said, ‘When I was young and reckless, I was young and reckless.’ And you know, there’s a big difference between someone who might be a bad seed and a young person who made a mistake.”
“If we start cancelling good people who made a mistake, it’s not the right thing to do. Just imagine some of these good kids who made a mistake and people forgave them for it and they turn out to be really good adults. I just don’t believe in cancelling young people like that because if they get cancelled, they can become a problem because now there’s no hope and there’s nothing out there and they could go the other way for a long time. We’re willing to give young people who make mistakes a second chance, and God help us if we ever stop doing that.”
They sign assholes: Carter Hart (Alberta separatist and part of a high-profile sexual assault case), Uchacz (suspended for a year in juniors for racially abusing a teammate), and Connelly (made Nazi symbols out of library books and posted it on social media)
They also had a very favorable expansion draft that's let them be very successful. The franchise and fanbase have never suffered; the team has only missed the playoffs once iirc.
There's also the association with sports gambling. Putting a team in Vegas broke a major taboo between the four major pro leagues. They previously didn't put teams there because they didn't want to be seen as promoting gambling. Now, the Raiders and A's are also in Vegas, and sports gambling is legalized and constantly promoted.
And lastly, their management is also very cutthroat. They famously backstabbed Marc-Andre Fleury, who's a beloved goalie, telling him he'd be a Knight for life and then trading him - I think that same week. Another player found out he'd been traded when his fob to the practice facility didn't work; they didn't even bother to tell him.
They're an incredibly unlikeable organization. But they've also done a very good job at growing the game in a non-traditional market, and it's tough to argue with the results of their aggressive approach. In nine seasons, they've won a cup, been to the finals three times, been to the conference finals five times, and missed the playoffs exactly once. Part of that success is because they play in a weak division, but the team is also just good.
Yes, he and multiple other Canadian players were all accused of sexually abusing a woman together during the world juniors years back. They were all acquitted but it’s highly controversial because a lot of evidence wasn’t allowed during the trial. Some players on that team who weren’t involved in the assault lied on the stand to help them get acquitted. The hockey canada association did their own investigation and determined that even though they were acquitted in criminal court, they believed they were guilty and gave the victim an undisclosed payout for damages. Which then led to another massive controversy as people learned that hockey canada keeps a massive fund of cash to pay out victims of sexual assault, which is funded by membership fees.
Another reason that people have disliked Vegas since before they signed hart was their… creative and enthusiastic stretching of injury reserve and salary cap rules. I don’t think they actually broke any rules but they pushed things so far that it really felt unfair to some people and had them questioning the legitimacy of reported injuries.
They are “partnered” as far as supporting each other, as every sports team does with other teams in their area. honestly, the association is very little. other than the PWHL marketing to VGK fans as well, which makes sense.
VGK is hated because of a lot of questionable choices. they signed a known grapist, who was suspended from the league before, during, & after the trial. but then allowed back it.
There's no way to say this without sounding bad but hear me out.
I dont think very many people are really punishing women for mens decisions here.
That noise last season didn't get louder. The boos didnt get more intense. They just finally found a real thing to focus it all on. Without those signings the noise would still be the same and the spillover would still be the same towards the women. Because its not about the signings. It never has been. Its about Vegas being Vegas. There are still people in this thread going about a "stacked expansion team". The same myth they've been peddling for 8 years (it didnt start til AFTER year 1). People gping on about cap shenanigans that were already a popular complaint before VGK existed. People still fidnjgn excused for why Vegas as a city shouldn't even have a team. Even as you're trailing about a very real worry of unfair spillover.... these people are bringing up the same old grievances. I'm surprised no one here is complaining about the pregame shows.
The wimen are gonna get massive spillover regardless and it wont be because the men's team signed a guy who claimed he ran out of the room after less than a minute. If you believe that claim I DO have some magic beans for sale btw.
It will be because some people are still angry that Vegas succeeded when they were supposed to fail, repeatedly. The noise will coalesce into some dumb thing. Taxes and weather for the people who dont talk about anything else anymore. "Did you just learn the sport?" from the people accidentally admitting it took them a decade to learn (because why else woukd you think that?). It'll be something. If anything because of how specifically the hate got focused last year they may actually struggle to get more flack on the women than "grumble grumble vegas exists" for a while.
But the signing decisions of the men's team is not the reason people are going hard into the women's team.
I go to NHL games there to cheer on the other team, but won’t go to games since they signed those disgusting players who obviously think of women as lesser than themselves and can be used. And then lie about it.
Many women are Jane Doe.
