Hate it or love it: The polarizing effect of the Golden Knights' magical run

There's something inherently human about rooting for an underdog.

We've seen it plenty of times throughout the decades of sports history: N.C. State's March Madness upset of Houston, Buster Douglas' stunning knockout of then-heavyweight champ Mike Tyson, or even the New York Giants' shocking defeat of the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.

The David in all of us usually wants to see big bad Goliath slain.

However, this year's Vegas Golden Knights expansion success story is putting hockey fans in a bit of a tough spot: jump on the bandwagon and throw support behind one of the best feel-good stories ever, or root against an organization that's had more success in its inaugural season than a lot of franchises have had in the past 20 years?

Related: Golden Knights' GM at a loss to explain team's success

This is the scenario that both average and committed hockey heads find themselves in as the Golden Knights gear up for an appearance in the Stanley Cup Final to face either the Tampa Bay Lightning or the Washington Capitals.

And as Vegas continues to prove even the most astute prognosticators wrong, fans are left with polarizing views on what the Knights' run means to the game of hockey.

Look, we get it, Vegas is out here smashing narratives and doing something that only the 1918 Toronto Arenas and 1968 St. Louis Blues have ever done before in NHL history - making the Cup Final in its debut season. And there is no denying that a unique feat such as that is something people are bound to be attracted to.

Whether it's William Karlsson's stunning development from fringe forward to fabled 40-goal man, Marc-Andre Fleury's rejuvenated career and mastery in the blue paint, or the lethal combination of Florida Panthers castoffs Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith, there really is no shortage of reasons to be loving the Knights' miraculous journey.

Heck, the year is even big-screen worthy. And with the plethora of potentially epic storylines to choose from, it's seemingly only a matter of time before some Hollywood hotshot pens the script.

Regardless of the label put on it, Vegas' improbable campaign continues to gain more media attention and fan support with each passing historic moment. But there's another developing feeling toward the magical run that's much less positive.

Whether it's because you're jealous, or maybe a little sour with the seemingly favorable expansion draft rules the Knights were subject to, or perhaps you're just annoyed that a group of castoffs is performing so well when they were supposed to be a complete doormat - whatever the reason, there are many detractors when it comes to the Cinderella story that is the Golden Knights.

Some long-suffering fan bases - such as the one in St. Louis and the much-maligned hockey market in Toronto - have endured one losing season after another for decades on end. So with that lens, it's easy to see how some are starting to get a little fed up with the success surrounding the NHL's latest expansion team.

It's almost like watching your new neighbor stumbling onto a backyard filled with gold after you searched through yours for years to only come up with spare change and the T.V. remote your dog hid in the '90s: It's just downright frustrating.

Whether that's the appropriate feeling, who's really to say.

But one thing does remain true: Regardless of what side of the fence you fall on, Vegas' magical season is forcing fans off the sideline and right into the game.

Copyright (C) 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.