VGK winning their franchises first ever playoff series before CBJ and WPG/ATL?

[AcerComputer]

If any existing franchise wanted to construct a roster like what the Knights did, there is no-one stopping them. All other 30 teams have assets way greater than the group of scrubs the Knights ended up acquiring.

Assuming there was no expansion last summer, even the Sabres could have got that exact roster with ease. Minor trades, waiver wire pickups, swap Eichel, Ristolainen etc for a few assets to trade for the "bigger" pieces like MAF and Neal (who in truth weren't that hard to get). No problem. You'd get a bunch of first round picks as sweeteners too, I'm sure. You'd be in a position BETTER than what the Knights are in today.

It's just that you need vision to able to pull it off. The Knights management had that vision.

oh boy. I don't think BUF would need the exact same roster. But MAF could have been had for nothing, no one wanted him because of his contract, which is why PIT had to give them a 2nd round pick.

 

[Gnova]

Great job Vegas!
Better expansion draft rules, excellent management to draft so well.

I hope that in the future they add only one team at a time so the draft doesn't become so diluted.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Kudos to Vegas. I wish they advance from the next round as well.

 

[SotasicA]

oh boy. I don't think BUF would need the exact same roster. But MAF could have been had for nothing, no one wanted him because of his contract, which is why PIT had to give them a 2nd round pick.

Exactly my point. Which is why all other GMs have no-one but themselves to blame if they can't assemble a team that can beat the Knights. The Sabres, the Senators, the Coyotes etc have no excuse. Look at the Knights. It could have easily been them. Well, not easily, but with no magic tricks or anything. Just regular wheeling and dealing, and identifying talent.

 

[haveandare]

No one saw this coming, people act like Gary forced everyone to give up franchise players.

Give credit where it is due, they saw things in players other GM's were willing to part with in favour of what ultimately proved (this year) to be lesser players.

Did Gary threaten Florida and say "You have to make a brain dead trade with Vegas"? Not that I am aware of.

Did he tell Pittsburgh they had to have 2 good goalies and the 2nd best one should have a no trade clause?

Their pro scouts were brilliant. Even after the draft most of us thought they were garbage on paper. Then we said oh they will come down to Earth eventually.

Give credit where it's due, GMGM was brilliant and lucky.

This exactly.

This is the answer to pretty much every thread about how it’s so upsetting that Vegas is good.

They weren’t handed all that much. More than past expansion teams yes, but they’ve been a ton more than the sum of their parts all year. Nobody was saying they were gifted a powerhouse on the day of the expansion draft or even opening day.

 

[haveandare]

I'll be honest.

I had Vegas finishing last this year.

But then they started really hot. It's ok beginner's luck, they were going to crash down to earth and still finish last, I was certain.

Then December/January they're #1. It's ok. They won't finish last anymore, but they'll definitely crash back down to earth and miss playoffs.

Then February/March. Ok. They'll make playoffs. But they'll lose out divisional title. SJ/Anaheim or someone will top them.

Then playoffs start. Ok. Great run. Best season from a new franchise ever, maybe all sports combined. BUT - they're out in round 1. In fact I predicted LA would sweep.

I don't know if Vegas should be pissed at me for not believing in me or thanking me for my anti-jinx lol.

This is pretty incredible. Can't believe they just swept LA.

I thought the same thing.

I still can’t really say that I get it or that I expect it to continue next year but I obviously have no idea what this group is capable of for whatever reason. It’s pretty nuts.

 

[TheOtherOne]

It seems like there's pretty good consensus that A: their roster was mediocre on paper at season start and B: they're overachieving because of Ba: visionary chemistry and Bb: something to prove syndrome.

Based on that I'd say the expansion draft rules were perfect. This is the best case scenario.

 

[Yackiberg8]

Woah, hold on there, you're making it sound like the Jets fault that they inherited a pile of **** from Atlanta.

The best prospect they got from Atlanta was Postma, who never made the NHL full time (I think he's a #8 D somewhere). That cupboard was bare. The roster also sucked. Most of the guys on the 2011 roster aren't in the league anymore (Wellwood, Antropov, Burmistrov, Miettinen... I don't even know how many others).

Atlanta is part of the Jets history so the story of no series wins in 18 seasons is legitimate.

Byfgluien, Wheeler, Enstrom and a good chunk of your trade chips.

It's the same team that has evolved into what the Jets are now.

 

[GeeoffBrown]

Quite a few players in the final year of their contract. Will probably be a very different squad next year. Magic may only last a season

 

[Pilky01]

I will never not be salty as f*** about this. Its utter horseshit.

I will enjoy watching Vegas fall apart in years to come as they crumble under the weight of having to actually pay players.

The salary cap has created such a f***ed up and pointless league where organizational development is a net negative.

 

[haveandare]

I will never not be salty as **** about this. Its utter horse****.

I will enjoy watching Vegas fall apart in years to come as they crumble under the weight of having to actually pay players.

The salary cap has created such a ****ed up and pointless league where organizational development is a net negative.

