Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley ranked third with an A grade in a recent poll that ranked all 32 NHL owners by The Athletic.
When Foley set a goal of winning a Stanley Cup inside the first six years of the franchise's existence, it raised plenty of eyebrows, but Foley and the Golden Knights have proved the doubters wrong.
The Golden Knights have played in eight seasons, winning a Stanley Cup, losing in the finals and making another two conference finals appearances. Their willingness to continue to trade or sign established players instead of developing drafted prospects is a philosophy that is very uncommon in today's game due to the salary cap, but it has changed the league.
ICYMI: Ranking the NHL's 32 ownership groups. Lot of great comments in here from fan bases from every team https://t.co/1Ujtz1CPTX
— James Mirtle (@mirtle) March 18, 2025
Recently, teams have been more inclined to ship draft picks and prospects at the deadline in search of players who drastically upgrade their lineup and improve their chances of winning the Stanley Cup.
The all-out mindset in pursuing greatness stems from the owner, and the fans who voted in The Athletic's poll recognized this.
"VGK ownership is second to none. He supports his organizational team to the max and lets them do their jobs without any interference from him."
"Love his willingness to go all-in from Day 1."
Ranking ahead of Foley were Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik and Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola, both owners of teams that haven't been shy about spending their cash and assets to acquire top NHL talent.
What separates Foley from other owners is the situation he stepped into and the speed at which he found success. The Seattle Kraken, the league's most recent expansion team hasn't found garnering success as easily as the Golden Knights, but what the Kraken are going through was to be expected.
"It’s almost ridiculous what the Golden Knights have accomplished in fewer than eight seasons in the league," said James Mirtle, the author of this article. "A trip to the Final in Year 1 as an expansion franchise. Four trips to the final four in their first seven postseasons. A pile of blockbusters trades and players flocking to a market many were skeptical of when Vegas was awarded an expansion team less than a decade ago. Foley set a lofty goal of winning a Stanley Cup within six seasons, and he certainly delivered. And, as a bonus, there may not be a more entertaining building to be at for a big game. Vegas fans voted Foley No. 1 in willingness to spend to win and fifth in franchise vision."
The Golden Knights are once again in a great situation to go on a long playoff run with a roster filled with super stars and depth.
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