SinBin: Projecting the 23 Man Roster

[KenSinBin]

I decided today was the day to put my neck on the chopping block and take a shot at picking the roster for opening night.

Here's what I went with. You can click the link to read why...

Forwards (13)
Vadim Shipachyov, Jonathan Marchessault, Reilly Smith, David Perron, Cody Eakin, Erik Haula, Oscar Lindberg, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, William Karlsson, Teemu Pulkkinen, Alex Tuch, William Carrier, Tomas Hyka

Defenseman (8)
Jason Garrison, Colin Miller, Nate Schmidt, Deryk Engelland, Brayden McNabb, Jon Merrill, Clayton Stoner, Luca Sbisa

Goalies (2)
Marc-Andre Fleury, Calvin Pickard


http://sinbin.vegas/projecting-opening-day-23-man-golden-knights-roster/

Click to read more...

 

[BattleBorn]

You're on the same page as me with Reinhart, which means everything else has got to be correct.

I'll read the rest later, but the roster you've got looks solid. I'll have to check out what you said about Hyka since I know you're the founder of the Hyka fan club.

 

[CupInSIX]

I agree 100% that's where the roster is trending. For now...

 

[KnishOfTheCrease]

Looks good to me.

 

[HanSolo]

Seems correct to me. You even personally appealed to my history as also a Ducks fan by applying just how fringe Stoner and Sbisa are.

 

[BattleBorn]

Okay, I read it all.

I've got to say that I defer to you on most everything since the only times I've seen these guys play have been on a phone or a crap stream from rookie games in LA. Most of the info I get is from the SinBin and listening to Blessing when I can, so I'm not super knowledgeable. Hell, I'm not great picking guys out of the lineup even when I know who's playing and I'm watching on a big screen.

I really like Tuch so far. The fact that they gave something to get him helps, but he just seems like a solid guy on the ice and seems like he has a good air about him whenever I've seen him. I really hope he makes it.

I haven't seen much of Pulkkinen in the past few years, since I guess he's been down baking most of the time. The people that seem to know what they're talking about seem to like him, though. If we can get him on the ice, I'm excited to see what he can do.

I'd like to see more of Wong. From what little I've seen, he looks good. However, one of the times I've seen him he got a hat trick, so that's enough to get me excited enough to want to see more.

Reinhart is whatever. I don't know if it's because I'm on this message board and I've been reading about him for a while, but I'm just not excited. I hope he does well in Chicago.

Theodore is Theodore. Hopefully we see a lot of him soon and hopefully he rounds out him game.

 

[airbus220]

Tuch is waiver exempt. Need to keep Reinhart over Tuch for now, till we trade few guys.
This is just asset management, can't lose Reinhart for nothing.

 

[VanIslander]

I really like Tuch so far. The fact that they gave something to get him helps, but he just seems like a solid guy on the ice and seems like he has a good air about him whenever I've seen him. I really hope he makes it.

As I've said before, I'm higher on Hyka than I am on Tuch. Vegas targeted the Czech early this year and he has developed nicely, looking as impressive away from the puck as he was expected to with it. I hope both make it but I suspect Tuch wil be sent down (since he doesn't need to clear waivers).

Carrier is nothing more than a 4th line banging winger. I hope he doesn't make the team. But I guess there's always a need for one or two of those in a Bottom-6 role. But I haven't seen the upside to him, and on a team that is developing, the 22-year-old left winger on the last year of his first contract had better be a top-quality checker this season like Tom Wilson in Washington, or else clear way for guys with more upside.

The dmen are no surprise. With five UFAs after this season (Jason Garrison, Clayton Stoner, Luca Sbisa, Brayden McNabb, Deryk Engelland), you KNOW the blueline will be playing their hearts out! It's good for them and it's good for the franchise (to decide whom to re-sign, whom to waive and whom to trade at the deadline). Plus both Merrill and Miller are in the last year of their contracts and are RFAs, wanting to sign a sweet longterm deal or a bridge contract.

 

[Ginormousthumbs]

Does Fleury get traded at the deadline this season or next?

 

[VanIslander]

Does Fleury get traded at the deadline this season or next?

Next, or never. Or,... McPhee gets an offer he can't refuse. The only other scenario I can think of: Pickard rocks and gets the majority of starts and the team has another depth goalie ready to make the jump to the NHL (no one in the organization now fits the bill) and so moves Fleury.

