Should Vegas go after players from European leagues?

[HanSolo]

But again. Flight risk isn't my only factor in this. It's a stretch to think they would find all three guys so good that they'd make a play at all three to kill 3 spots that can be filled by expansion draft players. And I have doubts they'd sign two way deals (not even totally sure that they can)

 

[Kshahdoo]

But again. Flight risk isn't my only factor in this. It's a stretch to think they would find all three guys so good that they'd make a play at all three to kill 3 spots that can be filled by expansion draft players. And I have doubts they'd sign two way deals (not even totally sure that they can)

LV won't get a lot of skill from the draft. It's going to be trap, trap and even more trap then, because grinders aren't good for anything else. Pretty boring hockey, and they will lose a lot of games anyway.

With some skillful Europeans it's at least gonna be entertaining for not too big money. SJ did it back to Larionov and Makarov time. Of course Makarov and Larionov were all time greats, but pretty old as well and far from their primes. Shipachev, Dadonov and Omark are way younger and playing best hockey in their lives.

 

[Soundgarden]

LV won't get a lot of skill from the draft. It's going to be trap, trap and even more trap then, because grinders aren't good for anything else. Pretty boring hockey, and they will lose a lot of games anyway.

With some skillful Europeans it's at least gonna be entertaining for not too big money. SJ did it back to Larionov and Makarov time. Of course Makarov and Larionov were all time greats, but pretty old as well and far from their primes. Shipachev, Dadonov and Omark are way younger and playing best hockey in their lives.

I'm sure Vegas is looking over all of their options, including many europeans but I doubt we'll see all three sign here.

Ship and Dadonov should have interest from around the league, and Vegas will pick at least 20 players better than Omark from the expansion draft alone, I just don't think he's NHL caliber. You have to remember that all three would have to want to come here too.

 

[VanIslander]

SERGEI MOZYAKIN (old but 1 year contract hurts nobody)
http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=14828

Now THAT would be interesting!

 

[Beville]

Nothing wrong with taking a flyer on them; even if it means more bodies for the AHL team, can only be a plus.

 

[Seedling]

Colorado fans miss Everberg but he's probably not coming back without some promises. But still, could definitely do worse there.

Definitley. I really liked Everberg but Roy, go figure, didn't know how to use him IMO. He's an NHL level player for sure but Roy kept recalling all the garbage and didn't play Everberg with players like him. He's a solid player but you can't compete with a coach who loves AHL bums.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Elliotte Friedman http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/3...es-turnaround/

8. A few NHL teams circled around KHL veterans Evgeny Dadonov and Vadim Shipachyov last season, but neither came overseas. This year? Could see Las Vegas trying for both. The Golden Knights will need offensive punch, and they may be worth a shot.

 

[KingsHockey24]

Slava Voynov and Oscar Moller.

 

[JacketsFanWest]

Now THAT would be interesting!

The CBJ may still have Mozyakin's rights. They drafted him under the old rules where they didn't expire. Reportedly, the CBJ aggressively tried to sign him, but he had no interest in coming over NA.

The expansion draft rules when the Jackets and Wild entered the league made the players they were able to draft mostly border-line NHLers and any decent player they selected refused to report so they were just left with compensatory draft picks for those players (Mathieu Schneider and Dallas Drake, for example).

Many of the top players in the early days of the Jackets were European signees like Espen Knutsen and David Vyborny. The expansion draft did very, very little for the team except give them some AHL level players.

 

[BattleBorn]

The Jackets also took an adversarial stance on the relationship with the Wild at the time as well. They were trying to take as many players as they could that would get them points immediately versus planning for the mid-term future. While we don't have another team to draft against, I hope we take a little more of a Minnesota approach to the expansion versus the Columbus approach.

Either way, I don't think the decision makes as much of a difference since this is a much different expansion draft, but the plans need to be for three years down the road as much as they are collecting as many points as possible in years one. Especially since we've got the T-MA packed up for the first two years or so pretty much by default. Plus, I think the team will be better than your average expansion in the past just due to the cap and format of the expansion draft, so picking up the guys that can play well today isn't nearly as important.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

Most likely Peter Quenneville gets a contract who's playing in Denmark right now.

 

[Finnpin]

Id like to see Finnish powerforwards Oskar Osala and Teemu Hartikainen to have another chance in NA. Both have improved as a players in KHL. Hartikainen might still look that "NA card".

