By Helene St. James/DFP
Eleven months after piecing together a hockey team, the Vegas Golden Knights have become one of the most improbable underdog stories in pro sports history.
Never has an American expansion franchise excelled like the Knights, who blistered their way through their debut season to inexplicably reach the Stanley Cup final.
No team in modern NHL, MLB, NBA or NFL history managed a winning record in their maiden season, according to ESPN's FiveThirtyEight, which is perhaps why Westgate Sportsbook gave the Knights 500-1 odds to win the Cup this season.