 

[willy702]

Next, or never. Or,... McPhee gets an offer he can't refuse. The only other scenario I can think of: Pickard rocks and gets the majority of starts and the team has another depth goalie ready to make the jump to the NHL (no one in the organization now fits the bill) and so moves Fleury.

Depends on the offers but I think he has to be open to trading them both. Be ready once a team loses a starter like the Kings did last year and had to rely on the ultimate of retreads in Peter Budaj. Pickard will seem better than Fleury because few teams cant pay top dollar for what will be a backup eventually unless they get lucky and have a rookie perform like Murray has for the Pens.

 

[Ginormousthumbs]

Fleury was willing to waive his NTC for Calgary but I believe a deal with the Knights was already in place.
I wouldn't be surprised that if the right offer came along, he'd be moved.

 

[Maurice of Orange]

Im gonna try to put together a Vegas lineup for opening night

My Vegas Golden Knights 2017-18 Line-Up

Line 1 LW Perron C Shipachyov RW Neal
Line 2 LW Marchessault C Eakin RW Smith
Line 3 LW Haula C Lindberg RW Pulkkinen
Line 4 LW Bellemare C Karlsson RW Carrier

1st D-Pair LD Schmidt RD Garrison
2nd D-Pair LD Theodore RD Miller
3rd D-Pair LD McNabb RD Engelland

Goalie's:
Starter: Fleury
Backup: Pickard

Scratched List
LD Sbisa
LD Merrill
LD Reinhart
C Grabovski + Post Concussion Syndrome LTIR
RW Clarkson + Back (Career Ending) LTIR
------------------------------------------------------
LD Stoner < place on waivers, if he clears then assign to Chicago AHL

Vegas may have to carry 3 extra defensemen until they can find a deal to trade for a forward.

 

[Wood Stick]

Nosek?

 

[derriko]

With how Hyka has played, I see him making the team over Pulkinnen, and then Pulk is just waived and his N/A career is over.

I also don't see Carrier making the team over Tuch. Tuch has played very well from what I have seen, and has been producing as well. There's a spot open at the 3RW spot, and I would be absolutely amazed if it wasn't Tuch's.

Nosek...I just don't see the point of even keeping him in the organization anymore. The worst pick in the draft imo. I would have had Mrazek over Pickard any day. Mrazek is the same age as Nosek, and would've been the starter in the next year or two when Fluery regresses / retires. Or if he played well in the backup slot this year you could've came out with a pick or prospect 100x more valuable than Nosek.

 

[airbus220]

With how Hyka has played, I see him making the team over Pulkinnen, and then Pulk is just waived and his N/A career is over.

I also don't see Carrier making the team over Tuch. Tuch has played very well from what I have seen, and has been producing as well. There's a spot open at the 3RW spot, and I would be absolutely amazed if it wasn't Tuch's.

Nosek...I just don't see the point of even keeping him in the organization anymore. The worst pick in the draft imo. I would have had Mrazek over Pickard any day. Mrazek is the same age as Nosek, and would've been the starter in the next year or two when Fluery regresses / retires. Or if he played well in the backup slot this year you could've came out with a pick or prospect 100x more valuable than Nosek.

The easiest would have been to draft Domingue instead of Pulkkinen but to do that they should have traded Fleury and it seems they didn't want that. CGY could have had Fleury for free just to get rid of him and have another option with future.

 

[CupInSIX]

I'm eating my words after the expansion draft but Pulkkinen is a decent choice IMO. These zero risk, decent rewards players are what McPhee should be taking a chance on, especially with the way the NHL is trying to open up the game and give more Power Plays plus with the usage of 7 forwards as PP regulars he may find his niche as a specialist.
Depending on what happens with the defense and especially Theodore, there could be a spot for Hyka and Pulkkinen. I agree Hyka is ahead of him though.

 

[Icicle]

Can Buffalo get Carrier back? Thanks in advance

 

[Blue Goose]

With how Hyka has played, I see him making the team over Pulkinnen, and then Pulk is just waived and his N/A career is over.

I also don't see Carrier making the team over Tuch. Tuch has played very well from what I have seen, and has been producing as well. There's a spot open at the 3RW spot, and I would be absolutely amazed if it wasn't Tuch's.

Nosek...I just don't see the point of even keeping him in the organization anymore. The worst pick in the draft imo. I would have had Mrazek over Pickard any day. Mrazek is the same age as Nosek, and would've been the starter in the next year or two when Fluery regresses / retires. Or if he played well in the backup slot this year you could've came out with a pick or prospect 100x more valuable than Nosek.

