Las Vegas to provide 'entertainment for everybody' in Stanley Cup Final

LAS VEGAS -- Elvis Presley will be in the building. More than one of him, probably.

Expect to see Marilyn Monroe there too. Mimes, jugglers, perhaps a Chippendales dancer and certainly some Vegas showgirls in their famous headdresses will be on the scene as well.

They will all be dancing on the glass behind the net the Florida Panthers shoot at during warmups before the Vegas Golden Knights host Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; TNT, TBS, truTV, CBC, SN, TVAS).

"You come to Vegas, there's a lot of characters in this town to put it lightly," Golden Knights defenseman Alec Martinez said.

It was originally internally called the "Golden Knights' Wall of Distraction" and was created when they qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs as a first-year expansion team in 2018, going all the way to the Cup Final before losing to the Washington Capitals in five games.

The star-studded scene along the glass by the visitor's end has grown to be more circus-like in the best possible way, and, yes, the players notice, especially when they miss the net and the puck pounds off the glass, startling Elvis or Marilyn or even the mime.

"I mean, they're right on the glass, it's hard not to," Panthers defenseman Marc Staal said. "It's all part of the experience of being here. It makes for a great environment."

[RELATED: Complete 2023 Stanley Cup Final coverage]

Eric Staal, speaking on the "NHL @TheRink" podcast this week, recalled one of his experiences of seeing through the Wall of Distraction two years ago.

"A few years ago with Montreal we played the whole year with no fans and we played [in the Stanley Cup Semifinals] in Vegas and I hadn't seen my family in I don't know how many months," he said. "I got out for warmup and my three kids and my wife were standing right behind the showgirl in the corner of the glass. I was giving them waves. I don't know think the girl was thinking I was looking at her, I was looking at my kids. So, I have noticed."

The players laugh when they see it.

"It's cool, it's fun," Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad said. "It's a good show. What is this, right? It's entertainment for everybody and a lifelong dream for us. That's not going to get in the way of entertainment. It's fun, exciting and it adds to the thrill of being here in the moment."

But it doesn't impact the visitor's as they go through their warmups, or at least that's what they say.

"I mean you notice it, but I don't think it throws anyone off," Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour said. "I think it may help the opponent in a way, I guess. Guys like to play in a great atmosphere, and this building has done a terrific job of creating a great atmosphere since they have been in the League.

"It is loud and it is good music, and that is what it is all about. You know, guys get pretty amped to come to big cities like this."

The thing about it, though, is the Wall of Distraction is meant only for the visitors. Only fans are lining the glass on the Golden Knights' side during warmups. That's the serious side, the business side, whereas it's like Las Vegas Boulevard on a Saturday night on the opposite end.

That doesn't mean the home players don't look down to the other end to see what, or who, is dancing on the glass.

"We certainly notice some things and get a good laugh," Martinez said. "I think the Chippendales was out there once time. It's just like, where else do you find that?"

Only in Vegas.

"You're in the right city for it," Martinez said.

NHL.com senior director of editorial Shawn P. Roarke contributed to this story