MAF Waived NMC in February only to move to Vegas

[ShatteredGlass]

Would be great for me, personally, to see him go from backstopping my life-long favorite team to backstopping my newly acquired team.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Vegas should have a quality defense (so many good ones available in the ED) and having Fleury in net will make this team competitive from the start.

 

[Michel Dion]

Probably 2nd after Vanbiesbrouck, but still for a team just starting out building from the net out is probably the best option and getting an experienced vet who can still be a starter like Fleury is a great get.

Vanbiesbrook was a good one, but MAF has a stronger resume across the board. If you're a Vegas fan, having a possible HOF goalie from a top organization is huge. Just off the top of my head, the only goalies for a new franchise ahead of Fleury would be Glenn Hall of the Blues, and Terry Sawchuk of the Kings. Hall would continue to excel late in his career with St. Louis, while Sawchuk struggled in LA.

 

[Boris Zubov]

Vanbiesbrook was a good one, but MAF has a stronger resume across the board. If you're a Vegas fan, having a possible HOF goalie from a top organization is huge. Just off the top of my head, the only goalies for a new franchise ahead of Fleury would be Glenn Hall of the Blues, and Terry Sawchuk of the Kings. Hall would continue to excel late in his career with St. Louis, while Sawchuk struggled in LA.

He only has a stronger resume because he played on much better teams than Beezer ever did. Beezer won a Vezina on a horrible Rangers team in '86. A team that had no business going to the Conference Finals, but were carried there by their goalie.

Then he took a 3rd year expansion team, another team that seriously overachieved, to the Cup Finals. If you watched that Florida/Pitt series in '96, the Pens dominated. Beezer was my Conn Smythe winner simply based on what he did in that series.

 

[Peat]

Fleury's dip in save percentage during this season does concern me a bit, given his age, but he did raise the bar in the playoffs. So I'm good with them bringing him in. He will bring some calm leadership on the back end, which should mesh well with the quality of blueline options that look to be available in the expac draft.

Nothing's really changed though. Vegas was always going to be very solid in goal, and their backup should be excellent as well, given how this thing is set up.

He had a horrible start to the season but finished it strongly - 9.21 from February on. I don't think age has diminished him, just took him time to get used to the situation. Hopefully a starter's berth restores him and he keeps on rolling like that.

 

[Vegas Mac]

Here's some Sinbin on the MAF news:

http://sinbin.vegas/lets-talk-maf-baby/

It's hard to say what's really going on there, yeah.

Could be that the Pens know McPhee is hot for Grubauer and therefore exposing Fleury allows them to protect another player. Games within games with some of these teams I am sure.

If it's a flip him type deal then the basics are probably somewhat agreed to.

What gives me pause is the story of him and his wife visiting the area, could have sworn I had read that. But I am sure wrt Fleury there's not going to be a surprise deal; whatever's going on he undoubtedly knows what's coming, even if it's a destination that is still in talks.

 

[airbus220]

He had a horrible start to the season but finished it strongly - 9.21 from February on.

In the regular season he played 11 games Febuary till April, not a single consecutive game. That's a backup workload and he did that not very good with .919 EVsave% in those 11 games. Only strong was the money he made. There were many goalies with better stats who made peanuts.

 

[Blue Goose]

It's hard to say what's really going on there, yeah.

Could be that the Pens know McPhee is hot for Grubauer and therefore exposing Fleury allows them to protect another player. Games within games with some of these teams I am sure.

If it's a flip him type deal then the basics are probably somewhat agreed to.

What gives me pause is the story of him and his wife visiting the area, could have sworn I had read that. But I am sure wrt Fleury there's not going to be a surprise deal; whatever's going on he undoubtedly knows what's coming, even if it's a destination that is still in talks.

And that story came from one French-language website in Quebec, and hasn't really gained any traction from anyone else in the media - so take it for what's it worth.

Maybe Fleury has agreed to go to Calgary, but the Pens need a goalie to expose in the expansion draft and McPhee wants the picks/prospects that the Flames are offering up for MAF? I'd be down with that.

 

[patricafdw]

Noone mentioned the possibility that Penguins make a deal with Knights to keep their hands off Fleury in return for prospects/picks. That should be a valid consideration in practically all cases and all teams.

 

[Sideline]

[Tweet]875071437022699520[/MEDIA]

This seems to imply MAF to the Knights is a done deal.

