The Golden Knights selected former Penguins G Marc-Andre Fleury in the expansion draft on Wednesday, and the former Stanley Cup-winner is the "face" of the franchise "whether he likes it or not," according to Jason Mackey of the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE. Fleury, who played alongside Penguins C Sidney Crosby for more than 10 seasons, said, "I’ve always had Sid to step behind. It’s obviously a little different. I think I’m up for the challenge. This is a good organization, a good team. I’m looking forward to see what we can do.” Mackey notes this "isn’t an easy thing for Fleury." Fading into the background behind Crosby, C Evgeni Malkin and "other prominent Penguins was never a problem, but that’s not going to be possible" in Las Vegas. Everywhere Fleury goes, he "draws a crowd." Fleury on Thursday held his first youth clinic in Las Vegas, a "street hockey event less than 24 hours after he became part of the organization" through the expansion draft (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 6/23). In N.Y., Tal Pinchevsky writes Fleury "instantly becomes the centerpiece of Las Vegas’s first major professional sports franchise." He will be "among the marquee attractions in a city that is no stranger to bright lights and brash presentation." In Pittsburgh, he was "happy to defer much of the attention to superstar teammates like" Crosby and Malkin. He "will not have that luxury with the Golden Knights" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/23). The L.A. Times' Bill Plashcke predicted Golden Knights RW James Neal "will be the face of the franchise," not Fleury. Plaschke: "You can’t be the face of a franchise if you wear a mask, if you play in a full mask. They’ll put (Neal) out front. Goalies aren’t like that” (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 6/22).
TRADEMARK BATTLE STILL LOOMS: In Las Vegas, Adam Candee notes the Golden Knights name and logo “still officially do not belong to the team, leading the franchise to advance this month the legal battle to own its trademark rights.” Attorneys for the NHL “responded to the initial trademark refusal” of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office with a filing “arguing the franchise’s name and logo will not be confused with the previous trademarks” of a small N.Y. college and a Florida university. The June 6 document composed by the league “narrowly met a six-month deadline for response to the government’s Dec. 7 application denial.” Golden Knights President Kerry Bubolz said that the team “expects a positive outcome on the matter.” Candee notes the Golden Knights “do not need an official trademark from the federal government to use their name and logo in any capacity.” However, proceeding without trademark protection could “encourage the sale of knockoff Golden Knights merchandise and make it more difficult for the team to enforce any legal action against counterfeiters” (LAS VEGAS SUN, 6/23).
