Hockey would never work in Las Vegas, the skeptics said. Too hot. The desert. The strip. The night life. Who would have time for hockey? Why would anyone want to go to a game?

Marc-Andre Fleury was why. He was the Vegas Golden Knights. He put the team on the map. He made them relevant. He damn near won them the Stanley Cup as a first-year team.

If you go to the Westgate Sportsbook in Vegas, you’ll still see the Golden Knights listed on the odds board among the leading Stanley Cup contenders. But this will be the first time in franchise history that Vegas will seek the silver of Lord Stanley’s mug without their golden goalie between the pipes. 

Is there life in Vegas beyond The Flower? That’s Fleury’s nickname but this flower who bloomed on top of a steady diet of frozen water is no more. In the summer, the Golden Knights traded Fleury to the Chicago Blackhawks, even though he was coming off the best season of his NHL career.

He posted career-bests in goals against average (1.98) and save percentage (.928) and won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goaltender for the first time. Vegas, though, had a younger, cheaper version of Fleury in Robin Lehner – who, oddly enough, they acquired from Chicago.

Facing a salary cap crunch, the Golden Knights opted to move on from Fleury’s $7 million a year paycheck.

Life Without Flower

The Golden Knights reported to training camp and for the first time, Fleury’s smiling faces and his playful pranks were there waiting to brighten everyone’s day.

“(Fleury’s) been the heart and soul for quite a bit for our team and our organization,” left wing Jonathan Marchessault told the Las Vegas Journal-Review. “It’s going to be different, but it just shows you how unstable the world of hockey is. No one is safe out there. You have to stay on your toes and give your best every night.”

Even those who were only Fleury’s teammate for a brief time were energized by the electricity of the warmth he exuded.

“I feel very fortunate (that I was) able to play with him for the little bit that I did,” defenseman Nic Hague said. “He’s a guy that I grew up watching, watching him win his Cups. Just a great guy. He always had a smile on his face. He loves what he does. It’s definitely going to be a little bit different not having him around.”

Las Vegas is a city that seems to have been made to be the backdrop of a movie. It’s got all the glittering lights and neon signs that look fantastic shining down from the big screen. Plus, there is always something going on amongst the millions of people who flock to the centre of sin. No wonder, then, that the city has been the setting for many truly great movie classics. So, here is a quick look at some of the best movies set in the beautiful city of Las Vegas.

Ocean’s Eleven (2001)

This blockbuster featuring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Julia Roberts absolutely wowed crowds back in 2001 with its elaborate heists and schemes. Ocean’s Eleven was a big-budget remake of the 1960 movie that starred Frank Sinatra and the rest of the Rat Pack. The story centres on a crew of career criminals, who are teaming up to pull off the heist of all heists against a billionaire casino owner.

The movie features the magnificent Bellagio casino, which opened on the Las Vegas strip on October 15th 1998. It was so loved and caused such a storm on release, that it produced two sequels released in 2004 and 2007, and even had a female led remake in 2018. All are entertaining, but none of them can quite live up to the first movie’s greatness.

Rain Man (1988)

Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman teamed up to create pure movie magic in this 1988 smash-hit that impressed both audiences and critics. In fact, Rain Man managed to win four Oscars, including for Best Picture, and Hoffman took home the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Cruise plays a character who is a savvy businessman, who feels he is cheated out of his inheritance. A whopping $3 million is left to his unknown autistic brother played beautifully by Hoffman. Cruise’s character soon connects with his brother, and finds out that he is a savant genius with a perfect photographic memory.

This leads the two to Vegas, after they’ve suited up of course, and straight to the blackjack tables. What ensues are some of the most famous casino scenes in movie history, that will have you clamoring to book your next Vegas trip. If you can’t get there at the moment though, Vegas Slots Online have got you covered, and can bring all the casino table games to you. They also have all the best bonuses and free spins in a comprehensive and easy to use list. So, you’ll know you’re getting the most for your money.

The Hangover (2009)

This movie highlights all of the sheer craziness that is on offer in Sin City. The Hangover was released in 2009, and was a non-stop riot of bad behaviour and great laughs. The movie begins with a bunch of friends preparing for a hedonistic stag-party, but before we get to see the events of the night, we’re fast-forwarded to the next morning, where everyone is severely the worse for wear. It then fast-forwards to the next day, and they realise they’ve lost the groom, uh-oh! After that the movie showcases the friends trying to piece together exactly what happened, and retrace their steps, with predictably hilarious results.

One of the best moments amongst the madness includes one of the characters getting punched out by boxer Mike Tyson, after they were deemed to have stolen his tiger from his Vegas penthouse. Just like that scene, the movie was a knock-out hit. The Hangover made stars of Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis, and also went on to have a further two follow up movies released, though neither were as loved as the first.

The new year brings a fresh start for everyone, and what better way to start over than by redecorating or remodeling your home? In Las Vegas, homeowners make it a point to regularly refresh their homes, with a 2019 Harvard survey revealing that there was a significant growth in remodeling projects in the state. But you don’t have to do a complete overhaul to make your place more comfortable and inviting. By making a few changes and adding some new elements to your décor, you can make your home the ideal place for staying in. If you’re planning to redecorate this year, here are some interior design trends to enhance your Vegas home. 

Channel-tufted chairs

Las Vegas is known for its flashy extravagance and indulgent lifestyle, so to add some luxury to your space, try having a channel-tufted chair in your home. This type of chair is not only deliciously soft and comfortable, but it goes well with the Art-Deco style, which is highly popular nowadays. Consider having a tufted armchair with metallic legs in your living room to serve as an accent piece, or replace your old home office chair with a tufted swivel chair. 

Natural materials

The rustic look is still a popular choice among interior designers and homeowners, as natural building and decorating materials are slated to be some of the biggest design trends of 2021. According to Mangum Home Builders, one of the best ways to build a rustic or ranch-style home is to include Texan elements in your Vegas home, such as exposed beams on the ceiling or natural stone in your house’s exterior. For an easy way to incorporate natural elements in your home, try adding a large-scale rattan chandelier in the hallway, a sisal rug in the living room, or rattan furniture in the dining room. 

Colorful artwork

Swap your moody, black-and-white art for something a little more colorful to grace your walls. Consider hanging up some Andy Warhol-inspired pop art in the kitchen, or install a colorful large-scale art piece in the living room. You can also try framing small colorful rugs or retro-inspired prints. Contemporary portraits in soft pastel hues can also make a strong statement, especially if the art work complements your room’s color scheme. 

Refresh your Vegas home with these 2021 interior design trends. Not only will you make your home more inviting, but you’ll also create the ideal space that you and your family will love to spend time in throughout the years.