 

[Ginormousthumbs]

G-damnit. Looks like I'm going to have to care.

 

[Puckrobber]

[Tweet]875071437022699520[/MEDIA]

This seems to imply MAF to the Knights is a done deal.

I was just going to post this. I was listening to TSN 1040, and heard Ferraro say that his sources told him that MAF wants to be in Vegas. If so, I'm happy for Flower.

 

[Jonas1235]

Fleury, Raanta, Ullmark

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Noone mentioned the possibility that Penguins make a deal with Knights to keep their hands off Fleury in return for prospects/picks. That should be a valid consideration in practically all cases and all teams.

Not sure why the Pens would do this. Murray is their guy, so that would mean them wanting Vegas to not take him sees him returning as the backup. Two issues there. One, Fleury wants to start. And two, Fleury makes over $5 million per year; not exactly the kind of money a team would want allocated to a backup.

 

[paracord]

Well, great outcome for the Pens if this is the only player they lose to Vegas.

Fleury is an outstanding team guy that will make the insane acrobatic save....only problem is that he will also give up some head scratchers and he lost his job in 3 out of the past 5 playoff runs the Pens had....(Vokoun, Murray, Murray).

I hope he works out for you.

 

[Nordiques1979]

Quality goaltender, great team guy and leadership, great role model for young guys.

 

[Hoodaha]

Well, great outcome for the Pens if this is the only player they lose to Vegas.

Fleury is an outstanding team guy that will make the insane acrobatic save....only problem is that he will also give up some head scratchers and he lost his job in 3 out of the past 5 playoff runs the Pens had....(Vokoun, Murray, Murray).

I hope he works out for you.

If it were me, I'd pass on Fleury.

 

[airbus220]

If it were me, I'd pass on Fleury.

How we can have a deal in place for the expansion draft for a goalie with a high cap hit whom we likely can't trade easily and have to keep is beyond me when we didn't talk with all the other UFA yet.

There are chances to get young goalies who normally wouldn't be available because other teams would keep them and we draft an old Fleury who was #59 in EVsave%. Stupid

 

[Boris Zubov]

How we can have a deal in place for the expansion draft for a goalie with a high cap hit whom we likely can't trade easily and have to keep is beyond me when we didn't talk with all the other UFA yet.

There are chances to get young goalies who normally wouldn't be available because other teams would keep them and we draft an old Fleury who was #59 in EVsave%. Stupid

I agree, there are younger, cheaper options who are just as good, if not better that MAF. Raanta's cap hit is $1M & he's a lot younger. He was a stud this year. Seems like a no brainer.

 

[Boris Zubov]

Noone mentioned the possibility that Penguins make a deal with Knights to keep their hands off Fleury in return for prospects/picks. That should be a valid consideration in practically all cases and all teams.

I think you have it backwards. The Pens are probably throwing in a draft pick to get Fleury off their books & hold on to someone they can't protect.

 

[HanSolo]

Smith to Calgary adds security to what was an already sure thing.

I think if Fleury can play real lights out, this team can manage to be decently competitive.

 

[Boris Zubov]

Smith to Calgary adds security to what was an already sure thing.

I think if Fleury can play real lights out, this team can manage to be decently competitive.

Not sure what one has to do with the other.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I agree, there are younger, cheaper options who are just as good, if not better that MAF. Raanta's cap hit is $1M & he's a lot younger. He was a stud this year. Seems like a no brainer.

Why doesn't Vegas take Fleury and Grubauer? Fleury keeps them semi-competitive for the next 2 years (at least), and if rubauer take the next step and become a starting goalies the reins can he handed over to him in 2 years. I don't see why they'd take Raanta unless they were going to trade him immediately, which is definitely possible.

I think you have it backwards. The Pens are probably throwing in a draft pick to get Fleury off their books & hold on to someone they can't protect.

No they won't. If the rumors are to be believed, it sounds like McPhee really wants Fleury. I saw someone say that he's been telling teams that Fleury is unavailable for a trade and he's staying in Vegas.

 

[Blue Goose]

Why doesn't Vegas take Fleury and Grubauer? Fleury keeps them semi-competitive for the next 2 years (at least), and if rubauer take the next step and become a starting goalies the reins can he handed over to him in 2 years. I don't see why they'd take Raanta unless they were going to trade him immediately, which is definitely possible.

That's my hope - let Fleury mentor Grubauer for the next year and a half, and then trade MAF to a contender at the 2019 trade deadline.