Golden Knights Week: Season X Opens, Connelly Closes In on a Roster Spot, and Vegas Hockey Is Six Times Bigger

by Ryan Rose

Beat 1: Vegas Hockey Is Six Times Bigger Than It Was

An NHL.com feature published Sept. 27 looked back at what the Golden Knights have done to Las Vegas in nine seasons. The on-ice numbers are strong. Since their first season in 2017-18, the Golden Knights rank fifth in the NHL in wins with 401 and first in playoff wins with 76. They have made the playoffs eight times in nine seasons, won the Stanley Cup in 2023, and reached the Cup Final in their first season and again last season.

The number that matters most for local families is different. Nevada now has about 6,000 registered hockey players. That is a six-fold jump for boys and girls since the NHL came to town, according to Darren Eliot, the team's senior vice president of hockey programming and facility operations.

The team built three local rinks in its first five years. City National Arena in Summerlin is the Golden Knights practice facility. America First Center in Henderson is the AHL training facility, and the new PWHL team will use it too. Lee's Family Forum in Henderson is where the Henderson Silver Knights play their games. The first two rinks have two ice sheets each, and Lee's Family Forum has one. All three run youth programs.

Even with all that ice, demand keeps growing. NHL.com reports there are plans for more rinks, and new head coach Ryan Craig put it simply: "We need more." Craig knows the local scene well. He spent six seasons as a Vegas assistant and three as the Henderson head coach before taking over in Vegas this season. His son Carson played for the Junior Golden Knights up to the U16 level.

Beat 2: Opening Knight and the Free Gold Carpet

The Golden Knights announced their Opening Knight plans on Sept. 21. The home opener against the Chicago Blackhawks was set for Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 7:30 p.m. Pacific at T-Mobile Arena, and the game was on ESPN only. Season X is marked everywhere this year. A Roman numeral X sits at center ice at T-Mobile Arena and is stitched onto the team's jerseys.

The free part of the night was the Gold Carpet at Paramount+ Plaza, starting at 4 p.m., with fans asked to arrive by 3:30 p.m. to greet players, coaches, broadcasters and the VGK cast. The first 500 fans at the Gold Carpet got Season X giveaways. Revolt Tattoos offered free permanent tattoos on the plaza, and Gold Carpet fans could enter to win tickets to the game.

Inside the arena, doors opened at 6 p.m. The first 10,000 fans got a Season X patch, and fans could have it pressed onto a jersey for $10. The team also planned an all-new pregame show. Fans at home could watch a 30-minute pregame report at 7 p.m. on The Spot-Vegas 34 and KnightTime+, or listen on 107.9 KVGS FM and in Spanish on 105.7 KOAS FM.

Hockey players skating hard up the ice during a game, representing the Golden Knights roster battles that ended training camp

Beat 3: Trevor Connelly Is Expected to Make the Opening Roster

On Sunday, Sept. 27, the Golden Knights put five players on waivers so they can be sent down to the Henderson Silver Knights. The list included forwards Alexander Holtz, Tanner Laczynski and Jonas Rondbjerg, plus defensemen Ville Heinola and Antti Tuomisto. The Hockey News reported they were among 71 players placed on waivers around the league that day for AHL assignment.

Those moves point to one name: Trevor Connelly. The rookie winger was the Golden Knights' first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. A string of injuries kept him out of earlier camps, so this was his first NHL training camp. He played in three of the four preseason games, including the last two, when Vegas dressed its regular lineup.

The Hockey News noted that Connelly would not need to clear waivers to be sent to Henderson. Keeping him while risking other players on waivers is a strong signal. Still, it is not official yet. The team said it would release its official roster on Monday, Sept. 28, at 2 p.m. As of this writing, that roster had not been posted on the team's official news page, so the fair way to say it is this: Connelly is expected to make the opening roster.

If he does, it is a fun local story. A first-round pick who fought through injuries gets his first NHL shot in front of a loud T-Mobile Arena crowd in the team's 10th season. Players like Holtz and Rondbjerg, if they clear waivers, would suit up in Henderson at Lee's Family Forum, which gives Silver Knights fans a stronger team to watch.

Beat 4: Mitch Marner's Points for Paws Feeds Shelter Pets

Golden Knights forward Mitch Marner and his wife, Stephanie, visited the Nevada SPCA to launch a campaign called Points for Paws. FOX5 Vegas reported the details on Sept. 25. The Nevada SPCA is Southern Nevada's original no-kill animal shelter.

Here is how it works. Pet food company Nulo, working with the Marner Assist Foundation, will donate 100 pet meals to the Nevada SPCA for every point Marner scores this season. A Nulo leader explained that one meal is one cup of food, and a 50-pound dog eats about two cups a day. Marner scored 80 points last season. If he matches that, it would add up to 8,000 meals. That number is only an example based on last year, not a promise.

The need is real. Nevada SPCA Executive Director Lori Heeren told FOX5 that more people are struggling to afford their pets. She said the shelter wants to be a safety net, but its bigger goal is to keep pets in homes with the families who love them. Free food helps do exactly that.

There is a second piece for people thinking about adopting. Nulo works with 25 local independent pet stores in Nevada. Most of them are part of an adoption program tied to the Nevada SPCA. People who adopt a dog or cat from the shelter get a flyer that points them to a local store, where they can pick up a free starter bundle of food and treats.

