Golden Knights celebrate Stanley Cup win with parade, party on The Strip

LAS VEGAS -- In a town that knows how to throw a party, it put on one of the biggest to celebrate the 2023 Stanley Cup champions.

Approximately 200,000 people lined the parade route down Las Vegas Boulevard and filled Toshiba Plaza, which is adjacent to T-Mobile Arena, on Saturday to celebrate the Vegas Golden Knights' first Stanley Cup title.

Vegas won the Cup in its sixth NHL season by defeating the Florida Panthers in five games in the Final, clinching the championship with a 9-3 win at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday.

"This is an unbelievable experience," Golden Knights owner Bill Foley said at the rally. "The parade today was unbelievable, and the enthusiasm was incredible. … And it was so great to be part of this experience with all of you."

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A convoy of double-decker buses carried players down the Las Vegas Strip from Flamingo Road to Tropicana Avenue and then to T-Mobile Arena for the rally.

Golden Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault lifted the Conn Smythe Trophy, which he was voted the winner of as the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, over his head as his bus proceeded slowly down the route.

A few buses down from Marchessault, Keegan Kolesar lifted the Stanley Cup over his head to the delight of the thousands who lined the route and those who stood on pedestrian overpasses.

More than a dozen buses and emergency service vehicles carried members of the organization down the famous street, including George McPhee, president of hockey operations, and general manager Kelly McCrimmon, who built the roster from scratch.

"This is our sixth year, but organizationally, it's our seventh year," McCrimmon said in his season-ending media availability Friday. "That first year, I define it as the expansion year, and that first season was our inaugural season, that's how I delineate the two experiences. We hired close to 50 people in the scouting staff and hockey operations, and part of the reward for George and myself and so many of the Day One people is that we've had the ability to have our hands on every little single thing we've done, and one thing that we're really proud of is that we put together a tremendous staff."

The locals, who usually leave The Strip for tourists, were on their best behavior celebrating their championship team.

Once the procession made its way down the stretch of The Strip, which took approximately an hour and 45 minutes, the team convened on stage at the plaza to the delight of thousands who gathered there. Organizers had to close entry to the plaza long before the team arrived because it was at capacity.

Foley and coach Bruce Cassidy were the first on stage, followed by McCrimmon and McPhee.

"Seven years ago, shortly after Kelly and I were hired to put this organization together, I found a quote of Bill Foley's that I posted in my office," McPhee said. "Bill said, 'We want our team to be committed to teamwork, service to this great city and integrity in all things.' I believe we delivered on that mandate. Our teamwork just delivered the Stanley Cup. Our commitment to service in this city has been outstanding, with the players committing thousands upon thousands of hours to charities and causes in Vegas.

"So, thank you to our players and their families for what you do in delivering a championship. But just as important, thank you for what you did and continue to do off the ice for this great city."

The Golden Knights paid tribute to the 60 people killed in the mass shooting along The Strip on Oct. 1, 2017, just nine days before Vegas' first home game. A banner was hung behind the stage with the names of all 60 victims.

Captain Mark Stone was the first of the players to speak. Stone returned in time for the playoffs after undergoing back surgery Jan. 31. He had 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists) in 22 games, including a hat trick in Game 5.

"It was an incredible day for me and my teammates," Stone said. "I want to thank Bill Foley for bringing the team here, George McPhee and Kelly McCrimmon for putting their trust in this team. After last year [missing the playoffs] I think they could have gone in a different way, but they believed in this team, because they knew we could bring the Stanley Cup here to Las Vegas."