Vegas can be quite a bit better in their first year than we seem to think

[hansomreiste]

I have no idea about how NHL bargains between GMs work so this may sound stupid to people who are into this thing but... How are those promises made by Vegas GM and others binding? I mean, let's say, I'm the GM and I work out a deal with Anaheim GM, telling him I wouldn't pick Manson in return for a 1st round pick. Well, since we are not 10yo children, it is very likely that I would keep my promise but what if I do not? What kind of binding process is going on? Is it solely based on promises which is kinda made reliable due to credibility reasons or do they have signed actual, legal agreements in place?

 

[Zilo44]

I have no idea about how NHL bargains between GMs work so this may sound stupid to people who are into this thing but... How are those promises made by Vegas GM and others binding? I mean, let's say, I'm the GM and I work out a deal with Anaheim GM, telling him I wouldn't pick Manson in return for a 1st round pick. Well, since we are not 10yo children, it is very likely that I would keep my promise but what if I do not? What kind of binding process is going on? Is it solely based on promises which is kinda made reliable due to credibility reasons or do they have signed actual, legal agreements in place?

I would be surprised if there were any binding agreement. However, refusing to honor a handshake deal probably puts McPhee in trouble going forward. No one would want to deal with him anymore.

 

[Fugazy]

Vegas will be a bottom 5 team next year. 110+ point season is not realistic.

 

[The Macho King]

I would be surprised if there were any binding agreement. However, refusing to honor a handshake deal probably puts McPhee in trouble going forward. No one would want to deal with him anymore.

It wouldn't be good for his reputation, but at the same time - this is the NHL where you want to win. If McPhee, after doing something "bad", came around and offered you a fair market deal for a pending UFA at the deadline, are you going to say no?

There are a limited number of assets available in this league, and a limited number of trade partners. Fans put too much stock into "reputation" for minor things.

 

[Price is Wright]

I would be surprised if there were any binding agreement. However, refusing to honor a handshake deal probably puts McPhee in trouble going forward. No one would want to deal with him anymore.

He's already said he's going to listen to offers until the final hour. Nothing is binding until then.

If Anaheim offers him two first picks to not pick Vat and Manson but then division rival Los Angeles offers their two firsts Plus Kale Clague, for Vegas to acquire Vatanen and trade him to them, all GMGM has to do is tell Anaheim he has a better deal on the table to take one of his defencemen and he's got X hours to do better.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

There is more to building a team than the roster and coaching. There also has to be a thriving and evolving supporting staff in many fields and facets. That does not happen in the time the Knights have existed. While with the players they'll have available I do not see them being a last place team. It's a safe bet to say they will not make a post season.

 

[Kamiccolo]

If Vegas was indeed going for the best team right now, they could build a fairly young, yet very potent one.

Radulov - Shipachyov - Neal
Cammalleri - Strome - Smith
Boedker - Dano - Rust
Bouma - Eakin - Stempniak
Yakupov, Leipsic, Josefson, Mcginn

Johnson - Manson/Vatanen
Methot - Dumba
Koekkoek - Bogosian
TVR, Del Zotto, Mcnabb, Reinhart

Mrazek
Grubauer
Pickard, Raanta, Subban

IDK if it's just me but that looks like a last place roster to me.

 

[tony d]

I did my Vegas lineup yesterday. Don't know if they make the playoffs but they won't be pushovers either. I have them with a top 3 on d of Vatanen, Martin and Dumba, that's not bad.

 

[danyhabsfan]

FORWARDS (17 - $37,575,000)
Ryan, Bobby
Neal, James
Cammalleri, Mike
Eakin, Cody
Perron, David
Stajan, Matt
Stempniak, Lee
Nelson, Brock
Dano, Marko
Marchessault, Jonathan
Hudon, Charles
Gaunce, Brendan
Shore, Nick
Raffl, Michael
Leipsic, Brendan
Burmistrov, Alexander
Grigorenko, Mikhail
DEFENSE (9 - $22,020,000)
Bogosian, Zach
Vatanen, Sami
Johnson, Jack
Dillon, Brenden
Dumba, Matt
Miller, Colin
Van Riemsdyk, Trevor
Reinhart, Griffin
Dotchin, Jake
GOALTENDERS (4 - $10,750,000)
Fleury, Marc-Andre
Mrazek, Petr
Raanta, Antti
Grubauer, Philipp

+Shipachev

 

[The Macho King]

Do they have to take 4 goalies? Because otherwise I would grab Schmidt from Washington over Grubauer.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

IDK if it's just me but that looks like a last place roster to me.

add a couple UFA's and if Mrazek/Fleury have a good season than they'll be top 3 in the divij

 

[Not So Mighty]

You're ignoring known side deals for the sake of imagining a better Vegas team.

