Parting is such sweet sorrow, especially for an ECHL franchise that fans have grown to love. The Savannah Ghost Pirates announced a new affiliation with the Florida Panthers on June 17th, leaving the Vegas Golden Knights farm system with one less minor league team. What does a top NHL team do in this situation?
Heck, they'd get another minor league franchise. The Golden Knights needed something in Nevada that would help them achieve their ambitions of growing hockey in the Silver State. That's how Las Vegas won the Stanley Cup and the Henderson Silver Knights became a local staple.
This latest partnership won't come as a shock to any Las Vegas hockey fan who's read the news lately — the departure of the Ghost Pirates and a new franchise near Lake Tahoe were just hints of things to come — but now this will be an expanded effort by Bill Foley to make Nevada a hockey state.
Let's clear up the mystery and get down to business. Who is the Vegas Golden Knights' newest ECHL affiliate? Could it be the franchise owned by legendary college football quarterback Tim Tebow? Be prepared to be surprised by the newest partner within the Golden Knights organization.
The Tahoe Knights Monsters are the newest affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights. The affiliation will begin in 2024-25 and the team will play in the Mountain Division. The Knights Monsters head coach is Alex Law, who cut his teeth with the Adirondack Thunder from 2019 to 2022. Ironically, Law was also part of the Savannah Ghost Pirates coaching staff the past two seasons.
It's no surprise that Las Vegas' newest affiliate is from the local area, as they have a successful history of giving back to the community, from successful youth hockey leagues to charity events. This will be another cog in the wheel for this successful hockey franchise.
As for Savannah, it was good to get to know the organization. Fans have grown attached to their former team, but the club has had little success, with a record of 58 wins, 68 losses, 16 ties (including two shootout losses) and 134 points in their first two seasons. Sure, Savannah is also a recent expansion franchise, but they will likely be forgotten in favor of the new team.
Now, going back to the Tahoe Knight Monsters, they deserve a hearty welcome into the Golden Knights family. Given the NHL team's recent success and arguably the best fanbase in hockey, you're sure to love it here. Maybe good fortune awaits for the future of your franchise, too.
