Hey, the Las Vegas NHL team might have decided on a name.
As first pointed out by detroithockey.net, domain names related to the "Las Vegas Desert Knights" have been registered. Owner Bill Foley texted the Las Vegas Review Journal a no-comment about the whole deal.
This is two things: First, it's a good sign — the reported finalists had been Nighthawks, Desert Hawks and Red Hawks. There is already an NHL team of some import with Hawks in their name. Short of a topical joke — like "Raptors," or more contemporarily "Harambes" — this would've been worst-case scenario. What about Jetblackhawks? Can we use Yellow Jackets?
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Second: that is still some Triple-A-baseball-caliber stuff. Foley originally wanted Black Knights (Army said no) and then just Knights (London's OHL team said no). Those would've been better, but still derivative.
It's worth asking when, exactly, a big-four expansion or relocated team had a decent, original nickname. The Los Angeles Rams and Winnipeg Jets were nostalgia plays. The Texans and Nationals are boring. The Bobcats were awful. The Thunder and Pelicans are stupid. Blue Jackets, Wild ... none are any good.
You've got to go back to 1996 and the Arizona Diamondbacks to find an original, decent move. Every new team from now until the end of time is going to have a lame name. Better than the Nighthawks, though.