Speculation: 2020-21 no.1 goalie

[FedorTyutin]

I have to believe Fleury will be traded during summer, due to the situation with the picture from Allan Walsh's Twitter account. Sad, I love him.

Who do you think becomes next season's number one goalie?

I'm very curious to see if Lehner will be resigned. Personnally not hoping so.

I think it's Vegas type to offer a big contract to Braden Holtby and have him the franchise goalie for a while.

But there's tons of directions where this could be headed. What do you all think will happen?

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[Vegan Knight]

I think Fleury is definitely gone and I could see Marchessault as well, depending on his attitude toward some of this. He seemed the biggest Gallant guy and if they aren't behind our new coach (Fleury has enough issues with him that he seems gone) then you can look to trade.

I'm not saying I think Marchessault will, only that it's a possibility that he could feel disgruntled about Gallanr and then Fleury.

 

[CupInSIX]

Lehner or Markstrom.

 

[The Duck Knight]

Something really weird would have to happen for it not to be Fleury or Lehner. I don't think the Flower bridge is burned, but I do think the organization might prefer to move him and keep Lehner.

I voted Fleury mainly because I struggled to find a trade fit among teams that have a need, Fleury might waive for, and have the cap space.

 

[Vegan Knight]

Something really weird would have to happen for it not to be Fleury or Lehner. I don't think the Flower bridge is burned, but I do think the organization might prefer to move him and keep Lehner.

I voted Fleury mainly because I struggled to find a trade fit among teams that have a need, Fleury might waive for, and have the cap space.

The post is still up.

No way you keep him disgruntled with the coach who feels he's forced on him. It would only be kicking the can down the road a season maybe not that much.

Vegas can retain 50% if need be, it's better than a buyout and keeping an aging, unhappy goalie with a coach who he doesn't get along with. There would be some takers.

 

[willy702]

The post is still up.

No way you keep him disgruntled with the coach who feels he's forced on him. It would only be kicking the can down the road a season maybe not that much.

Vegas can retain 50% if need be, it's better than a buyout and keeping an aging, unhappy goalie with a coach who he doesn't get along with. There would be some takers.

Hard to imagine retaining $3.5m on him. For one year a team could do it, but multiple years in a non increasing cap just not too palatable. Maybe a $1.5m to keep the compensation down, but I don't even know if they need to go that far.

I don't know if he doesn't get along with the coach either, just the coach doesn't feel obligated to him. If that's really the case no way you let Lehner leave.

The others seem really unlikely. Holtby is just meh, he's been a decent goalie but nothing more really. Played well, but not spectacularly during the Cup run. Rest of the time he's a league starter but nothing you'd get excited paying top dollar for. Murray is pretty much Holtby now, a past Cup winner that their current team wants to cut from the payroll. Why bail another team out? Just use the expansion draft situation to their advantage and a pretty good #2 can be found and maybe a future #1 as well if Lehner doesn't get a long term deal

 

[The Duck Knight]

The post is still up.

No way you keep him disgruntled with the coach who feels he's forced on him. It would only be kicking the can down the road a season maybe not that much.

Vegas can retain 50% if need be, it's better than a buyout and keeping an aging, unhappy goalie with a coach who he doesn't get along with. There would be some takers.

The post still being up doesn't mean much to me. Logically it doesn't make any sense that Fleury had anything to do with it to begin with. If he is THAT upset what's stopping him from just up and leaving the bubble a la Rask? Given the fact that the Knights spoke with him and they don't deem it an issue I'd say it's just Allen Walsh acting unproffesional, as he's been known to do in the past.

I think keeping Lehner is absolutely the preferred option, but I think the only way to facilitate that, without weakening the team, will be to move Fleury, which doesn't look like it will be easy to do.

 

[Vegan Knight]

The post still being up doesn't mean much to me. Logically it doesn't make any sense that Fleury had anything to do with it to begin with. If he is THAT upset what's stopping him from just up and leaving the bubble a la Rask? Given the fact that the Knights spoke with him and they don't deem it an issue I'd say it's just Allen Walsh acting unproffesional, as he's been known to do in the past.

