Las Vegas is home to numerous ex-pats from other states, whether it's California, New York, or Illinois. Many of them have endeared themselves to the Vegas Golden Knights, whose success have drawn attention from every corner of the globe. For myself, the lure of the Golden Knights went beyond making the Stanley Cup Final in the inaugural season.
It was the thought of a hockey team in Las Vegas. Nobody thought an NHL team, let alone a sports team would work in the desert.
"Awesome! Hey guys, sports trip to Vegas! We're invading their arena!"
Some critics also thought people in Las Vegas wouldn't care about having a professional sports team.
"Nobody cares about sports in Las Vegas. This will never work."
Well, guess what? A Stanley Cup and three more semifinal appearances later, the team has catapulted itself to the top. That's also led to them having the highest attendance by capacity this season, making them a massive draw. Viva Las Vegas!
But this week, I'm coming back to Michigan to see my family. That will involve a Detroit Red Wings game where those same Golden Knights will step into Little Caesar's Arena. Old vs. new. Original Six vs. expansion. Childhood vs. adulthood. It'll invoke all sorts of memories coming from me, including the days of Joe Louis Arena. Yes, look out for a post on taking a trip to see the Red Wings.
What it means to come back home to watch a hockey game
This tale has been told numerous times. However, it represents an upbringing that led to following and writing about the Vegas Golden Knights. After all, not being a Red Wings fan in the 1990s and 2000s meant you were ostracized from metro Detroit society. Nobody from Michigan wants that in their lives (unless you live in Western Michigan).
Don't even think about rooting for the Colorado Avalanche there. If you liked what Claude Lemieux did to Kris Draper during the 1996 Western Conference Final, you were the Antichrist! Unless you loved antagonizing people like a Facebook troll who contributes nothing the group, you were in danger.
After that came retribution with four Stanley Cups during the Nicklas Lidstrom era. Red Wings hockey was back, baby. Recent years have stalled the movement with fans wondering if general manager Steve Yzerman can deliver on the "Yzerplan."
Back in the day, I used to go to Red Wings games with my family. We'd watch the big stars on the ice, ranging from Brendan Shanahan to Sergei Federov to Steve Yzerman. These were the superstars of the league back in the day, creating offensive magic and winning Stanley Cups. Detroiters would love to see that magic return to Little Caesar's Arena one day and give them a Stanley Cup.
Going to Little Caesar's Arena will be like old times, only with a modern twist
March 16 represents a personal start to a hockey journey. Instead of seeing Federov, Yzerman, and Shanahan skate around the rink, it's Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, and Tomas Hertl. These players have done an excellent job representing the new guard, giving hockey fans a new team to universally despise (not because of the fans, of course. More like the team's overall success).
Visiting family and recalling countless memories will be at the forefront. Hearty meals with relatives and peace will also be cherished. After all, life can't just be about work. It should be about being with the ones you care about. Maybe it's time to introduce your family to Eichel.
In the meantime, they'll have to witness the Vegas Golden Knights as the dominant team next Sunday. My family will relive old memories and watch the old guard take on the newer kids on the block. Will Yzerman hoist the Stanley Cup as a general manager this time? Stay tuned.