Tonight is Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
And for the second time in their history, the Vegas Golden Knights have a chance to win it all. The last time the Stanley Cup was this close was the Knights‘ inaugural season in 2018. Where they lost to the Washington Capitals in five games. So the VGK has already surpassed their own record for how close they are to the trophy. Not that they, or anyone in Vegas, is okay with stopping there.
The Vegas Golden Knights were the third expansion team to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals when they beat the Winnepeg Jets in 2018. And in the same season they broke the record for the most postseason games won by an expansion team. Fun fact: the team that held that record prior was…any guesses? The Florida Panthers. Small world, isn’t it?
You might be wondering what players get when they help their team win the cup.
Well, bragging rights, of course. They also get a cash bonus, usually around a couple hundred grand. And the gorgeous championship ring. But the cooler things include their name engraved on the cup. Which is a big deal because unlike other professional sports, hockey doesn’t make a new cup every year. The Stanley Cup is an artifact. And there are names engraved from past winners. So players can have their name alongside some of their childhood hockey heroes. That’s pretty darn cool.
Winning players also get quality time with the cup.
Every player on the winning team gets to spend 24 hours with the Stanley Cup wherever they choose. A lot of times players will take it to their hometown and let everyone who encouraged them on their journey to share in their victory. I’m not crying, you’re crying.
So that’s what players get for winning the famous cup. But the perks don’t stop there. Let’s talk about how the Vegas Golden Knights winning tonight would make the whole city of Las Vegas a winner too. Wendy Rush
More Jobs
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A recent study done at Harvard and Case Western University showed the potential for 13% growth in the number of bars and restaurants surrounding the stadium of a winning team. And with more businesses comes more jobs for Las Vegas locals.
Greater Sense Of Community
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If you lived in Las Vegas in 2017, you know the impact the Vegas Golden Knights‘ inaugural season had on the community. After the traumatic events at the Route 91 Harvest Festival on October 1 of that year, the city was deeply shaken. Being able to rally together behind a winning hockey team was truly a form of therapy to many who felt alone and afraid.
A New Perspective For Tourists
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Beyond just bragging rights for winning the Stanley Cup, Las Vegas would have something else to show the world in terms of what we’re capable of. Those of us who live in Vegas know we have a lot to offer. From community and family-friendly events to outdoor activities. But for all of those people who still think we’re just good for gambling and strip clubs, we’d have a pretty compelling piece of contradiction.
More Revenue For The City
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Increased tourism is one major benefit of the VGK winning the Stanley Cup. New visitors have been coming for the playoff games. And more will come to next year’s games if the VGK is the reigning champion. That means more money spent in Las Vegas.
Inspiring Future Generations
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Remember how we said before that some hockey players choose to take the Stanley Cup home to show to those who helped inspire them? Or how they’d get their names next to their hockey hero on the cup itself? Well, there are little hockey kiddos all over Vegas who would get to say that about their hometown. And that’s pretty cool.
