Confirmed with Link: Gusev traded to Devils for picks 2020 3rd; 2021 2nd

Vegan Knight

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Feb 16, 2018
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At least we won't have the usual suspects coming here just to complain about Gusev playing with Eakin on the 3rd line

It is clear that McPhee didn't value Gusev, not even over Eakin for an extra year. This wasn't the team unable to keep him, it was they didn't think it was worth the bother for them.
 

CupInSIX

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Jul 1, 2012
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I tell ya it's a good thing no other team in the Pacific, outside of Arizona, is doing much to improve their club.

Vegas will whoop some Shark butt, pillar to post, all season - Gusev or not. I hope peg leg pirate's groin is ready. There's only so much gutless flopping Meier can do to draw penalties with Pavelski gone.
 

LadyStanley

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Sep 22, 2004
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I've been pissed all day after I heard this trade. The team clearly doesn't trust Glass to be the 3rd line center and who knows why they value Reaves and Holden so much.

PD - you did see the post above yours? Granger reporting VGK tried to trade Reaves and Holden and couldn't find any takers.

It is clear that McPhee didn't value Gusev, not even over Eakin for an extra year. This wasn't the team unable to keep him, it was they didn't think it was worth the bother for them.

Eakin is known quantity/quality. #2 in taking faceoffs.
(#s 4 and 5 won't be back with team.)

Gusev as winger won't be taking many faceoffs, most likely.

(I'd expect Pirri to get more faceoffs, as a center. And Tuch, Nosek will probably take more.)
 

LadyStanley

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Vegas will whoop some Shark butt, pillar to post, all season - Gusev or not. I hope peg leg pirate's groin is ready. There's only so much gutless flopping Meier can do to draw penalties with Pavelski gone.

Sharks have openings for some rookies. Perhaps some of the top CHL talent will be taking those spots. Might be a case of addition by subtraction (and faster, young legs).
 

Boris Zubov

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May 6, 2016
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PD - you did see the post above yours? Granger reporting VGK tried to trade Reaves and Holden and couldn't find any takers.

The article is a bit contradictory on that point...

“What we didn’t want to do was tear the team apart to accommodate one player,” McPhee said. “We like the chemistry on our team. We weren’t interested in moving other players. We like our players. We like our team. We like the chemistry, and we didn’t want to extract players from the team that could ultimately hurt us.”

A league source told The Athletic the Golden Knights sent feelers out to see if teams would take salaries like Ryan Reaves ($2.775 million) and Nick Holden ($2.2 million) off their hands, but general managers around the league weren’t eager to help McPhee out of a cap crunch.
 

Brazen331

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Jul 18, 2018
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The article is a bit contradictory on that point...

Sounds to me like they were not too motivated to move those contracts, especially Reaves as I don’t think McCrimmom would be all that eager to trade him.

In my gut, I think the major impediment to adding Gusev was probably Gallant. If he was banging the table for him I think the upper brass might have tried harder to make room.

But from the GMs perspective, what if they created some holes to sign Gusev only to have Gallant complain about having to play him similar to what happens with Ship? They might have feared that.

Mcphee’s mention of Gusev’s lack of size and ‘elite’ speed sounds like it might have come from Gallant as well.
 

theslatcher

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Jan 5, 2016
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Sounds to me like they were not too motivated to move those contracts, especially Reaves as I don’t think McCrimmom would be all that eager to trade him.

In my gut, I think the major impediment to adding Gusev was probably Gallant. If he was banging the table for him I think the upper brass might have tried harder to make room.

But from the GMs perspective, what if they created some holes to sign Gusev only to have Gallant complain about having to play him similar to what happens with Ship? They might have feared that.

Mcphee’s mention of Gusev’s lack of size and ‘elite’ speed sounds like it might have come from Gallant as well.
Turk has nothing to do with this. It's all the GMs. Turk even said the way he followed it was through the papers.
 

Vegan Knight

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Feb 16, 2018
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PD - you did see the post above yours? Granger reporting VGK tried to trade Reaves and Holden and couldn't find any takers.



Eakin is known quantity/quality. #2 in taking faceoffs.
(#s 4 and 5 won't be back with team.)

Gusev as winger won't be taking many faceoffs, most likely.

(I'd expect Pirri to get more faceoffs, as a center. And Tuch, Nosek will probably take more.)

I get that Eakin brings something to the team but we could have Karlsson take more faceoffs and we got Roy, who is supposed to be pretty good at it right? I think we could have sacrificed in that area a bit.

