If Vegas wins the cup will we see a shift in how winning teams are put together?

[Paperbagofglory]

Hey don't talk **** about the Carolina Hurricanes. They had the 12th highest scorer of all time on the roster, 3 other 1000 career point scorers and Eric Staal, who'll retire with way over 1000 career points.

So by the time Staal retires, the 2006 Carolina Hurricanes will still have 5 guys who finnished in the top 90 in all time regular season points, basically only being beat by the Edmonton Oilers team of the 80s when it comes to regular season scoring.

Opps, Eric Staal, wow do NHL fans know how to forget that guy or what?

Totally under the radar superstar during the canes years. Ok so he one and that invalidates my argument, the Canes were underrated. Therefore you now have less examples of teams without a legit superstar not winning a cup.

 

[Cletus Marley]

I think a great start would be for the existing players on teams to show up and play balls out every shift like Vegas does. To me that's what separates them from the rest.

 

[Sam Spade]

Will teams have a blank slate, no minor league teams, no contracts, etc.? Maybe?

 

[kicksavedave]

Will teams have a blank slate, no minor league teams, no contracts, etc.? Maybe?

I was just going to say, if Vegas wins the Cup. all the other teams will scrap 100% of their roster and salary cap, and ask to have free pick of top 8-10 talent from each other team in the league, because thats how Vegas was "put together".

Or, all other teams will look to have explosive breakout seasons by players who previously were deemed expendable and thus acquired for nothing.

If the OP was just trying to figure out the right mix and blend of players and chemistry that will produce a Cup winning team, good luck with that. Vegas didn't magically stumble upon some secret new formula here. Aggressive forecheck, mobile defensemen and good goaltending is hardly a new discovery. They got everything lined up just right for them and players are having career years. I've seen GMGM make boneheaded move after boneheaded move and then stumble upon a blatantly obvious draft pick hit for 18 years. Once his playing field becomes leveled off with the rest of the league, so will his results.

 

[pheasant]

No, because we don't know why Vegas is so good.

This is a great answer.

I still think there will be a bit of a change. There is always a bit of a change when there's a new Cup winner. A few years the Cup winner had legendary defense groups, like Anaheim, and everyone tried to follow. Then the Cup went to teams without an elite goalie (CHI), and teams started adjusting. Then later it looked like it was all about C depth (PIT).

Even if it isn't the entire league, some teams will take some notes and copy what they like or what they think worked.

 

[Sam Spade]

I was just going to say, if Vegas wins the Cup. all the other teams will scrap 100% of their roster and salary cap, and ask to have free pick of top 8-10 talent from each other team in the league, because thats how Vegas was "put together".

Or, all other teams will look to have explosive breakout seasons by players who previously were deemed expendable and thus acquired for nothing.

Good post.

Oh and one thing I forgot to put in my post, ZERO competition for those players.

 

[Hockeyholic]

I can say with 110 percent certainty that they have a setback next season. This is their chance...

 

[justafan22]

The one big change IMO that will happen will be teams not giving up on players who are under the age of 27 who haven't produced so far in the NHL.

 

[Martin Skoula]

The one big change IMO that will happen will be teams not giving up on players who are under the age of 27 who haven't produced so far in the NHL.

Or players who had a down year but maintained consistent underlying stats.

 

[Hivemind]

Every cup winner is emulated. Chicago won the cup and other teams attempted to play the skilled possession game. Bruins and Kings won the cup and other teams attempted to play the "heavy" game. Pittsburgh won the cup and other teams attempted to play the speed game. If Vegas wins the cup, I'm sure other teams will emulate a lot of what they do in terms of transition speed and neutral zone trapping.

 

[Hivemind]

I can say with 110 percent certainty that they have a setback next season. This is their chance...

Their instant success will almost certainly create long-term consequences for the team. It's really a double edged sword. I can all but guarantee you that McPhee was originally planning on "cashing out" on some of his UFA players at the deadline (such as Neal or Perron) to help get more assets and build a farm system. With cup contention in their sights, he couldn't do that. As of now they only have four players under contract beyond next season, and have to deal with ten free agents this offseason (3 UFA, 7 RFA), most of which are due raises after career years. Not to mention they only have one draft pick in the first three rounds this year to help build their farm system.

