5 popular Golden Knights tell the story of past, present

A Stanley Cup championship secured, the Golden Knights can now look toward making the quest for back-to-back titles. But the franchise is also defined by its past as well as present.

Here’s is a list of the five most popular players in Knights’ history — some gone, some still with the team and one retired.

1. Marc-Andre Fleury: He is a no-brainer as the most popular to ever wear the Knights’ sweater, the goalie being a prized possession from an expansion draft when he arrived from Pittsburgh that first season in 2017. Team and player and, as it would turn out, a city were all made for each other. He was the face. He was the Golden Knights for those four years in Las Vegas before being traded to Chicago. Fleury won 117 games for the Golden Knights, the most in franchise history. His 23 shutouts is also tops. Nothing rocked T-Mobile Arena in those early days like when No. 29 was introduced as part of the starting lineup.

2. Ryan Reaves: And not just because of his 7Five beer company. Las Vegas grew as a knowledgeable hockey fan base as the years passed and Reaves offered that physical style of play most assumed was a major part of the game. He was the one who would fight on a dime, who would work crowds into a frenzy as he squared up with an opposing player. “Best four years of my career,” Reaves once said of his time in Las Vegas. “The city really took me in.” It has apparently also consumed much of his beer.

3. Jonathan Marchessault: The smallest of Knights has the biggest of personalities, which has drawn him to fans like few others. An original Misfit, Marchessault capped off a wonderful Stanley Cup run this year by winning the Conn Smythe Trophy for MVP of the entire playoffs. He is the organization’s all-time leader in goals, assists and points. Marchessault never met a topic he wouldn’t comment on, an endearing quality to fans (and media) alike.

4. William Karlsson: Wild Bill was popular not only for that first magical season — 43 goals and 78 points — but his blonde locks became a staple for fans to cheer. But his place on this list was solidified with his post-parade speech following the Stanley Cup victory. Viewed millions of times across social media, the original Misfit gave a memorable discourse after, well, a few drinks or 20. It was the most animated and open Karlsson has been since arriving via the expansion draft. It was everything.

5. Deryk Engelland: His moving speech following the 1 October shootings and before the opening regular-season home game in franchise history will live in Golden Knights’ lore. Emotional doesn’t begin to describe the evening and it was Engelland who was chosen to address the sold-out crowd. He punctuated his words with, “We are Vegas Strong!” And the place went nuts. Engelland retired from hockey in December of 2020 following three seasons with the Knights.

Honorable mention: Nate Schmidt, Erik Haula and Alex Tuch.