The issue with Hyka and Tuch is the same as with Theodore - they're all waiver-exempt, and I don't see the logic of sending players like Nosek, Leipsic and Carrier through waivers and risk losing them to allow the younger guys to play in Vegas for a team that's not going anywhere this year. Tuch has played ONE professional season, and Hyka has never played pro in North America. We can question the expansion picks all we want, but I don't see McPhee wanting to lose any of them for nothing.

Can Buffalo get Carrier back? Thanks in advance

See what I mean. Carrier has been excellent in a 4th line role. He's 22 and trending up. Waiving him for a waiver-exempt player like Tuch is bad asset management.

I'm eating my words after the expansion draft but Pulkkinen is a decent choice IMO. These zero risk, decent rewards players are what McPhee should be taking a chance on, especially with the way the NHL is trying to open up the game and give more Power Plays plus with the usage of 7 forwards as PP regulars he may find his niche as a specialist.
Depending on what happens with the defense and especially Theodore, there could be a spot for Hyka and Pulkkinen. I agree Hyka is ahead of him though.

I thought Pulkkinen would be waived, because he's the one that's most likely to clear (since he's already bounced around the league and teams know what they're going to get), but I think the Neal injury has opened up a slot for him. We might as well give him this season to see if he's got anything to offer going forward.

If I had to guess at an opening night lineup, I'd go with:

Marchessault - Shipachyov - Smith
Eakin - Haula - Perron
Nosek - Lindberg - Pulkkinen
Bellemare - Karlsson - Carrier
Leipsic (scratch)

Schmidt - Garrison
McNabb - Miller
Sbisa - Engelland
Merrill, Hunt (scratches)

Fleury
Pickard

The only players needing to pass through waivers would be Stoner and Reinhart (who might be traded before).

 

[CupInSIX]

I didn't know Hyka was waivers exempt. Still, might he go back to Europe if he were assigned to the Wolves?

I'm not too worried about losing Leipsic or Nosek off waivers. Even if Neal and Perron are gone at the deadline that just gives more room for Wong and more ice time for Tuch and guys like Lindberg and Karlsson.

 

[Blue Goose]

I didn't know Hyka was waivers exempt. Still, might he go back to Europe if he were assigned to the Wolves?

I'm not too worried about losing Leipsic or Nosek off waivers. Even if Neal and Perron are gone at the deadline that just gives more room for Wong and more ice time for Tuch and guys like Lindberg and Karlsson.

I don't see why Hyka would go back. He's ready to prove he can play in NA, so what if it takes a few more months before he makes it to the NHL? There's going to be injuries throughout the year, so he'll be the first call-up.

Leipsic is ready to be a full-time NHLer, and I do not want to lose him. Nosek maybe, but not Leipsic. Until Wong actually signs an NHL contract, I'm not going to comment on his future with the team - he'll likely spend the season in Chicago and get his ELC deal next summer.

 

[Savvy]

How has Leipsic looked this camp? He’s not being pencilled into to anyone’s lineup so I assume it wasn’t a real successful camp. I enjoyed watching him play for the Marlies but always assumed he’d struggle to adapt in the nhl based on the style of game he played. You always want to cheer for the feisty little guy.

 

[CupInSIX]

How has Leipsic looked this camp? He’s not being pencilled into to anyone’s lineup so I assume it wasn’t a real successful camp. I enjoyed watching him play for the Marlies but always assumed he’d struggle to adapt in the nhl based on the style of game he played. You always want to cheer for the feisty little guy.

He looked good in the 1st preseason game but other forwards like Wong completely overshadowed him offensively. I can't say I recall him playing much after that one game. Not sure what that's about. Maybe he's been injured but he plays tonight.

I don't see why Hyka would go back. He's ready to prove he can play in NA, so what if it takes a few more months before he makes it to the NHL? There's going to be injuries throughout the year, so he'll be the first call-up.

Leipsic is ready to be a full-time NHLer, and I do not want to lose him. Nosek maybe, but not Leipsic. Until Wong actually signs an NHL contract, I'm not going to comment on his future with the team - he'll likely spend the season in Chicago and get his ELC deal next summer.

Still, there will be room for players of his age and talent, which McPhee will hopefully add at the deadline.

 

[Nalens Oga]

Is it just me or is that a concerningly slow looking defence?

 

[LMFAO]

How is Theodore not on most of your lineups ? isn't he the number one defenseman ?