I think keeping Lehner is absolutely the preferred option, but I think the only way to facilitate that, without weakening the team, will be to move Fleury, which doesn't look like it will be easy to do.

There's zero chance Fleury didn't know something, in my opinion. Walsh has so many clients and they all keep him despite things like this.

Because they know he will take the hate and bullets for them so fans don't blame them but they absolutely support it.

Fleury gets his situation talked about and doesn't look like the bad guy to all the people who believe he knew nothing. If he wanted the picture down it would be, so he's tacitly endorsing it anyway. Not making the situation better or diffusing it.

They're in a bubble, if he wanted to talk today he could clear it up and have him take it down. Fleury taking his ball and going home damages his ultimate nice guy shtick in a way blaming an agent for this doesn't. Why damage your built rep in the twilight of your career when you can sit on the bench and have your agent make a fuss for you?

 

[Pia8988]

Lehner is the smart choice. MAF has already shown signs of slowing down and isn't getting any younger. Since getting sober and his mental health Lehner has been a top goalie. Still under 30 and Vegas doesn't have an heir in the pipeline.

 

[Vegas07]

Fleury played really well in his last start so it didn’t seem to hurt his performance so far. I think that’s a reason why this situation has gotten worse though (he and his agent must have been upset he didn’t even get a start in game 5 after that).

 

[Vegas07]

Not too excited about Braden Holtby. Why overpay for a guy that has gone downhill in recent years? If he struggled in a contract year then that’s a huge red flag IMO.

 

[Vegas07]

Personally I would have started Fleury in game 5 because he looked good and it gives him a chance to compete for the job which can avoid situations like this.

He is much better rested now and I thought we might see a better version of Fleury because he hasn’t been overworked recently. And I think competition makes players play better.

 

[FedorTyutin]

Not too excited about Braden Holtby. Why overpay for a guy that has gone downhill in recent years? If he struggled in a contract year then that’s a huge red flag IMO.

I'm also uncertain about Holtby's performances. But since Vegas has shown a preference for winning now with established veterans (Pacioretty, Stone, Stastny, Martinez, etc.), I have some feeling they will at least try and make a push. Also, George McPhee was seeing him progress during his last years with Washington, so he might pass on some words to the GM.
+ It seems that the management is able to give good contracts to players without having too much of an impact on the cap. I believe they could handle this well (like making him agree to sign at 7M$ instead of the 10,5M$ he wants. 7M$ still harsh for sure, but could be worse).

 

[CBJ goalie]

Tough call, MAF still seems effective and is a hell of a teammate.

Lehner has been playing well the last couple seasons, on each team he's played.

Holtby, McPhee might have a thing for from their time in Washington....but I have trouble seeing him with VGK since he kinda stole the Cup with that stick save, lok

 

[GKG18]

...or maybe they play the season out and Lehner walks as UFA and Flower gets his spot back. Not great for the ego, but bottom line is, everyone is happy.

 

[herashak]

What was the Walsh tweet? The balloon sword?

 

[Vegas07]

Fleury was asked if he knew his agent was going to put that picture online. Instead of saying no, he says “I love playing” and “we’ve been talking before the playoffs,” “It’s been on Twitter for a long time” and “He is just trying to protect me.”

When they ask him the question again, he looks pissed off and says it’s the same question as before.

That sounds like a yes to me. He was given two chances in a row to say no. It was easy for him to say no. He refused to say no and instead defends his agent and says he loves to play and be in the net.

 

[CupInSIX]

They either retain 2.5m or less, or buy him out (yearly cap hits: 2.58m, 3.08m, 2.08m, 2.08m over 4 years). Or he gets his starting job back somehow.

But under no circumstances should they give up any assets. Stephenson and Holden can be traded if need be. They already have Hague, Coghlan, Elvenes, Dugan (maybe even Krebs?)etc. knocking at the door.

This was bound to happen. You don't 'just' pick up a vezina nominee at the TDL and have him as your backup and let him go sign elsewhere, especially when several teams in your division are looking for a new starter.

Fleury was asked if he knew his agent was going to put that picture online. Instead of saying no, he says “I love playing” and “we’ve been talking before the playoffs,” “It’s been on Twitter for a long time” and “He is just trying to protect me.”