But time will prove McPhee right or wrong. I think Gusev could have plenty of opportunities to put up 50-60 points and if he does then the deal can be second guessed.

I will say, 95% of the NHL must have doubts about Gusev if the Lightning called him an AHL player and we didn't try harder to sign him and then only two teams had offers equivalent to two 3rds to trade for him. The 4.5M for two years is nothing for the Devils to take a risk on him, so I'm not sure many NHL scouts see him as an impact player.
 

LadyStanley

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Karlsson is taking most faceoffs of team. Taking more would increase his ice time (perhaps wearing him out) decrease other F ice time.

Looking for good 3rd and 4th line centers (&/or responsible wingers) to take faceoffs.
 

Vegan Knight

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Feb 16, 2018
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Karlsson is taking most faceoffs of team. Taking more would increase his ice time (perhaps wearing him out) decrease other F ice time.

Looking for good 3rd and 4th line centers (&/or responsible wingers) to take faceoffs.

That would mean Stastny was third in faceoffs? That needs to change anyway as that is our best faceoff center. Stastny first, Karlsson second, then they could have had Roy, Nosek, Glass, whoever fill out the rest of them.

As it stands now, Stastny and Karlsson as one and two, Eakin probably does challenge Karlsson for that second spot since he is still here and then Roy, Nosek taking fourth line draws.

We will probably have to trade a center in the season as I think Glass will force his way into the lineup.
 

Brazen331

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Jul 18, 2018
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Turk has nothing to do with this. It's all the GMs. Turk even said the way he followed it was through the papers.

Did Turk admit to being the reason that Ship was shipped out after a few games? Well, he was.

Do you think McPhee wanted all that egg on his face by having his big FA signing become such a failure? Turk forced his hand. He flat out told him he was not going to put him in his lineup.

I’m just giving my gut instinct and it tells me that Gallant has more say here than just reading the papers.

At the very least, we can safely assume the GMs asked Gallant want he thought of Gusev after seeing him practice. I imagine the feedback was not all that positive.

I don’t watch many KHL games but I doubt these games bear any semblance to the fast, hard fore-checking style VGK plays. Gusev would have had to be coached up and the coaching staff probably thought he wouldn’t fit in.
 

theslatcher

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That would mean Stastny was third in faceoffs? That needs to change anyway as that is our best faceoff center. Stastny first, Karlsson second, then they could have had Roy, Nosek, Glass, whoever fill out the rest of them.

As it stands now, Stastny and Karlsson as one and two, Eakin probably does challenge Karlsson for that second spot since he is still here and then Roy, Nosek taking fourth line draws.

We will probably have to trade a center in the season as I think Glass will force his way into the lineup.
That's not how faceoffs work. Bill simply takes the most because he's on the ice more than everybody that isn't a top 4 D.
 

Brazen331

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I think Lawless provided a good blueprint for dealing with the Gusev situation: just forget he was ever part of the club, it helps with the disappointment.

Just go back to the expansion draft and revel in the fact that Tampa was one of the teams we pillaged the best.

We got 2 2nds, a 3rd and a 4th for taking on a stiff and his contract for only one year. That is a damn good return.

And if that Tampa 2nd was the one we burned in the Kolesar trade let’s forget about that too. At least McCrimmon hooked up the Wolves I guess.
 

Vegan Knight

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I think our third line has had trouble providing us points for two seasons and in some ways we've doubled down on the players and systems that have allowed the lack of offense.

We don't look a better team. If Glass doesn't make the team and do well our bottom six is not better than last season. Our defense is probably worse with Miller traded and Engelland older. Our top six is probably better with a full season of our top forwards.
 

CupInSIX

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I think Lawless provided a good blueprint for dealing with the Gusev situation: just forget he was ever part of the club, it helps with the disappointment.

Just go back to the expansion draft and revel in the fact that Tampa was one of the teams we pillaged the best.

We got 2 2nds, a 3rd and a 4th for taking on a stiff and his contract for only one year. That is a damn good return.

And if that Tampa 2nd was the one we burned in the Kolesar trade let’s forget about that too. At least McCrimmon hooked up the Wolves I guess.

Kolesar has all the earmarks of a good 3rd line power forward. He looked great in the 2nd half and the playoffs.
 

Vegas Mac

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Jun 26, 2015
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I've been pissed all day after I heard this trade. The team clearly doesn't trust Glass to be the 3rd line center and who knows why they value Reaves and Holden so much.

I'm far more of a believer of GM than you lol, but that aside I have to agree I also don't understand the fascination with Reaves in particular. It's a bit irritating.

