I would say a majority, including me on the Vegas board want to build for the future.
The offensive talent is just not going to be there for a winning team.
If I were to hazard a guess if they took the best players they could, they would probably end up with a top 15 defense, a bottom 5-10 offense, and somewhere in the middle in the net. Not a winning formula. It would be a struggle to make the playoffs as an 8th seed and then a first round exit if they did.
Also, don't forget that prospects and picks aren't just about the future. They are assets that can be used to improve talent.
Some good players are available for futures at times. The Isles got Boychuck and Leddy for picks and prospects. Carolina got Terevainnen for picks and cap room.
If LV can get some picks for basically nothing, they should. Stocking up on assets is the best thing they can do, for now and the future.
I don't think they will make any trades until the off-season.
The only asset LV has right now is draft picks, and I don't think they'll trade them for prospects.
I also think the don't take player X if we give you Y deals will wait until the off-season when teams have a concrete picture of the expansion landscape.
Are the "I'll give you this if you don't take this guy" trades actually binding? I doubt McPhee would turn on a deal he made but wouldn't that make things interesting?
Huh? Klingberg is a Dallas player.
See what Carolina got for taking one year of Bickell from Chicago. Dont see a reason for Vegas to take Pouliot for a 3rd. Its meaningless for Vegas to take mediocre old players for 3rd rounders. Obviously a better expansion pick to take from Edm than Pouliot and a 3rd.
I do think Vegas should stack up on draft picks though. Get as many picks as you can in the first 3 rounds and start building the team from the draft right away.
Chicago was up against the wall because they had to move Bickell to be cap compliant and were the defending SC champs. Bickell was also not even playing well in the AHL the year before (due to undiagnosed MS). He was the definition of dead weight.
While I agree that a 3rd round pick is not near enough to entice Vegas to take a guy like Pouliot, they should also not expect to receive players of Teravainen's caliber either. That was a very special case.
Agreed. The only "we'll give you this if you don't select player X" trades I expect to see before the summer are ones that involve guys that Vegas aren't selecting anyway. If a team thinks Vegas is going to take player X but they want player Y, might as well take the pick and still get player Y down the road, right?
One other note for Vegas....they will likely have a ton of caproom to spare, and in fact could end up needing help to make the minimum.
Vegas need help to take other teams overpaid players? LOLOL
Foley paid more for the team than most other teams are worth.
Why helping other teams, Vegas could give Oshie 10 million to reach the cap ceiling.