PIT, BOS, LA and CHI have won most of the cups over the last decade and they drafted and developed most of the key players that made it happen.

 

[Summer Rose]

I'm not sure if I actually posted anything about it, but I ridiculed McPhee's expansion draft selections and expected them to be 8th in the Pacific.

Boy, was I wrong.

 

[COHawk]

I have Vegas going to the WCF in my bracket, but losing to Nashville. They may be going to the SCF, oh boy this could get crazy!

Me too. I was one of the 99% of people who doubted them before the season started. But now that they've made it this far, I think they are the real deal, and I treated them that way in my bracket.

 

[brock0791]

Can we stop with the narrative that Vegas were given an elite roster and focus on all the strides their players took? Also in a hard cap league it's hard to have much more than a 25% separation from top to bottom of talent on paper the rest is up to performance

 

[TheTotalPackage]

I'm certainly not a fan of the success Vegas is enjoying so early on in their franchise history. I'm one of those who thinks teams should take their lumps before enjoying success (I don't care how much the owner paid).

But, the silver lining of this is seeing how well Fleury is doing and how he is helping carry the team. He seemed to get criticized more than he should have at times in Pittsburgh, and he's just one of those likeable guys/characters that you can't root against.

 

[Sky04]

I will never not be salty as **** about this. Its utter horse****.

I will enjoy watching Vegas fall apart in years to come as they crumble under the weight of having to actually pay players.

The salary cap has created such a ****ed up and pointless league where organizational development is a net negative.

Because your team sucks at managing and developing, clearly.

 

[Sky04]

I'm certainly not a fan of the success Vegas is enjoying so early on in their franchise history. I'm one of those who thinks teams should take their lumps before enjoying success (I don't care how much the owner paid).

But, the silver lining of this is seeing how well Fleury is doing and how he is helping carry the team. He seemed to get criticized more than he should have at times in Pittsburgh, and he's just one of those likeable guys/characters that you can't root against.

This isn't a bunch of rookies getting lucky their first year or a bunch of newcomers into the league, these are recycled players and vets who've been through the vines - They have a good mix of experience and youth, just like any other team.

 

[COHawk]

I'm certainly not a fan of the success Vegas is enjoying so early on in their franchise history. I'm one of those who thinks teams should take their lumps before enjoying success (I don't care how much the owner paid).

But, the silver lining of this is seeing how well Fleury is doing and how he is helping carry the team. He seemed to get criticized more than he should have at times in Pittsburgh, and he's just one of those likeable guys/characters that you can't root against.

You've gotta feel happy for all of the guys. Most of them are either players who simply were not seen as valuable enough to protect, or they were unproven young guys who may not have gotten a proper shot to prove themselves with their previous teams. Chip on their shoulders or not, love seeing the success and career years for guys like Karlsson, Smith, March, etc.

 

[IceNeophyte]

Vegas is much better then I have given them credit for all year.

That said we will see how they do against a very good Sharks team.

Expected LA to be better but they just can't score.

The only thing we have to go on is VGK winning 3 of 4 vs SJS in regular season. Should be a pretty even matchup.

 

[Ryuji Yamazaki]

Thank Dale Tallon for that.

It'll be nice to see them lose though, yeah I'm that guy.

 

[SotasicA]

It seems like there's pretty good consensus that A: their roster was mediocre on paper at season start and B: they're overachieving because of Ba: visionary chemistry and Bb: something to prove syndrome.

Based on that I'd say the expansion draft rules were perfect. This is the best case scenario.

"Mediocre" is being nice. I think some were expecting historical record-breaking loss numbers. Anyway by far the worst roster in the league, with possibly Shipachyov being the lone bright spot.

 

[5minutemajor]

The thing is, Vegas could pretty much do this all over again.

Look at their roster. Now look at your plaoyff-bound team's roster. How many of the Vegas guys would fit in your team? About 1-3 might be right. And they do have very good players.

It is not the elements. It is the sum.

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

I will never not be salty as **** about this. Its utter horse****.

I will enjoy watching Vegas fall apart in years to come as they crumble under the weight of having to actually pay players.

The salary cap has created such a ****ed up and pointless league where organizational development is a net negative.

Ah yes it was LV's fault that your GM couldn't assemble a worthwhile team?

 

[pbgoalie]

So Vegas built a team with
1) guys teams didn't want
Or
2) borderline guys you couldn't protect, in part do to ntc or nmc
Or
3) trades

How unfair

Funny how ridiculed hey were at the expansion draft,
Dismissed when they started well,
And pompously dismissed as playoffs began due to lack of experience

Vegas did better than I expected by miles, but when I saw them play the Ducks the first time, I was amazed at the effort, speed and ability to stick with their game

I was surprised after that

 

[Jovavic]

The Jackets and Wild expansion fee was 80 million, in an era with no cap and some pretty crummy expansion draft rules. Vegas paid 500 million for their fee, they had a cap floor to get to and better draft rules.