Holden I think is good as gone. It simply hasn't happened yet. If somehow he's a meaningful part of the team, well, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
 

Brazen331

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Jul 18, 2018
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Kolesar has all the earmarks of a good 3rd line power forward. He looked great in the 2nd half and the playoffs.

So do you see him making the team sometime in the next couple years? I have seen him play live and he did not seem NHL caliber.
 

Vegan Knight

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Feb 16, 2018
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So do you see him making the team sometime in the next couple years? I have seen him play live and he did not seem NHL caliber.

I think I agree with this assessment. I think he could be tried as a Reaves replacement on the 4th line but I don't think he would be a productive third liner.
 

CupInSIX

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I think I agree with this assessment. I think he could be tried as a Reaves replacement on the 4th line but I don't think he would be a productive third liner.

I love how much his game improved last year. He has a real nose for the net and whenever I saw him he always seemed to be in the right place for a great scoring chance. Not nearly as fast as Carrier but considerably better hands and offensive instincts IMO.

I agree he'll probably replace Reaves but if he doesn't get much opportunities the next couple of years it will be because of the young forward depth with players like Elvenes and Dugan
 

LadyStanley

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That would mean Stastny was third in faceoffs? That needs to change anyway as that is our best faceoff center. Stastny first, Karlsson second, then they could have had Roy, Nosek, Glass, whoever fill out the rest of them.

As it stands now, Stastny and Karlsson as one and two, Eakin probably does challenge Karlsson for that second spot since he is still here and then Roy, Nosek taking fourth line draws.

We will probably have to trade a center in the season as I think Glass will force his way into the lineup.

Yes, Stastny #3

That's not how faceoffs work. Bill simply takes the most because he's on the ice more than everybody that isn't a top 4 D.

Some depends on matchups.

Is Gallant putting first line out (most of the time)? Then, Karlsson get's the draw (or one of the wingers steps in if he's tossed from the faceoff circle).

Eakin was out 2nd most, then Stastny. Bellemare and Carpenter were 4/5.

Don't forget that 4th line often has the PK guys, so they'll take the shorthanded draws at the start of a PK. And same with PP, with those on 1st or 2nd unit getting the faceoff.

(Bellemare lead forwards in SH TOI; then Karlsson, Nosek, Smith.)
(Marchessault and Karlsson led PP TOI.)

So when thinking about faceoffs, you need to consider the (nominal) 3-man line groupings, and the strength (even, shorthanded/PK, or man advantage/PP) as to who will even be on the ice, and then which of the 2-3 forwards would nominally take a faceoff. (Theodore was the only D guy to get in the faceoff circle last year.)

Forwards, nominally centers, work (a lot) on faceoffs at practice. Some wingers are "converted" centers. (Sharks, for instance, like having designated right/left handed guys so depending on which side of the ice, one or the other will be in the faceoff circle on their strong side.)
 

Vegas Mac

Golden Shellback
Jun 26, 2015
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I’m just giving my gut instinct and it tells me that Gallant has more say here than just reading the papers.

At the very least, we can safely assume the GMs asked Gallant want he thought of Gusev after seeing him practice. I imagine the feedback was not all that positive.

I do think Gallant has a very respected voice in the decisions. But McPhee discussed his evaluation of Gusev in the interview and noted he is neither fast nor big, and the only thing he praised is his hands. It is clear they do not think Gusev is special, nor that his ceiling is as high as many of the posters here do.

From there I don't think there's any need to assume that Gallant pounded the table or otherwise said he wouldn't play him. But I do think there was concern on whether Gusev would do the work on the forecheck and play the 200' game that defines this organization.

Translation is he wasn't a guy the team considered to be special. And he wasn't a guy they felt would be a great fit. Which is why they didn't want to disrupt the team they have in place to make room for him.
 

hackeyman

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Jun 26, 2018
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Good news ! I found this article from Ryan Lambert saying it would be a huge mistake to trade Gusev . I can't recall this MORON ever being right so feeling good about the decision. Sure there are a few guys that have played in the KHL that have the skills (usually speed being number 1 ) that translate into NHL success but the large majority are guys that couldn't make the NHL anymore. A 33 year old Nigel Dawes was 2nd to Gusev in scoring and had more points per game the previous year. Dawes last 2 attempts in the NHL were a total bust. There are top ten scorers in the KHL that were mediocre players in the AHL . His international success does stand out but still not NHL hockey. The Knights had a look at him in practice so my bet is they are right and like someone else pointed out if he is such a sure thing why weren't other teams banging down the door .
Golden Knights would rue trading Nikita Gusev
 

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