Vegas joins short list of expansion success stories with title
When Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley said his plan for his new team was to win a Stanley Cup within six years, he likely didn’t expect to be this spot on.
On Tuesday night, at the conclusion of the team’s fifth season of NHL play, the Golden Knights hoisted the Stanley Cup in front of a sold-out home crowd at T-Mobile Arena.
The victory concluded a run of success — three division championships, two conference championships and now a Stanley Cup — for the once-expansion franchise that has few peers. Just five expansion teams in the history of the big four of North American men’s professional sports have captured a title in an equivalent or quicker span. Here’s a brief look at those teams and their stories:
First NBA season: 1968
Time to title: 3 years
Claiming the honor of quickest expansion-to-championship run of any team on this list, it took the Bucks just three seasons to capture their first NBA title. Aiding Milwaukee’s rapid ascent was the emerging stardom of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then known as Lew Alcindor). The Bucks won the rights to Abdul-Jabbar’s services thanks to a victory in a coin flip over fellow expansion outfit Phoenix Suns. The addition of Abdul-Jabbar helped Milwaukee win 29 more games in season two compared with its inaugural campaign. Ahead of Year 3, the Bucks acquired point guard Oscar Robertson to complement Abdul-Jabbar, a decision that paid off. Milwaukee won a franchise-record 66 games that season. In the postseason, the Bucks would lose just two of the 12 games they played, eventually sweeping the Baltimore Bullets to take home the title. The championship preceded a 50-year title drought for the Bucks that stood until current star Giannis Antetokounmpo brought the Larry O’Brien Trophy back to Milwaukee in 2021.
First MLB season: 1998
Time to title: 4 years
The Diamondbacks’ 2001 title marked the conclusion of one of the most successful expansion arrivals in MLB history. After a lackluster inaugural campaign, Arizona won 100 games in just its second year of MLB play. Playing a key role in the turnaround was the addition of ace Randy Johnson, whose 9.1 WAR ranked second in MLB in 1999, per Baseball-Reference.com. Following an unspectacular third season, the Diamondbacks added another ace in Curt Schilling, immediately giving the club one of the best 1-2 tandems of starting pitching in league history. The veteran duo proved dominant, combining for 43 wins on the season. The rest of the Diamondbacks’ starting rotation combined for 14. Johnson and Schilling started all four of Arizona’s wins in a thrilling seven-game World Series triumph over the defending champion New York Yankees, with the pair earning co-MVP honors. It remains one of just two times in MLB history a World Series honored co-MVPs.
First NFL year: 1996
Time to title: 5 years
Led by one of the most formidable defenses in NFL history, the Ravens captured Super Bowl XXXV in just their fifth season in Baltimore following a move from Cleveland. Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis led the way, en route to consensus Defensive Player of the Year honors. The Ravens’ defense allowed more than 14 points in just four of their 20 games. In 12 of those games they held the opposing team to single digits. This included back-to-back displays of dominance in the AFC Championship Game (allowing three points against the Oakland Raiders) and the Super Bowl (allowing seven points against the New York Giants). The only points the Giants scored in the Ravens’ final defensive tour de force came on a third-quarter kickoff return. Of Baltimore’s five players named to the Pro Bowl in 2000, four were on defense or special teams: Lewis, defensive tackle Sam Adams, safety Rod Woodson and kicker Matt Stover.
First NHL season: 1979
Time to title: 5 years
Having one of the best to ever do it pays dividends in making the expansion transition a smooth one. The Oilers’ inaugural NHL season coincided with Wayne Gretzky’s second season as a pro. He’d go on to pace the Oilers in goals, assists and points (frequently doubling up the next-highest finisher on the team) for each of the next four seasons as the team blossomed into a Stanley Cup contender. In Gretzky’s first year as captain in 1984, the Oilers avenged their 1983 loss in the Final by defeating the New York Islanders to lift the Stanley Cup. Gretzky led the way with a historic 205-point season, one of just four 200-plus point seasons ever, all belonging to him (1982, 1985, 1986). Backing the first-year captain was a young nucleus that would lay the foundation for a dynasty. Edmonton’s top six leaders in points during the regular season and Final were all younger than 25. The Oilers would go on to win four more titles before the decade’s end — but haven’t lifted the Stanley Cup again since their last triumph in 1989-90.
First MLB season: 1993
Time to title: 5 years
The 1997 World Series champion Marlins were perhaps the biggest surprise on this list. Despite consistent improvement, Florida had never finished with a winning record in the club’s four years of existence prior to its championship season. The Marlins steadily climbed the NL East standings over the course of their half-decade of play. They still had never won the division crown entering the 1997 postseason, but the team got hot when it mattered most.
The Marlins made quick work of the San Francisco Giants in the divisional round, completing a three-game sweep. Florida then handled the team that beat it for the NL East title, the 101-win Atlanta Braves, in six games to advance to the World Series. Their postseason run culminated in a thrilling World Series against Cleveland, with the two teams trading wins from Game 1 through Game 7. The decisive game proved the best. Cleveland took an early lead in the third inning, and Miami didn’t knot the score at 2 until it was down to its final two outs in the ninth. Two innings later, a two-out, walk-off single by Edgar Rentería won it for the Marlins. Rentería’s clutch knock up the middle marked one of just nine times in MLB history a World Series was won on a walk-off hit.
The 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby is fast approaching — and the field is set.
Braves hometown hero Ronald Acuna Jr. became the first player to commit to the event, which will be held at Truist Park in Atlanta on July 14 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN). He was followed by MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals, Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins, Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, Brent Rooker of the Athletics and Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees.
On Friday, however, Acuna was replaced by teammate Matt Olson.