 

[illpucks]

Vegas is following the Penguins blueprint. They are basically the 2016 Pens with Marchessault and Karlsson instead of Sid and Geno

 

[kmart]

no it will not change how teams will be put together. what happens with vegas is a one time thing, they have unique circumstances.

no pressure
their topline players will ask for topline money soon

with time they will become like any other team.

 

[Hivemind]

Vegas is following the Penguins blueprint. They are basically the 2016 Pens with Marchessault and Karlsson instead of Sid and Geno

They're both fast teams, but the similarities end soon after that. The fact you said "Marchessault and Karlsson instead of Sid and Geno" should be proof in the pudding of that. But to break it down more, defensively they are significantly different. The Penguins were much more about anticipating and jumping on opposing outlet passes, thus stifling the opposing breakout as it tries to break out of its own zone. Vegas is much more about swarming and getting numbers back to isolate puck carriers and limit their options. Vegas' strategy, ostensibly, is closer to a traditional trapping scheme, but when you factor in their speed and execution they can play it in a rather aggressive fashion that allows them to swarm to the puck. In terms of roster construction, the Penguins also had significantly more star power to spread around the forwards. They had Phil Kessel as a third liner. Vegas has a much more "traditional" 1-2-3-4 line scheme, even if their fourth line is playing the best hockey of their careers right now.

 

[kingsfan28]

No, because this may just be a one off year. They are all playing with a giant chip on their shoulder that's been motivating them all year. But come next year, they will have a ton of pressure to prove they're not a fluke and that chip won't be there.

 

[Sugi21]

Reason why Vegas is winning is because they outwork the other team every shift!!!! Hard work and determination will usually beat skill any given night in this league!!!!

 

[Bank Shot]

The one big change IMO that will happen will be teams not giving up on players who are under the age of 27 who haven't produced so far in the NHL.

But they have to. You can only carry 23 guys on your roster.

If you have your established core, and some young guys coming up, eventually you will have to move out the in between guys.

Guys that have been in the system for a few years but haven't accomplished much, or have had some modest success, but you can't afford to pay them.

Teams don't have a place for all of these players. Vegas in their first season did. They've got something like 13 guys between the ages of 25-27. That's just not feasible to build and maintain for a regular hockey team. Vegas is already going to pay more for less next season. Between Colin Miller and Karlsson they will be hitting the cap. Perron will want a lot of money based on the season he had. They might have to let him walk.

 

[ChuckLefley]

Whenever someone wins with a different style or differently built roster than previous champions, the league reacts and tries to copy. All kinds of examples throughout the history of the NHL.

 

[tony d]

I think Vegas is just something that came together. Helps they got a great coach like Gerard Gallant as well.

 

[Lyons71]

No, because we don't know why Vegas is so good.

On paper their defense is worse than a lot of teams, and they have no superstars anywhere.
BUT...
They have a spectacular coach, a super-fast forward group, and Fleury is playing near-perfect.


To answer the OP: No, it won't change anything about how teams form. Maybe speed will continue to be important, but that's not specific to LV.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

By that token, as of May 2017 the only team that had won a Cup without a #1 defenseman was... the 2006 Hurricanes.

Then the Pens did it last year.

Now either the Caps or Knights will do it this year.

Sometimes these rules really are just that arbitrary.

John Carlson doesn't qualify as a #1D for you?

 

[tarheelhockey]

John Carlson doesn't qualify as a #1D for you?

In the context of how people have talked about this in the past (Keith, Doughty, Chara, Lidstrom... multi-Norris winning types) I think he falls a bit short of the traditional standard. I can think of like 3-4 championship teams in history whose best defenseman was Carlson-level or worse. '04 Lightning, '06 Canes, '93 Habs, maybe '09 Pens.

 

[OVrocks]

Counting on pretty much every player on the roster having a career year isn’t a recipe for success.

 

[willy702]

I can say with 110 percent certainty that they have a setback next season. This is their chance...

You are probably right. They'll only get 104-105 points next year and have to play to game 81 or 82 to win the division.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

In the context of how people have talked about this in the past (Keith, Doughty, Chara, Lidstrom... multi-Norris winning types) I think he falls a bit short of the traditional standard. I can think of like 3-4 championship teams in history whose best defenseman was Carlson-level or worse. '04 Lightning, '06 Canes, '93 Habs, maybe '09 Pens.

Last year's Pens qualify too. Carlson is better than Justin Schultz. Yes, Carlson is not on the level of the perennial Norris contenders, but he deserved to be nominated this year IMO. He's an adequate #1.