Schadenfreude is widespread in the hockey world after the Vegas Golden Knights lost the 2026 Stanley Cup Final to the Carolina Hurricanes. The Golden Knights are one of the most hated teams in the NHL, so their downfall has given their detractors a reason to celebrate.
Vegas star center Jack Eichel, however, is not bothered by the way others are celebrating the team’s loss.
“I’ll say this. If you ask guys in the league, Vegas ain’t on people’s no-trade list,” the former No. 2 overall pick said during the Golden Knights’ media availability on Tuesday, via Scott Maxwell of the Daily Faceoff.
“So this is a place people want to be, and people want to play, and this is an organization that people want to be a part of.”
Vegas is still a relatively young franchise, having just finished its ninth season in the league. But over that span, the Golden Knights have drawn the ire of hockey fans for the way they conduct their business, including their decision to sign goalie Carter Hart early in the 2025–26 season after he and four other players were acquitted in the Hockey Canada sexual assault case.
At the same time, the Golden Knights, despite their loss to Carolina, can be considered a successful franchise, as Vegas has made the playoffs in all but one season of its existence, reached the Stanley Cup Final three times, and won it once.
