Bill Foley and Bruce Cassidy cracked the "Top 100 People of Power and Influence" in hockey. It's a testament to how well the Vegas Golden Knights are managed.The ability to have power and influence over your peers is a wonderful attribute to have. You can manipulate your peers and control everything around, much like how the Vegas Golden Knights have manipulated the San Jose Sharks in the regular season (and throughout the team history). But Bruce Cassidy and Bill Foley cracked a list that reflects these values.
They made a list consisting of the "Top 100 People of Power and Influence" in hockey. The Golden Knights owner ranked 70th overall while Cassidy was 94th in the annual rankings. It's easy to see why both figures have cracked the list this year.
Since the Golden Knights entered the NHL, they've made six Stanley Cup playoff appearances in seven seasons. They've won three divisional titles, made two Stanley Cup Final appearances, and even won the Stanley Cup in 2023. Foley's hands-off approach is a testament to the organization's success, making them the proverbial envy of the NHL. Hey, you could have Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys trying to be the constant center of attention. It could be a lot worse.
As for Cassidy? Well, he got that Stanley Cup in his first season with the team. Since he joined the Golden Knights, he became the winningest head coach in franchise history (125 wins in Vegas) and has them two points behind the top spot in the league entering Thursday. Not bad for someone coaching in the 4 Nations Face-Off. The Golden Knights might've gone through three head coaches in their first eight seasons. However, it seems Cassidy's power and influence will have some sway in how long he stays (rhymes like dimes!).
Without Bruce Cassidy and Bill Foley, the Vegas Golden Knights would be just another expansion team
Once upon a time, two guys told the story of the "greatest expansion story ever." This story was based in the Pacific Northwest and featured a team that hadn't made the Stanley Cup Final in their first season. But that didn't deter them from telling everyone about this team.
The two guys still believed that story, saying the Vegas Golden Knights were overrated as well. That was until the Golden Knights vanquished the Florida Panthers in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final, 4-1. Hockey fans looked at the two guys in laughter and gawked at the thought of this "expansion story" being better than the one in Las Vegas.
Of course, this wouldn't have been possible without the masterminds of Bill Foley and Bruce Cassidy. The two figureheads have made the Golden Knights into a dominant force, winning games without question. What's more, they've done this without a formidable power play in their first seven seasons. Imagine how deadly they'd be if the fourth-best power play in the NHL (26.2%) held serve in 2024-25.
As for that other team? They're out of playoff contention and in seventh place in the Pacific Division with 41 points. They've only made one Stanley Cup playoff appearance, losing to the Dallas Stars in seven games in 2023. So much for being the greatest, eh?
Just think about that story the next time the Golden Knights lose a game. You could be in a worse position history-wise with your team trying to go for a youth movement instead of drafting Alex Ovechkin in the Expansion Draft. At least the Golden Knights picked up Marc-Andre Fleury when they had a chance. I wonder how that turned out for Foley and company...
