You're getting ready to go to bed because you work at T-Mobile Arena. You have to get up early for work and don't want to go in tired, especially for the first Vegas Golden Knights game. You pull the blanket over your body and close your eyes.
That's when you hear something at 2 AM. It sounds like a woman talking with a raspy voice. It's not obnoxiously loud, yet you can still hear audible words being said.
You go outside and see a 50-year-old woman wrapped in a blanket and smoking a cigarette. She's on the phone, talking to somebody. Unusual, but okay. You sleep.
The next night comes. You go to bed when you hear that voice again at 2 AM. It's her with her blanket and cigarette. Again. You ask her to stop and she quiets her tone on the phone. You're starting to get annoyed.
The next night comes and there she is again with the blanket and cigarette, talking obnoxiously loud. You sternly ask to stop because you have to work. She tones it down. But that's not what you want. You want the 2 AM conversations to stop.
The next night, you're asleep and those muffled conversations are happening again. That's when you step outside and tell her off.
Believe me. I've been there before. Some people never learn.
Blocking out the noise is a must for the Vegas Golden Knights in 2025-26
Ironically, the Golden Knights have plenty of muffled noise of their own heading into the 2025-26 season. First, there's the Jack Eichel contract extension speculation that's still continuing. Fans are worried he might not get a deal done and walk in free agency. Even with names like Kirill Kaprizov rejecting $16 million AAV deals, it's not enough to quell their concerns.
There's also Mitch Marner hearing noise from Toronto Maple Leafs fans after a tumultuous divorce. Maple Leafs fans have roasted the newest Golden Knights superstar at every juncture, whether it's on Instagram or on X. In fact, Marner has recalled certain fans posting his address online and dealing with death threats.
Yikes.
All of this for a Stanley Cup favorite, mind you. Of course, you have 31 other teams hating on the Golden Knights for various reasons, whether it's Mark Stone LTIR conspiracies or Gary Bettman gifting Las Vegas a stud NHL team. People are simply crazy, I tell you.
Therefore, this season's objective is to block out the noise. Extending Eichel before the regular season starts is, well, a good start. That way, your superstar can focus on the regular season and winning the Stanley Cup instead of contract talks. Granted, McCrimmon can extend a guy during the season. But fans would prefer that he gets his deal before October.
If this is done, the Golden Knights will have a set of clear eyes. Along the way, they'll have a full heart committed to winning another Stanley Cup for the city of Las Vegas. With this, you simply can't lose. It's enough to make you forget about somebody talking loudly with their cigarette and blanket at 2 AM.