Mar 27, 2018
By the Numbers: Knights' historic first season
An NHL expansion team will be playing for the Stanley Cup. And the 'x' beside the Vegas Golden Knights atop the Pacific Division standings caps off what should be considered the greatest season by an expansion team in league history.
TSN.ca Staff
,An NHL expansion team will be playing for the Stanley Cup.
With Monday’s 4-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche, the Vegas Golden Knights became the first expansion team to do so in the National Hockey League since the WHA merger in 1980.
And the 'x' beside their name atop the Pacific Division standings caps off what should be considered the greatest season by an expansion team in league history.
With six games remaining in the regular season, the Golden Knights now hold all the pertinent expansion team records. At 48-21-7, the Knights have set new marks for best record, most points and most wins, while their 103 points is the fastest an expansion team has surpassed 100 points in the standings.
Top NHL Expansion Teams (Points Percentage)
Season | Team | Points % | Record |
---|---|---|---|
2017-18 | Vegas Golden Knights | .678 | 48-21-7* |
1993-94 | Florida Panthers | .494 | 33-34-17 |
1967-68 | Philadelphia Flyers | .493 | 31-32-11 |
1967-68 | Los Angeles Kings | .487 | 31-33-10 |
1967-68 | St. Louis Blues | .473 | 27-31-16 |
*through 76 games
The Knights are also on pace to be the first expansion team to finish with a positive goal differential. The team currently has 254 goals for and 205 goals against, a plus-49 differential. The Florida Panthers, the previous “Most Successful All-Time First Year NHL Team” are the only other first-year franchise to finish without a negative goal differential, recording an even 0 back in 1993-94.
The Knights compare favourably to the best expansion seasons across the other three major sports in North America as well. Their current .678 win percentage ranks better the 1995 Carolina Panthers (.473), the 1961 California Angels (.435) and the 1966-67 Chicago Bulls (.407).
Top Expansion Franchises (NHL, NFL, MLB, NBA)
League | Season | Team | Record |
---|---|---|---|
NHL | 2017-18 | Vegas Golden Knights | 48-21-7* |
NFL | 1995 | Carolina Panthers | 7-9 |
MLB | 1961 | Los Angeles Angels | 70-91 |
NBA | 166-67 | Chicago Bulls | 33-48 |
The only team that could contest the Knights’ expected designation as North America’s top expansion franchise is the Baltimore CFLers, who, despite lacking an official nickname, finished the 1994 CFL season at 12-6 and advanced all the way to the 82nd Grey Cup before losing to the B.C. Lions.
With the regular season records under their belt already, the Golden Knights can now set their sights on the playoffs, something few first year clubs get the chance to do. Earning the title of best postseason expansion team will be even tougher however, after the 1967-68 St. Louis Blues advanced to the Stanley Cup Final (albeit through the much easier, expansion team-only West Division) in their inaugural campaign.
Full list of NHL expansion franchises:
NHL Expansion Teams
Season | Team | Expansion Fee | Record | Points % | Playoffs Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1967-68 | Oakland Seals | $2 million | 15-42-17 | .318 | 2 |
Philadelphia Flyers | $2 million | 31-32-11 | .493 | 1 | |
Pittsburgh Penguins | $2 million | 27-34-13 | .453 | 3 | |
St Louis Blues | $2 million | 27-31-16 | .473 | 1 | |
Los Angeles Kings | $2 million | 31-33-10 | .486 | 1 | |
Minnesota North Stars | $2 million | 27-32-15 | .466 | 1 | |
1970-71 | Vancouver Canucks | $6 million | 24-46-8 | .359 | 5 |
Buffalo Sabres | $6 million | 24-39-15 | .404 | 3 | |
1972-73 | Atlanta Flames | $6 million | 25-38-15 | .417 | 2 |
New York Islanders | $6 million | 12-60-6 | .192 | 3 | |
1974-75 | Kansas City Scouts | $6 million | 15-54-11 | .256 | 4 |
Washington Capitals | $6 million | 8-67-5 | .131 | 9 | |
1979-80 | Edmonton Oilers | $7.5 million | 28-29-13 | .431 | 1 |
WHA | Hartford Whalers | $7.5 million | 27-34-19 | .456 | 1 |
Winnipeg Jets | $7.5 million | 20-49-11 | .319 | 3 | |
Quebec Nordiques | $7.5 million | 25-44-11 | .381 | 2 | |
1991-92 | San Jose Sharks | $45 million | 17-58-5 | .244 | 3 |
1992-93 | Ottawa Senators | $45 million | 10-70-4 | .143 | 5 |
Tampa Lightning | $45 million | 23-54-7 | .315 | 4 | |
1993-94 | Florida Panthers | $50 million | 33-34-17 | .494 | 3 |
Anaheim Ducks | $50 million | 30-43-11 | .423 | 4 | |
1998-99 | Nashville Predators | $80 million | 28-47-7 | .384 | 6 |
1999-00 | Atlanta Thrashers | $80 million | 14-57-7 | .238 | 7 |
2000-01 | Columbus Blue Jackets | $80 million | 22-47-8 | .348 | 8 |
Minnesota Wild | $80 million | 26-35-12 | .445 | 3 | |
2017-18 | Vegas Golden Knights | $500 million | 48-21-7 | .678 | 1 |