Last week, the NHL announced that its first expansion team in over a decade would be coming to Las Vegas for the 2017/18 season. I’ll admit, I’ve never been to Vegas, or the state of Nevada, for that matter, but the idea of a team in the city that gave us Escape the Fate, Bryce Harper, and the world’s most infamous collection of casino resorts does intrigue me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sticking by the New York Rangers no matter what, but it’ll be interesting to follow the development of the first brand new NHL team to take the ice since I was two and didn’t know what hockey was.
With that in mind, I’ve decided to take some of the team names that I’ve seen suggested and evaluate them. This isn’t an attempt to find the best name, because that’s a matter of personal taste. It’s just a shot at weighing their strengths and weaknesses. If you have any other suggestions, leave them in the comments, and if I get enough, I just might be able to do a follow-up list. Let's get cracking, shall we?
Las Vegas Black Knights
Where I saw it: Bill Foley, the team’s owner, who’s already indicated he wants to use this name.
Pros: It’s instantly intimidating, with the possibility of using a chess piece or a literal knight as a logo. It’s unique as far as pro sports go. Draws in the military crowd with its connections to the Army, particularly if they opt to go with black and gold. Has the potential for a nice-looking logo. Subtle wordplay on the Vegas nightlife. Lends itself easily to using Batman as a mascot (Black Knight, Dark Knight, what’s the difference?).
Cons: Let’s face it, “Las Vegas Black Knights” just doesn’t roll off the tongue--although “Vegas Knights” certainly does. The owner already owns a company called Black Knight, so there’s an element of ego in this name choice. Considering the potential for rivalry with the Los Angeles Kings, who wear black as their main color, putting “black” in the name might make things a little indistinct.
Las Vegas Aces
Where I saw it: I first saw it on the SportsLogos.net boards, where someone made some concepts for it. Later, I found out it also won a local straw poll for a potential name, beating out “Black Knights,” “Scorpions,” and “Monsoon,” among other choices.
Pros: Pays tribute to Las Vegas’s history with the Air Force and contributions during World War II, on top of the obvious card reference. It’s simple, yet memorable and uniquely Vegas. Lends itself to using Mötorhead’s “Ace of Spades” as the goal song. Also, the guy on SportsLogos who did the concepts adds multiple reasons to make this the name with every image. Seriously, check this stuff out. If Foley just straight up hires this guy, I’ll be happy.
Cons: There’s always the potential of screwing it up and only using the card motif or the airplane motif instead of both at once. Without a color besides black and white in the color scheme, this logo set could get boring--and, again, hard to distinguish from the Kings--real quick.
Las Vegas Vandals
Where I saw it: Reddit discussions about the news Las Vegas would get a team.
Pros: Nobody else uses this name in pro sports. Again, it offers multiple possible takes. They can be Rome-destroying barbarians, or they can be street artists. The latter route lends itself to a unique art style unlike anything else in the league. Any color goes, as long as the logos look like something out of Jet Set Radio. References the city’s shady side, but not in a way that has anything to do with gambling or prostitution.
Cons: Let’s face it, people aren’t entirely ready to accept cartoony logos again. The current hotness is streamlined and clean, not stylized and in-your-face. Also, people with nothing better to do will complain about the name being “too violent” or “encouraging crime” or some BS like that.
Las Vegas Scene
Where I saw it: I came up with this one myself.
Pros: References the nightlife of Vegas with a name that you don’t often see in sports. In fact, this might be the only team in the world to call themselves the Scene. Endless possibilities for marketing wordplay. Invites connections to the movie industry.
Cons: The first images it brings to mind are strips of film and scene kids. The former would be more suited to a team in Los Angeles, and the latter...well, frankly, the swoopy hair and crabcore jokes write themselves, especially if Ronnie Radke somehow gets involved with the team. Sounds like the kind of try hard name that gets changed to something more respectable after a few seasons.
Las Vegas Outlaws
Where I saw it: Previous sports teams in Las Vegas.
Pros: Fits in with the city’s “Wild West” reputation. Like “Black Knights,” it’s the kind of name that everyone knows is badass. There’s a variety of imagery to play around with, including bandanas, revolvers, cowboy hats, and basically anything the villain in a Western film would wear or use.
Cons: It’s been done twice already. In 2001, the XFL (anybody still remember that?) had a team with the name. They came in last place in their division, and then the league folded. Then last year, an Arena Football League team used the name, posted a 5-12-1 record, and could still have gone to the playoffs if they hadn’t folded before the season was over. So basically, the name is jinxed and any team that calls themselves the Las Vegas Outlaws is doomed to fail.
Las Vegas Privateers
Where I saw it: This is another one I came up with myself.
Pros: The NHL doesn’t have any pirate-related teams. This name would fix that while using a synonym that isn’t already in play. Gives Vegas a new type of criminal to use as a mascot other than Western bandits. Ties in well with the Treasure Island casino resort.
Cons: Risks having a logo and/or color scheme that’s too similar to other pirate teams like the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Oakland Raiders, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Also, those teams have reputations of either sucking, having psychotic fans, or both, and a Privateers team might pick those things up.
Las Vegas Nordiques
Where I saw it: ESPN suggested it, possibly as a joke.
Pros: Revives a name that hasn’t been active in hockey since 1995. Makes it possible that the logo the Nordiques would have used if they'd stayed can finally hit the ice. If the team flops and moves to Quebec City, they won’t have to change their name.
Cons: Quebec City’s own expansion bid was “deferred” because the Canadian dollar isn’t very strong right now. If the dollar picks up, the Vegas Nordiques are still in Vegas, and Quebec City gets their team, people are going to be pissed that they can’t get their team’s name back. The Colorado Avalanche would have to sort out which parts of their pre-Denver history are theirs and which parts belong to Vegas. And let’s face it, for a team in the Southwest, this name just plain makes no sense.
