Vegas owner defends Golden Knights nickname

Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point but doesn't believe the naming of his National Hockey League expansion team crosses any lines with the U.S. Army whose long-time elite parachute team also uses the nickname Golden Knights.

"I have complete respect for the US Army and all that it does for our nation," Foley told ESPN in an email after news surfaced that the U.S. Army was looking into the official naming of the 31st NHL franchise last week because of the shared nickname.

"Our development and use of the name Vegas Golden Knights was based upon Nevada being the largest gold producing state in the country and the golden tones of the Las…