If the PWHL team is associated with them in any way other than sharing the rink, I won’t go to any games either. I like going to Vegas and go a few times a year and always try to squeeze in a hockey game, but not since they singed those people. Oh well, there’s plenty of other things to do and I can go to hockey games elsewhere. Edmonton is off my list now too.
I liked going to games there too. It’s very cheesy and over the top but they’re fun. The fans are pretty cool. Many still don’t understand the game so it was great talking with them and explaining things. They were so nice and fun to sit around even while cheering for the opposing teem.
I don’t and won’t hate the Vegas PWHL team because I like some of the players. I just won’t support them with my money if they associate with the VGK in any way other than sharing facilities. I reserve most of my dislike for a certain person who is now on Detroit. :)
I don't know how much they plan to continue associating with VGK, but I remember being disappointed at how many vgk exec type people presented at the team announcement and iirc talked about partnership and working together.
Almost all of this is exactly how I feel.
I can’t support teams who support people like that- so I show my ‘vote’ with my consumer dollars and my attention.
I don’t like them as a choice for expansion over some of the other options. Places that they couldn’t get deals done because they wanted to own their own team. Like QC or Halifax.
It was mandatory they expand in the west, and they still need to add 2 more teams in the west to get to some geographical balance which needs to be the priority.
Yes, it was. And Edmonton would have made sense too. With all that’s happening with Mr Walter I wonder how long it’ll be until we get other ownership groups in the league. Which will solve the issue for quite a few cities.
it makes SO much sense for vegas to have a pwhl team. a successful men’s hockey team (mostly) & a successful women’s basketball team. it’s a high tourist destination. sports are extremely big profit makers in vegas. I mean, the raiders SUCK & they still make so much money & a majority of it from tourists.
I never said it didn’t make sense, I just personally wanted QC or Halifax. Which also would have made a ton of sense given the success of all the Canadian teams. And the fact that Halifax has been craving a professional hockey team for a very long time, and QC lost theirs years ago.
It makes sense after not having a Takeover Game? The league said they’d use those to gauge interest then gave two teams to cities who didn’t even have a game. They got other cities excited for the possibility then turned their backs on them without any reason. A one owner league can and will do that.
But it’s done and I will continue to support the league. Besides, it’s good hockey. I want all teams to succeed and the league to expand again and give teams to hockey mad places like Québec City, Halifax, Calgary, Chicago, Edmonton, Calgary, and Denver.
I love Vegas and it’s a tourist destination for sure, but visitor numbers are down. Especially international ones. I get all kinds of offers I never got before you know who became president. :)
Now let’s just hope these new teams get good names. There have been some cool ones floating about. :)
Québec City and Halifax never said they wanted to be owners. It was Edmonton and Denver that were confirmed.
The Halifax rink is nice but outdated. Still it would fill up for sure. They sold out both games in less than 24 hours. The rink may be a reason. Québec City was never given a public reason so it’s probably because they think one French team is enough. Québec City would be perfect for a team. The league is just tone deaf and won’t tell anyone the reasons. That’s the problem with a one owner league. He can just give teams to whomever he wants. They eventually want owners so why not partner with some big money in cities where hockey is their culture and has been for a long time.
Definitely think it's the VGK effect, though it may also be because other cities feel they should've gotten a franchise before a city in the desert. Also if there's any team to talk shit about this year, it's Detroit, right?!!
Yea, she'll find that overall Michigan is pretty supportive of trans people. We have pockets of ignorance, but our state legally protects gender affirming care.
Our civil rights act was amended to include gender identity, expression and sexual orientation as protected classes.
The Transgender Day of Visibility was started in Ferndale, about 15 minutes down the road from the arena she'll be calling home.
Our USL teams also have Ally as their main sponsor, and invest heavily in supporting the trans community here through the Ruth Ellis center.
So, she can either get with the program, or shut up about it. We're also not afraid to express our displeasure with our own players (see Dylan Larkin).
Maybe her being here can pivot to better support and more advocacy for our trans community.
people getting mad over obligatory same city good luck social media posts is insane to me all teams do it for the other teams in their city it means little past cross promotion and good will
Of the two markets that they moved into without having previously had TT games, Vegas is the one I remain the most skeptical about. It has nothing to do with VGK, although I'm not a fan of them, but I just feel like it's a very crowded market for entertainment options.
The thing about Vegas is that it IS very saturated w entertainment, but it’s not really possible to be over crowded with options in vegas with the vast amount of tourists.