 

[jeangauthier]

I seen this movie before with new franchises..........the ending is always the same......they suck

 

[danyhabsfan]

Do they have to take 4 goalies? Because otherwise I would grab Schmidt from Washington over Grubauer.

I would take Fleury, Mrazek, Raanta and Grubauer and try to trade 2 of them.

or you simply take Grabner/Schmidt/Sproul or Ouellet instead of Raanta, Grubauer and Mrazek.(keep Fleury + another goalie)

 

[kmo429]

He's already said he's going to listen to offers until the final hour. Nothing is binding until then.

If Anaheim offers him two first picks to not pick Vat and Manson but then division rival Los Angeles offers their two firsts Plus Kale Clague, for Vegas to acquire Vatanen and trade him to them, all GMGM has to do is tell Anaheim he has a better deal on the table to take one of his defencemen and he's got X hours to do better.

Not necessarily true. A lot of deals are already finalized and approved. They just wont be announced until Wednesday. Yes, GMGM and others can continue to work deals, but in a situation where for instance Isles protected Pelech over De Haan, Strome, and Nelson, it is rather obvious that a trade has already been finalized but not yet announced. Naive to think it was just a handshake. Already been approve dby the NHL mroe than likely.

 

[The Macho King]

I would take Fleury, Mrazek, Raanta and Grubauer and try to trade 2 of them.

or you simply take Grabner/Schmidt/Sproul or Ouellet instead of Raanta, Grubauer and Mrazek.(keep Fleury + another goalie)

I don't see the market out there for goalies. Who needs one now? Carolina, Dallas, and Calgary all got their #1s.

Dmen are always worth their weight in gold. Stock up on Dmen and move them. Can you name one team that isn't looking for a top 4 Dman? Maybe Carolina?

 

[Eisen]

I stopped reading at 110+ point team

These models seriously undervalue the impact of elite talent. A bunch of depth players who can drive play in a sheltered role isn't going to get you to the playoffs.

I didn't stop reading at 110, but I think these two posts hit the spot. You can't take depth players and expect a miracle because they have great advanced stats on their previous team.

 

[Eisen]

It wouldn't be good for his reputation, but at the same time - this is the NHL where you want to win. If McPhee, after doing something "bad", came around and offered you a fair market deal for a pending UFA at the deadline, are you going to say no?

There are a limited number of assets available in this league, and a limited number of trade partners. Fans put too much stock into "reputation" for minor things.

You want to win, but not at all costs. There has to be some form of decent conduct. I know I couldn't enjoy that win, especially in an environment, where sportsmanship should be at the centre. And if I was fleeced that way, I'd hold a grudge, and I'm probably not the only one.

 

[treple13]

Not necessarily true. A lot of deals are already finalized and approved. They just wont be announced until Wednesday. Yes, GMGM and others can continue to work deals, but in a situation where for instance Isles protected Pelech over De Haan, Strome, and Nelson, it is rather obvious that a trade has already been finalized but not yet announced. Naive to think it was just a handshake. Already been approve dby the NHL mroe than likely.

Exactly. The NHL really badly wants to unveil the entire Vegas team at the awards and is going through a lot of trouble to not reveal anything until then. Thinking GMs of other teams are going to put themselves at Vegas' mercy without a written in stone deal is hilarious. Deals have been done with Vegas and Vegas can't just get out of those deals because they feel like it anymore than Montreal can just randomly take back Sergachev and keep Drouin. Any GM that would rely on only a "handshake agreement" with Vegas is an idiot. I'm sure all agreements have gone through the league.

 

[Ezpz]

IDK if it's just me but that looks like a last place roster to me.

significantly better than colorado imo.

 

[Trap Jesus]

I think they'll be awful. Not like 74/75 Caps bad, but it's pretty tough to expect much of anything when your team will have zero star power and zero chemistry (at least to start). When you have someone like James Neal as a your top guy, it puts him in a situation that is not ideal at all, and it filters down to the rest of the line-up,in terms of players playing above where they should. Maybe they make up some ground in their bottom 6, but that's not enough to overcome how overmatched they'll be in their top 6 when going up against the best players in the league.

A lot of people also don't seem to be factoring in that they'll probably be way below the cap limit as a start-up franchise. I see a lot of people spending to near the cap limit in their mock Vegas teams, which doesn't seem realistic to me.

 

[voxel]

The lineup won't be this good as they will receive some nice picks and prospects for not selecting Vats/Manson/Nelson/etc to set them up for the future.

Vegas is going to profit from some teams

 

[hagelin1381]

I think they could have a very solid defense.. Their forward group.. not so much. They'll have solid goaltending/defense, but I think they'll have issues scoring

 

[Allan92]

Just thought I'd leave this here with all the talk about Vegas being gifted an elite team

 

[Mav3rick07]

I can't believe OP actually thought Vegas could finish with 110 points, they only had 109....