I don't get the "rejects argument". Vegas got to choose the 9th best player from a lot of teams. The salary cap forced even better players into their hands
The only players of note they received at the time were Neal and Fleury. Most of the players selected were below 10 on teams depth chart or lower.
This was a master class of expansion draft manipulation and dumb decisions by several GMs who didn't realize what they already had.
They got a 2nd round pick to take Fleury and not Murray.
Florida gave them Marsch. to take Smith off their hands.
Minnesota gave them Tuch and Vegas selected Haula so they stayed away from their D.
Columbus gave them a 1st round pick if they took Clarksons contract, and they left Karlsson unprotected.
St Louis protected Reaves so they could trade him to Pittsburgh for a 1st, and thus Perron was left exposed.
Pittsburgh later traded Reaves to Vegas so Vegas could block Winnipeg from trading for Brassard.
They picked Subban off waivers from Boston.
They hired Floridas coaching staff who were let go mid season by an analytics crazed owner looking to become the Oakland A's of MoneyBall fame.
The players have come together out of a terrible tragedy, and Fleury is thus far having a playoffs that will be among the greatest playoff performances of all time. The team got out in front of the speed curve and plays a full court pressure game that is built on speed. They have a no name defence playing within their capabilities. One other thing that cannot be understated and has been mentioned in interviews by McPhee. They have no serious cap disparities to deal with and no egos in that locker room. They have hit lightning in a bottle with how the players have meshed and how Gallant coaches them. McPhee should win GM of All Time and Gallant has performed nothing short of a miracle with how he has brought this team together.
Anyone saying they were gifted a team denies McPhee and Gallant the credit they deserve for the jobs they have done, and is talking out of their ass out of pure jealousy.
I would have rather seen Winnipeg win the Cup but now I want to see Vegas win and some bookies who sold 500-1 odds tickets take a bath.