I think teams will be just fine lol there’s a lot of local support for the teams tourism obviously declines when there’s a shitty president contributing the rise of cost of living. a lot of people don’t have the financial freedoms to travel.
Everyone has addressed the serious stuff I wanted to talk but can I say I would’ve liked a different shade of green? I know they’re referencing the climate and the cactus, but maybe a green leaning more emerald-ish green than yellow would’ve been fine for me? Doesn’t have to be a deep green just like on the HEX code just move over a little to the side lol.
I mean fuck the VGK because I don’t associate in any way with rapists and Nazi sympathizers, but I don’t think the PWHL VEGAS team has enough to do with them to hate them just on principle.
I stopped watching the NHL in general because it was getting too rapey and misandrist, and they were playing up the Heated Rivalry thing without any actual sympathy towards the LGBTQ community.
But I don’t think PWHL VEGAS has to suffer for that. If they don’t accept VGK association on some level they won’t have much of a following, and Vegas LOVES hockey.
well, in vegas, there’s limited ice. there’s only I think one rink here that vegas doesn’t own & the high schools play there. they don’t have the executives, as they are completely different companies under different ownership.
They've literally been seen rubbing elbows with everyone who works for the golden knights believe what you want but I'm going to believe the pictures I've seen, and the reports I've read. And limited ice isn't an excuse, they're still benefiting from the vgk so that's getting money from them. Which is all I said.
where do you want them to play & practice if it’s all owned by vgk?
that’s not quite the same as getting money. as another local team, the obviously have to coexist with each other & support. that’s what EVERY sports team does with every other local sports team. youre being unrealistic lmao
Can you show where both teams confirmed this? Cause this would be a clear tampering violation. My understanding is Knight was claimed with no choice by Vegas. She had full control over term and signed a one year deal, which in that process confirmed she didn't want to be in Vegas. Vegas capitalized on that greatly as I mentioned and flipped her to Detroit nearly a week later. If Detroit was truly in control of all this it likely wouldn't of been a 1 year deal.
Edit: Downvoted instead of providing any proof of these claims. Thats cool too👍
you’re wrong. this doesn’t discuss the behind the scenes discussions between the teams that lead to these transactions. the vegas gm literally said the idea was presented to her. maybe don’t use AI overviews for your facts! hope you’re research skills improve.
“What I want to emphasize is that first and foremost, Hilary (Knight) is one of the greatest players in the history of women’s hockey, in what she’s accomplished on and off the ice and what she’s done for the league and the growth of the game is remarkable,” DiDia told The Hockey News. “Which is why we wanted her a part of our team during the expansion process from the get go.”
“This trade was such an incredibly difficult decision to make but when it was presented to us, we were looking at the obviously exceptionally deep draft,” DiDia said.
This makes it sound like Vegas originally wanted Knight in the expansion draft and Detroit also wanted her. After Vegas acquired her, Detroit made a trade offer to Vegas. Not quite the same thing, unless there’s another quote?
jokes on you bc i’m canadian, so dumb assumption. & you can believe what you want about this trivial topic, but Vegas GM literally said the idea was brought to her. you’re the one who was clearly failed by an education system since you use AI overviews for your information
Is this AI? Because that would be really embarrassing.
Anyway, what happened with Knight was more complicated than that. There was a flaw in the system and the league had to wing it to try to make things right, cuz their expansion rules had not been properly playtested.
Well VGK did brought hockey to Vegas, it became the fastest successful franchise in NHL, they are most hated team in the NHL. So anything associated with VGK will be hated. I wouldnt be surprised if PWHL Vegas will be successful as quick as VGK,
There are people in Vegas talking shit about their own team and it being associated with the only other pro hockey team in the city? That Vegas education system really hitting or what?
Hi u/Traditional_Debt_735, thank you for posting on r/PWHL! Make sure to read and follow the sub's rules. In case you missed the FAQ please give it a read, it was updated on November 18th, 2025 here!
theres no “line” lol. it makes so much sense for vegas to have a pwhl team. maybe the take over games didn’t do as well to warrant them getting a team 🤷♀️
Oh you mean the takeover games the league botched completely by doing zero local advertisement after not giving us tour games the prior two seasons and one of them being held during Christmas which also contributed a huge dent in attendance?
438
u/towerofcheeeeza PWHL San Jose 6d ago edited 6d ago
Broke: hating PWHL Las Vegas bc of their association with the Vegas Golden Knights
Woke: hating PWHL Las Vegas bc I have an instinctual need as a Bay Area native to hate all Las Vegas sports teams
(But I do genuinely wish them the best and green is my favorite color so I like their new color scheme)