When they ask him the question again, he looks pissed off and says it’s the same question as before.

That sounds like a yes to me. He was given two chances in a row to say no. It was easy for him to say no. He refused to say no and instead defends his agent and says he loves to play and be in the net.

Good thing they're in a bubble and don't have 20 Canucks reporters with microphones in their faces before and after every game.

 

[Boris Zubov]

Hard pass on Holtby. He looked disinterested after the restart & obviously needs a change of scenery, but it won't be in Vegas.

If the Knights are clearing space to take on any salary it will be for Lehner, not Holtby or any other FA goalie. Looking at those buyout numbers for MAF, after this weekend, that really could be a viable option.

 

[Vegan Knight]

They either retain 2.5m or less, or buy him out (yearly cap hits: 2.58m, 3.08m, 2.08m, 2.08m over 4 years). Or he gets his starting job back somehow.

But under no circumstances should they give up any assets. Stephenson and Holden can be traded if need be. They already have Hague, Coghlan, Elvenes, Dugan (maybe even Krebs?)etc. knocking at the door.

This was bound to happen. You don't 'just' pick up a vezina nominee at the TDL and have him as your backup and let him go sign elsewhere, especially when several teams in your division are looking for a new starter.



Good thing they're in a bubble and don't have 20 Canucks reporters with microphones in their faces before and after every game.

I mean, if they were trading Stephenson anyway, just package him with Fleury at up to 40% retained then. 2.8M for two years is better to me than a buyout. Fleury at 4.2M, Stephenson signed around 2.5M for a late pick or prospect should be appealing enough to somebody.

 

[CupInSIX]

I mean, if they were trading Stephenson anyway, just package him with Fleury at up to 40% retained then. 2.8M for two years is better to me than a buyout. Fleury at 4.2M, Stephenson signed around 2.5M for a late pick or prospect should be appealing enough to somebody.

Point being, the 2 year retention needs to be a number they're comfortable with or they might as well just do the buyout. Next season Stastny's big cap hit comes off the books, the cap goes up 1m the following year. Cap should go up in 4 years...maybe.

They shouldn't actively look to move Stephenson, that would be more of a plan b or c, and I doubt he'll make that much anywhere as an RFA with the flat cap.


Another reason to consider the buyout, depending on the date(s) announced, is it could be less messy than playing the waiting game to see which teams are interested in mid-late October. Remember, after the playoffs teams will go right into drafting, signing UFAs & before you know it it's training camp (hopefully).

 

[Vegan Knight]

Point being, the 2 year retention needs to be a number they're comfortable with or they might as well just do the buyout. Next season Stastny's big cap hit comes off the books, the cap goes up 1m the following year. Cap should go up in 4 years...maybe.

They shouldn't actively look to move Stephenson, that would be more of a plan b or c, and I doubt he'll make that much anywhere as an RFA with the flat cap.


Another reason to consider the buyout, depending on the date(s) announced, is it could be less messy than playing the waiting game to see which teams are interested in mid-late October. Remember, after the playoffs teams will go right into drafting, signing UFAs & before you know it it's training camp (hopefully).

I feel the Flames and Leafs would value Fleury at 4.5M even. They wouldn't see it as a cap dump and we should make sure we explore all of those options because four years is a long time for over 2M.

Two years from now is when we would need Glass, Hague, Dugan and whoever else on new contracts.

 

[CupInSIX]

Is Prior still with the Knights btw? They said he was in charge of goalie development after Rosati became the new goalie coach, but he says he's not under contract.

Not sure if it was his decision, but Deboer was the one who announced the goalie coach change in Feb.

 

[Boris Zubov]

Is Prior still with the Knights btw? They said he was in charge of goalie development after Rosati became the new goalie coach, but he says he's not under contract.

Not sure if it was his decision, but Deboer was the one who announced the goalie coach change in Feb.

Prior told the Athletic that he was no longer employed by the Knights. Seemed like it wasn't handled smoothly and there was some animosity.

 

[Silky mitts]

I’d be into Fleury on the Caps at 3.5M but any more than that, better off seeing what flat cap UFA looks like