Vegas, Salt Lake City, and Anaheim: The Success of Non-Traditional Western Hockey Markets

There were 24 NHL teams at the start of the 1992-93 season. When Gary Bettman took over as commissioner of the National Hockey League in early 1993, he had a vision. He wanted to bring hockey to non-traditional markets, and he wanted those teams to experience great success.

It didn’t happen overnight– for years, poor management and low attendance made these teams the punchline of every joke around the league– but Bettman’s dream has finally become a reality. There are 32 teams in the NHL, 10 of which are based in non-traditional markets. And as for success, five of the last six Stanley Cup Champions have hailed from non-traditional markets.

The Vegas Golden Knights were perhaps the greatest of Bettman’s many accomplishments. He’d long since wanted to put an NHL team in Las Vegas, and finally got his wish in 2016. The team’s success speaks for itself– they made the playoffs in their first season, and won the Stanley Cup in their sixth.

In 2026, the Golden Knights are no longer the new kids on the block. In 2024, the Arizona Coyotes relocated to Salt Lake City; now, all eyes are on the Utah Mammoth.

In a poetic turn of events, the Golden Knights drew the Mammoth in Utah’s first-ever postseason run. Ultimately, the Golden Knights proved they’re still the team to beat, eliminating their opponent in six games. But in those six games, the Mammoth made their mark, impressing the Golden Knights with their play and their fans.

“It was a really cool experience playing there; it was a pretty rowdy building,” said defenseman Noah Hanifin. “I think it’s good for the league. It’s good for the game, and there’s a bright future there.”

“It was a lot of fun playing in Utah,” agreed forward . “The crowd is so good. They’re really into the game, which is really fun… And their stands, they’re really over top of you, so you can really feel them. But yeah, it was really cool. It was fun.”