With all the entrants announced, let’s break down their chances at taking home this year’s Derby prize.
Full All-Star Game coverage: How to watch, schedule, rosters, more
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 434 feet
Why he could win: Olson is a late replacement for Acuna as the home team’s representative at this year’s Derby. Apart from being the Braves’ first baseman, however, Olson also was born in Atlanta and grew up a Braves fan, giving him some extra motivation. The left-handed slugger led the majors in home runs in 2023 — his 54 round-trippers that season also set a franchise record — and he remains among the best in the game when it comes to exit velo and hard-hit rate.
Why he might not: The home-field advantage can also be a detriment if a player gets too hyped up in the first round. See Julio Rodriguez in Seattle in 2023, when he had a monster first round, with 41 home runs, but then tired out in the second round.
2025 home runs: 36 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: It’s the season of Cal! The Mariners’ catcher is having one of the greatest slugging first halves in MLB history, as he’s been crushing mistakes all season . His easy raw power might be tailor-made for the Derby — he ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity and delivers the ball, on average, at the optimal home run launch angle of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor might also be perfect for the contest as he won’t get too amped up.
Why he might not: He’s a catcher — and one who has carried a heavy workload, playing in all but one game this season. This contest is as much about stamina as anything, and whether Raleigh can carry his power through three rounds would be a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with only Ivan Rodriguez back in 2005 even reaching the finals.
2025 home runs: 24 | Longest: 451 feet
Why he could win: He’s big, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s awesome, he might or might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This is the perfect opportunity for Wood to show his talent on the national stage, and he wouldn’t be the first young player to star in the Derby. He ranks in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, so he can still muscle the ball out in BP even if he slightly mishits it. His long arms might be viewed as a detriment, but remember the similarly tall Aaron Judge won in 2017.
Why he might not: His natural swing isn’t a pure uppercut — he has a pretty low average launch angle of just 6.2 degrees — so we’ll see how that plays in a rapid-fire session. In real games, his power is primarily to the opposite field, but in a Home Run Derby you can get more cheapies pulling the ball down the line.
2025 home runs: 20 | Longest: 479 feet
Why he could win: Buxton’s raw power remains as impressive as nearly any hitter in the game. He crushed a 479-foot home run earlier this season and has four others of at least 425 feet. Indeed, his “no doubter” percentage — home runs that would be out of all 30 parks based on distance — is 75%, the highest in the majors among players with more than a dozen home runs. His bat speed ranks in the 89th percentile. In other words, two tools that could translate to a BP lightning show.
Why he might not: Buxton is 31 and the Home Run Derby feels a little more like a younger man’s competition. Teoscar Hernandez did win last year at age 31, but before that, the last winner older than 29 was David Ortiz in 2010, and that was under much different rules than are used now.
2025 home runs: 16 | Longest: 463 feet
Why he could win: If you drew up a short list of players everyone wants to see in the Home Run Derby, Cruz would be near the top. He has the hardest-hit ball of the 2025 season, and the hardest ever tracked by Statcast, a 432-foot missile of a home run with an exit velocity of 122.9 mph. He also crushed a 463-foot home run in Anaheim that soared way beyond the trees in center field. With his elite bat speed — 100th percentile — Cruz has the ability to awe the crowd with a potentially all-time performance.
Why he might not: Like all first-time contestants, can he stay within himself and not get too caught up in the moment? He has a long swing, which will result in some huge blasts, but might not be the most efficient for a contest like this one, where the more swings a hitter can get in before the clock expires, the better.
2025 home runs: 23 | Longest: 425 feet
Why he could win: Although Caminero was one of the most hyped prospects entering 2024, everyone kind of forgot about him heading into this season since he didn’t immediately rip apart the majors as a rookie. In his first full season, however, he has showed off his big-time raw power — giving him a chance to become just the third player to reach 40 home runs in his age-21 season. He has perhaps the quickest bat in the majors, ranking in the 100th percentile in bat speed, and his top exit velocity ranks in the top 15. That could translate to a barrage of home runs.
Why he might not: In game action, Caminero does hit the ball on the ground quite often — in fact, he’s on pace to break Jim Rice’s record for double plays grounded into in a season. If he gets out of rhythm, that could lead to a lot of low line drives during the Derby instead of fly balls that clear the fences.
2025 home runs: 19 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: The Athletics slugger has been one of the top power hitters in the majors for three seasons now and is on his way to a third straight 30-homer season. Rooker has plus bat speed and raw power, but his biggest strength is an optimal average launch angle (19 degrees in 2024, 15 degrees this season) that translates to home runs in game action. That natural swing could be picture perfect for the Home Run Derby. He also wasn’t shy about saying he wanted to participate — and maybe that bodes well for his chances.
Why he might not: Rooker might not have quite the same raw power as some of the other competitors, as he has just one home run longer than 425 feet in 2025. But that’s a little nitpicky, as 11 of his home runs have still gone 400-plus feet. He competed in the college home run derby in Omaha while at Mississippi State in 2016 and finished fourth.
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 442 feet
Why he could win: Chisholm might not be the most obvious name to participate, given his career high of 24 home runs, but he has belted 17 already in 2025 in his first 61 games after missing some time with an injury. He ranks among the MLB leaders in a couple of home run-related categories, ranking in the 96th percentile in expected slugging percentage and 98th percentile in barrel rate. His raw power might not match that of the other participants, but he’s a dead-pull hitter who has increased his launch angle this season, which might translate well to the Derby, even if he won’t be the guy hitting the longest home runs.
Why he might not: Most of the guys who have won this have been big, powerful sluggers. Chisholm is listed at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds, and you have to go back to Miguel Tejada in 2004 to find the last player under 6 foot to win.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike