LV Review-Journal: A plethora of Vegas UFAs next summer! (incl. 5 dmen)

[VanIslander]

Ten (10) after the first season is pretty disconcerting, especially for the blueline. What do you think?

Neal, James M-NTC LW, RW NHL 29 $5,000,000
UFA

Marchessault, Jonathan C NHL 26 $750,000
UFA

Perron, David M-NTC LW, RW NHL 29 $3,750,000
UFA

Grabovski, Mikhail C, RW IR 33 $5,000,000
UFA

Garrison, Jason NTC D NHL 32 $4,600,000
UFA

Emelin, Alexei M-NTC D NHL 31 $4,100,000
UFA

Sbisa, Luca D NHL 27 $3,600,000
UFA

Stoner, Clayton D NHL 32 $3,250,000
UFA

McNabb, Brayden D NHL 26 $1,700,000
UFA

Berube, Jean-Francois G NHL 25
UFA

Click to read more...

 

[VanIslander]

Take a gander: https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/goldenknights

The contracted core seems to be Reilly Smith, Cody Eakin, Erik Haula, and RFAs (William Karlsson, Jon Merril, Colin Miller, Calvin Pickard).

Just three NHL forwards and some RFAs? Yikes.

The 'tweeners are 2 years of Fleury, Methot and Shipachyov.

The team obviously has to make UFA signings, trades and wise draft picks to not have Year 3 be a step backward (heck, how will that blueline be in Year 2???? ). It's not like the team is far below the salary cap!

 

[SettlementRichie10]

I don't think we have a single "core" player yet sans maybe Fleury and Marchessault.

I think GMGM's core will materialize over the next 2-3 drafts. Guys like Neal and Grabovski will almost certainly be traded at the deadline to continue stockpiling picks and prospects.

 

[VanIslander]

I don't think we have a single "core" player yet sans maybe Fleury and Marchessault.

A 33-year-old goalie on a 2-year contract and a UFA next summer?

If by core you mean decomposing apple core, then yeah. Otherwise, you're saying the team hasn't got a core (other than picks).

I do think the two STARS (based on past play) going into the first season are obviously the Stanley Cup veteran goalie and the 30-goal scoring NHL forward. They should help in the first season.

 

[Soundgarden]

Still quite early, I'd be happy re-signing Marchessault and Mcnabb, if we can re-sign Perron, Emelin and/or Garrison that'd be pretty peachy too. There's a long time to go before opening day, let alone next off-season.

Berube will probably be an AHL starter at best and can easily be replaced, and Neal should bring in a 1st or 1st + at the deadline if he's not going to re-sign.

 

[HanSolo]

Grabovski and Stoner are pure cap dumps imo. Sbisa sucks unless he proves otherwise.

I don't really see the alarming problem. We drafted players exposed by the rest of the league...you don't think impending UFA contracts is part of the reason why they were exposed in the first place? It's the nature of the game.

 

[Vegas Mac]

Take a gander: https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/goldenknights

The contracted core seems to be Reilly Smith, Cody Eakin, Erik Haula, and RFAs (William Karlsson, Jon Merril, Colin Miller, Calvin Pickard).

Just three NHL forwards and some RFAs? Yikes.

The 'tweeners are 2 years of Fleury, Methot and Shipachyov.

The team obviously has to make UFA signings, trades and wise draft picks to not have Year 3 be a step backward (heck, how will that blueline be in Year 2???? ). It's not like the team is far below the salary cap!

Yeah that's a great site.

Clearly the plan is that this will be a young team. The older roster-fill types are going to come and go and cover a percentage of the roster, and there will be a few key vets in the core.

This is why those trades for guys like Theo and Tuch were so important. And also when it comes to the draft, don't be surprised if they're ensuring at least one or two of the first rounders they take is projected to be a quick study in the minors. That will mean they avoid guys like, say, Makar, who is going to need a few years before he's ready.

We're not going to be a great team in year one, basically. Not a news flash, but if they draft well and flip players for prospects at the trade deadline we should have a chance to see this thing start coming together in year 3. Which is what the owner mentioned I believe, way back when, in discussing his expectations.

 

[yukoner88]

I hope they hang on to Neal going into the season. If he's on par for another 25-30 goal season he'd fetch more as deadline trade bait in February. Same with David Perron. They could end up getting 1 more 1st rounder and a couple more 2nd rounders between the 2.

 

[Matias Maccete]

I hope they hang on to Neal going into the season. If he's on par for another 25-30 goal season he'd fetch more as deadline trade bait in February. Same with David Perron. They could end up getting 1 more 1st rounder and a couple more 2nd rounders between the 2.

True, Vegas could be some solid value for some of the pending UFAs. I'd be a little hesitant to trade away everyone good though. It's kind of a tough call, if you can get a top prospect or a 1st + it's hard to turn down, but the team does need some good players so they're not completely awful. Maybe keep one of Perron, Marchessault, or Neal?

I guess it would also depend on how open they'd be to resigning in the summer after the season, and how strong the UFA crop is overall. If you're confident you can lure them back or replace them with another UFA you've got to pull the trigger.

 

[yukoner88]

True, Vegas could be some solid value for some of the pending UFAs. I'd be a little hesitant to trade away everyone good though. It's kind of a tough call, if you can get a top prospect or a 1st + it's hard to turn down, but the team does need some good players so they're not completely awful. Maybe keep one of Perron, Marchessault, or Neal?

I guess it would also depend on how open they'd be to resigning in the summer after the season, and how strong the UFA crop is overall. If you're confident you can lure them back or replace them with another UFA you've got to pull the trigger.

If he has a repeat of last season I'd keep Marchessault and look to extend him long term. I agree with the need of some vets to help shelter the younger players so they aren't exposed and development slown down from playing too high in the line up.

Hopefully GMGM can snag some quality vets on July 1st.

 

[Gerin]

Most those UFA's will be traded, majority of the team will look different in a couple of years.

Hoping they sign more tradeable upcoming UFAs like Versteeg and PA Parenteau for cheap tradedeadline moves for picks/prospects.

 

[FiveHoled]

Most those UFA's will be traded, majority of the team will look different in a couple of years.

Hoping they sign more tradeable upcoming UFAs like Versteeg and PA Parenteau for cheap tradedeadline moves for picks/prospects.

Agree. The core of this team starts with Glass and Suzuki, Brannstrom. Build as much as you can around them. Mostly everything else is just futures.

 

[yukoner88]

I think McNabb should be extented for a few years. He's a beast that will force everyone coming into the Vegas zone to keep their head up.

 

[CupInSIX]

If McPhee can assemble the team Russia line I'd consider Ship and Dadonov to be part of the current core. Although when I look at Karlsson, Haula, Eakin, Lindberg it's easy to see the team identity might lie in team defense, penalty killing, grinding the opposition down and shutting down other teams stars.

Schmidt, Theo, Miller seem to be the only locks on the defense core 2 years from now.

 

[Mike Jones]

Vegas could be some solid value for some of the pending UFAs. I'd be a little hesitant to trade away everyone good though. It's kind of a tough call, if you can get a top prospect or a 1st + it's hard to turn down, but the team does need some good players so they're not completely awful.

Expansion draft players aren't really expected to stick around so if the Knights are going to miss the 2018 playoffs and McPhee has a chance to unload a bunch of pending UFA's at the 2018 trade deadline then he really doesn't have much of a choice. He has to trade whoever he can for whatever he can. While fans may not want to see their favorite players go out the door it's part of the reality of building an expansion team past the beach head phase. Free agents and waiver claims can fill in whatever blanks McPhee creates while moving players down the road.

 

[Matias Maccete]

Expansion draft players aren't really expected to stick around so if the Knights are going to miss the 2018 playoffs and McPhee has a chance to unload a bunch of pending UFA's at the 2018 trade deadline then he really doesn't have much of a choice. He has to trade whoever he can for whatever he can. While fans may not want to see their favorite players go out the door it's part of the reality of building an expansion team past the beach head phase. Free agents and waiver claims can fill in whatever blanks McPhee creates while moving players down the road.

Agreed, but I think McPhee still has to make sure they have some talent. You don't want to bring youth up into a barren wasteland of a roster. Of course he could just get some UFAs to fill the gaps as you said.

 

[Mike Jones]

Agreed, but I think McPhee still has to make sure they have some talent. You don't want to bring youth up into a barren wasteland of a roster. Of course he could just get some UFAs to fill the gaps as you said.

Waiver claims are good too. Every year teams waive guys who could really help a team needing some decent people in the room. This past season guys like Nashville's Austin Watson found their way on waivers and would have made pretty good rosta-filla for a short handed team.

I don't think McPhee will have too much of a problem finding people to help the young guys along. If push comes to shove they can always call Ken Quinney (Las Vegas Thunder alum) up from the Vegas fire department and have him show the kids around.

 

[Matias Maccete]

Waiver claims are good too. Every year teams waive guys who could really help a team needing some decent people in the room. This past season guys like Nashville's Austin Watson found their way on waivers and would have made pretty good rosta-filla for a short handed team.

I don't think McPhee will have too much of a problem finding people to help the young guys along. If push comes to shove they can always call Ken Quinney (Las Vegas Thunder alum) up from the Vegas fire department and have him show the kids around.

Yeah it shouldn't be too hard I suppose. I would still consider keeping Marchessault at least though, he's only 26 and could fit in long term.

 

[Mike Jones]

I would still consider keeping Marchessault at least though, he's only 26 and could fit in long term.

Half decent cap hit too.

The Knights could always trade him out as a rental and then re-sign him when free agency comes around a few months later. Again, assuming Vegas isn't in the playoff hunt by the time the trade deadline rolls around.

 

[Matias Maccete]

Half decent cap hit too.

The Knights could always trade him out as a rental and then re-sign him when free agency comes around a few months later. Again, assuming Vegas isn't in the playoff hunt by the time the trade deadline rolls around.

That would be ideal if you can talk him into returning. Hell do it for Neal too.

Unless McPhee makes some big moves I have a very hard time believing Vegas will be anywhere near the playoffs, but I can see some scenarios where it happens. Ship would have to come in and be a legit #1C, Fleury would have to be great, Methot would probably have to stay. Theodore and Tuch making the team and have big years would help too. Not impossible but I don't think it's very likely.

 

[Mike Jones]

Unless McPhee makes some big moves I have a very hard time believing Vegas will be anywhere near the playoffs, but I can see some scenarios where it happens.

I think that Vegas making the playoffs would be a first for NHL expansion teams (I could be wrong) but like you've just said, if everything falls into place it's possible with this bunch.

A lot depends on the free agents McPhee signs later this week. If he could grab 2-3 more experienced Russians from the K ...

 

[derriko]

Only two I will be upset if we trade at the deadline or even before that are March and McNabb.

Assuming March even has a season close to as effective as lasts, I want him back on a multi-year.

Off the top of my head I don't know McNabb's handedness, but he would be a perfect partner for Theodore and / or Brannstrom due to his age and play style.

All the rest can be moved for futures, but if the team does better than expected, keeping Neal and making him a core player would be a super cool scenario as well.