Two shelter dogs looking out from their kennel, a reminder of the pets that Mitch Marner's Points for Paws campaign will help feed at the Nevada SPCA

Beat 5: PWHL Las Vegas Introduces Its Leaders and Plans Girls' Clinics

Las Vegas is getting a second pro hockey team on the Strip. On Sept. 23, inside T-Mobile Arena, PWHL Las Vegas introduced head coach Kim Weiss, general manager Dominique DiDia and defender Erin Ambrose. Weiss and DiDia were college teammates. Weiss has coached in the men's American Hockey League, and she promised a fast, physical team that fits the Vegas market.

Ambrose won the Walter Cup, the PWHL championship, last season. She drove 39 hours from Ontario to Nevada to join the new team. She told FOX5 that giving local girls a pro team to follow is a big part of the mission. DiDia said the front office has focused on players with championship experience, including goaltender Nicole Hensley and forward Hayley Scamurra.

The team will play its games at T-Mobile Arena and practice at America First Center in Henderson. The official team name and logo are still pending from the league. For now, the team is using a green color scheme.

The community plans are the part local families should circle. PWHL Las Vegas plans a "Skate to Eliminate Cancer" event on Oct. 10 and girls' hockey clinics around the valley. Times and locations were not in the FOX5 report, so watch the team's official channels for sign-up details.

Why It Matters to Las Vegas Residents

Put these five beats together and you see a hockey town, not just a hockey team. Ten years ago, youth hockey here was small. Now about 6,000 players are registered in Nevada, and girls are a growing part of that. A women's pro team is about to give young players a new set of role models, and it is already planning clinics for girls around the valley.

For families, the practical side is ice time. Three team-built rinks with five sheets of ice between them is a lot, but the head coach is openly saying it is not enough. When a sport grows six-fold, practices get pushed early or late, and families spend real time driving across the valley. That is why rink location matters to hockey parents in Summerlin, Henderson and everywhere in between.

The Golden Knights also shape how the valley feels as a place to live. The NHL.com feature describes a town of natives and transplants that found one team to rally around. Marner, who came here from Toronto, told NHL.com that players live close to the rink, near each other, in a place where kids can play outside in shorts for much of the year. That is a nice summary of why many families pick Las Vegas in the first place.

And the good-news stories matter too. Points for Paws helps a local no-kill shelter at a time when pet costs are squeezing families. Every Marner point this season means 100 more meals for pets in Southern Nevada. That makes watching the games a little more fun for pet lovers.

Two young hockey players in red jackets skating on an indoor rink, showing the youth hockey boom that has grown six-fold in Nevada since the Golden Knights arrived

What Happens Next

First, the roster. The Golden Knights planned to release their official opening roster on Monday, Sept. 28, at 2 p.m. That list will settle Connelly's spot and show which waived players end up in Henderson. We will treat Connelly's roster spot as expected until the team makes it official.

Second, the season itself. Opening Knight on Sept. 29 starts the regular season, and every Marner point from here on adds 100 pet meals for the Nevada SPCA. Down in Henderson, any waived veterans who clear and get assigned to the Silver Knights would give Lee's Family Forum crowds a few familiar faces from the Golden Knights camp.

Third, the PWHL. The Skate to Eliminate Cancer event is set for Oct. 10, and the girls' clinics should follow. The league still has to announce the Las Vegas team name and logo. That reveal will be a big moment for local fans, especially young players who want a jersey to wear.

Last, rinks. NHL.com says there are plans for more of them. No new rink sites or dates were part of this week's reporting, so there is nothing firm to share yet. When a new rink is announced, it will be worth watching which part of the valley gets it, because that area becomes more convenient for thousands of hockey families.

Ryan's Take

As a Las Vegas real estate agent, the number that jumps out to me is 6,000. That is not a niche anymore. That is a real group of families who plan their weeks around ice time. If your kid plays hockey, the drive to the rink is part of daily life, the same way the drive to school or work is. City National Arena sits in Summerlin. America First Center and Lee's Family Forum are in Henderson. Where you live compared to those rinks can decide whether a 6 a.m. practice is a 10-minute drive or a 35-minute drive.

I also love hearing a head coach say the valley needs more rinks. Growth like that is a sign of a community that is putting down roots. People do not sign their kids up for years of hockey in a place they plan to leave. When a new rink does get announced, I will be watching the nearby neighborhoods closely, because convenience to youth sports is something families ask about more than you might think. If you are house hunting and hockey is part of your life, tell your agent early so rink access is on the list from day one.

A hockey player in a black jacket skating on indoor ice, the kind of rink time Las Vegas youth and girls' hockey players are chasing across the valley

What You Can Do

If you want your child to try hockey, start with the youth programs at the team-built rinks: City National Arena in Summerlin, America First Center in Henderson, and Lee's Family Forum in Henderson. All three house youth programs. Ask about learn-to-skate and beginner options, and ask what practice times look like, because ice time is tight.

If you have a daughter who loves the game, keep an eye on PWHL Las Vegas. The team plans girls' hockey clinics around the valley and a Skate to Eliminate Cancer event on Oct. 10. Follow the team's official channels so you catch sign-ups when they open.

If you are an animal lover, you can help the Nevada SPCA in more ways than cheering for Marner. Adopting from the shelter also gets you a free Nulo starter bundle at a participating local pet store. And if you are a Golden Knights fan, watch Monday's official roster to see whether Trevor Connelly gets his NHL shot. Season X is here, and it is a good time to be a hockey family in Las Vegas.

Have questions about how this affects your home or neighborhood? Reach out to Ryan Rose or text/call 702-747-5921 anytime.