Vegas Golden Knights could act as compelling curtain raiser for 2020-21 season

There could be a crazy way for the Vegas Golden Knights to open the 2020-21 NHL season.

We’re in the depths of the off-season right now and the Vegas Golden Knights are still waiting on news in regards to next year.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, the National Hockey League is currently trying to wade through a plethora of complications and questions.

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Chief among them is when the puck can drop on the 2020-21 season and how exactly that will look, with the league hoping to start on Jan. 1, 2021 if that’s possible and realistic.

With fans unlikely allowed back into buildings straightaway coupled with the fact that both the 2021 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic and the 2021 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend have been postponed, there is an appetite to begin the 2020-21 season in a unique way.

The NHL did explore starting the season at Lake Louise in stunning Banff, Alberta, in lieu of no Winter Classic, although that is no longer feasible according to reports.

However, we have a solution that could help NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman achieve raising the curtain on the 2020-21 in a unique setting.

Have the Golden Knights play outdoors at the new and stunning Allegiant Stadium.

It makes so much sense and it would be both an intriguing and incredible way to drop the puck on proceedings in a setting not normally associated with hockey.

Firstly, Allegiant Stadium is an absolutely eye-catching and stunning arena and it looks like the Death Star has been dropped right into the middle of the desert.

It looks a first-class venue and could easily be transformed into an outdoor rink, and we saw at the 2020 NHL Winter Classic between the Nashville Predators and the Dallas Stars at the Cotton Bowl that an outdoor hockey game can be done in a place known for its heat, plus the technology available today will ensure that an outdoor game in the desert can be pulled off successfully.

Also, the wildcard round of the NFL Playoffs aren’t scheduled until Jan. 9, so if the Las Vegas Raiders are involved then there would be time for the NHL to transform Allegiant Stadium into a giant rink before getting it back to a football stadium in time for the Playoffs if the Raiders have a home game.

Secondly, what better way to get a new season rolling than by constructing a matchup involving the Golden Knights?

A general view of the empty stadium prior to the game between the Buffalo Bills and the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

Having taken Sin City by absolute storm, the Golden Knights have transformed Vegas into a hockey hotbed and the natives love their hockey, which should translate to a bumper TV audience.

The Golden Knights are also right in the middle of their Stanley Cup window and, having snagged the biggest prize of Free Agency in elite defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, this roster is elite and is laden with talent and star power, making them an attractive draw for a neutral TV audience.

Plus, why not go all out and setup a mouthwatering matchup between the Golden Knights and the San Jose Sharks, two rivals who absolutely hate each other and already share plenty of bad blood and a heated history.

And, with former Sharks Head Coach Peter DeBoer now behind the bench for the Knights, that would add just another wrinkle to what would be captivating TV.

It would be a gigantic battle between two bitter rivals, two teams that have plenty of star power and it would be done against a stunning backdrop at Allegiant Stadium that would look stunning with a rink inside it.

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If the NHL are serious about opening the 2020-21 season in a unique and wacky way, then they should strongly consider giving the Vegas Golden Knights an outdoor game at Allegiant Stadium against the San Jose Sharks.

It would be utter craziness and would be a fitting way to start the new NHL season.

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