 

[crobro]

Stephan Dacosta
Mason Raymond
Jan Mursak

 

[alko]

If some people from this franchise read this (im sure, they do), here is a black horse to Defence:

Michal Cajkovsky

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Henrik Haapala RW/LW (23) 16-17: 51-15g+45a=60pts
(Tappara,Liiga) (6 games for team Finland 2g+1a)

Miro Aaltonen C/LW/RW (23) 16-17: 59-20g+25a=45pts
(Vitjaz,KHL) (6 games for team Finland 6g+1a)

Sebastian Repo RW (20) 16-17 46-11g+21a=32pts
(Tappara,Liiga)

Vili Sopanen RW (29) 16-17 41-20g+26a=46pts
(Pelicans,Liiga) (career stats: 464-128g+183a=311pts)

These 3 KHL veterans Vegas should pursue

1. Sergei Mozjakin (35) LW 16-17 60-48g+37a=85pts
Magnitogorsk,KHL (career stats in russia: 921-475g+538a=1013pts)

2. Chris Lee (36) (LD) 16-17 60-14g+51a=65pts
Magnitogorsk,KHL (career stats in Europe: 433-92g+255a=347)

3. Danil Zaripov (36) RW 16-17 56-16g+29a=45pts
Magnitogorsk,KHL (career stats in Russia: 1092-389g+464a=853pts)

- in 9 play-off games this season,those 3 above combine 15 goals,30 assists.

 

[88]

Keep your hands off Arcabello! I'm hoping he stays at Bern as he's been awesome this season for us.

 

[Nordic*]

If you want to increase the number of people in the stands, sign both Klasén and Omark to play on the same line.

Sick hands.

 

[patricafdw]

I am not an expert on the NHL, but I do have some knowledge about the SHL, and I believe that at least SOME of the top SHL players should be able to make the transition.

A young player like Artturi Lehkonen became a regular in Montreal but was nowhere near (28th) the top of the league in terms of productivity (even though he exploded in the playoffs).

I do realize that not all players are suited for the north-american playing style, but there should be some, a little older, players that could do some good for a team lacking firepower in the scoring division. I've seen some names mentioned in the forum earlier, like Broc Little or Johan Sundström, and there are players in the KHL and NLA as well.

Hopefully George and the other guys are really looking into some (potentially) unorthodox sources in order to create a competitive team.

 

[Mike Jones]

I think Vegas fans can be confident that the KHL has been and always will be scouted heavily by McPhee and his staff.

With McPhee as GM one thing fans will probably need to do above and beyond anything else is learn Russian.

 

[uncleben]

Honestly, I think they should grab players from everywhere.

Grab the biggest name they can get from the KHL. Bring back a Canadian/American from Europe (like a Little or a Kozun) who have been excelling. Sign more college or junior kids. Give try-outs to guys from like Australian league, the Asian league, the British league, or to a retired NHL pro.


The team is going to struggle on the ice for the first little while. It's a reality.
Bring the team exposure and attention though. Put together an interesting team worth talking about, with stories and characters, for year one.

 

[SlimCharles]

Slava Voynov and Oscar Moller.

That was pretty much my reaction too.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Perhaps bringing over 2 whole lines from KHL?

Mozyakin - Kovar - Zaripov
Omark - Shipachev - Dadonov

Should be Gusev instead of Omark, but Tampa will not give up on Gusev.

 

[Mike Jones]

Perhaps bringing over 2 whole lines from KHL?

Mozyakin - Kovar - Zaripov
Omark - Shipachev - Dadonov

Should be Gusev instead of Omark, but Tampa will not give up on Gusev.

Not a bad idea but remember that the Knights will already have 30 guys from the expansion draft to deal with. They may want to focus their attention on 2-3 of the players you've listed - at least until things settle down and the bodies stop flying around.

 

[LeafChief]

I would love to see the Knights sign some high end players from Europe.

It would be nice to see them add some high end skill players. They will probably get some good 2nd-3rd line tweeners in the expansion draft so high end skill (Shipachev) would be nice.

 

[Vegas Mac]

I think they will, but first they're going to have to determine who they want to be. If they want to run a north/south game like things seem to be trending then sure, go load up on some fast euro players to help stand up a good minors system.

This is why I can't wait to see who they hire. I'd prefer a puck possession coach who is savvy and up to date, but no telling what McPhee is going to do there. It will give us an idea of what's in store, though, once they do make the hire.