[Speculation] Las Vegas is going to have a better team than the Canucks...

[Salmonberries]

Does Vegas have to take a player from the Canucks? I think they do...

[cyoung]

2 hours ago, tyhee said:

Theoretically, they may have pretty good depth to start.

 

If every team protects the maximum number of players (7 forwards + 3 defencemen + 1 goalie=11 players) then the Knights end up with 30 players who are in the top 12 of their former teams players with more than 2 years pro experience.  It is safe to say that most teams, and certainly the bottom-feeders, are likely going to be using players in their 23 man rosters who are worse than their former #12 players who were selected in the expansion draft.

 

Accordingly, at the bottom end, the Knights figure to be deep.  Their top 11 should be weaker then most teams, but their bottom 12 (out of 23) rate to be stronger.  They rate to have less top-end strength but there shouldn't be the drop-off at the bottom end that most NHL teams have.   It is even possible that the Knights would end up having to place one or more useful players on waivers this fall.

 

Their prospect depth may be pretty weak.  Obviously, the only recent draft choices they'll start with have to already have more than 2 pro years of experience-and the better young players will be protected, leaving the Knights without top-end prospects.  They'll get their crack at Gaunce and others of his approximate quality, but not Horvat and the players on other teams of similar quality.

 

Of course, all this is theory.  What actually happens will depend on what actual decisions made by the Knights and the other franchises.

I should have been a bit more clear, I meant more long term. Most contracts they will take on will be fairly short, they won't have much of a prospect pool beyond this year's draft as well. Their first year imo, will be stronger  then the following few. We will see anyways.  

[mll]

McPhee says they want to accelerate the process by accumulating 10-12 draft picks for the next 2-3 drafts.  Either through agreements to not pick certain players or selecting players on behalf of other teams.  For Vegas they want to keep mostly young players who will still be with the team in 3-4 years.  The others are being traded pre-entry draft.

 

 

[zduck14]

I feel like one thing everyone seems to be overlooking is that the Canucks, due to their performance last year will have the 2nd choice in the waiver order. With Vegas having to choose 30 players right off the bat, this leaves an extra 7 players that they cannot keep on their roster. Yes they will trade a couple but I really believe they'll end up having to waive a couple as well. So while Vancouver may lose a Sbisa or Gaunce, they could very well get one back just as good later on. 

[LAKID]

Las Vegas will not only be a respectable team but they will also finish ahead of Van, Calgary and Colorado. Canucks in a heap of trouble right now with the  aging  Sedin's and a suspect  management team, but hey Van doesn't have Burke that's calgary's ordeal.

[Phat Fingers]

31 minutes ago, zduck14 said:

I feel like one thing everyone seems to be overlooking is that the Canucks, due to their performance last year will have the 2nd choice in the waiver order. With Vegas having to choose 30 players right off the bat, this leaves an extra 7 players that they cannot keep on their roster. Yes they will trade a couple but I really believe they'll end up having to waive a couple as well. So while Vancouver may lose a Sbisa or Gaunce, they could very well get one back just as good later on. 

This^^^

 

Lets say we lose Gaunce, we will likely get a chance to pick him up off waivers and not be out at all. 

 

 

[Phat Fingers]

18 minutes ago, LAKID said:

Las Vegas will not only be a respectable team but they will also finish ahead of Van, Calgary and Colorado. Canucks in a heap of trouble right now with the  aging  Sedin's and a suspect  management team, but hey Van doesn't have Burke that's calgary's ordeal.

We are exactly where we should be.  Having a hangover after taking a really good shot at winning it all. 

 

Our prospect pool has widened and deepened over the past 3 years and is about to get a whole lot better. That is the way out of this and it is well underway.  We need a top center and top d man. The rest is largely in place or easier to find. 

 

Glass at 5 I believe gives us that Center we need, if JB manages to get the 3rd then we can get our center and d man this year.  We will also get more top talent next year. 

 

 

Not winning the lottery is he only thing that has not gone well with the drafting side of things in the last two years. 

 

Signing LE backfired big time last year, Guddy getting hurt sucked.  But look on the bright side Granlund impressed, Bo improved and Boeser looks to be the real deal. 

 

The team lost a lot, but did battle and lost a lot of games by 1-2 goals. Not insurmountable. 

 

Who cares about LVK.  They will have more downs than ups this year.  So will the nucks. Who sucks more is not a worthy debate when both teams are likely to suck a lot. 

 

Hey, at least we are not Colorado.  What the heck has happened there. 

[cyoung]

6 hours ago, mll said:

McPhee says they want to accelerate the process by accumulating 10-12 draft picks for the next 2-3 drafts.  Either through agreements to not pick certain players or selecting players on behalf of other teams.  For Vegas they want to keep mostly young players who will still be with the team in 3-4 years.  The others are being traded pre-entry draft.

 

 

Interesting. Thanks for that! 

[bloodycanuckleheads]

A few things to add...

 

1.  Vegas already has 3 first-round picks this year (and counting).  So, anyone saying that their prospect pool will be terrible is wrong.

2.  Vegas will take 30 players (all of which should be better than the bottom of our line-up).  They don't need that many, so that gives them 6 to 10 players to use as trade-bait.  Just think of how many upgrades/picks/players this will buy them!  Especially when you consider that Vegas is going to load up on good, tradeable defensemen and goalies.

3.  Vegas already has Shipachyov, who will likely score more next year than our top-scorer scored last year.  So, they have better top-end talent than us already.  Plus, just add up all the upgrades they'll be able to make.  You can't claim that they aren't going to have the top-players they need.  They'll be able to get them.  Easily.  If they play their cards right, they should have cap-space to sign another top-end forward or two as a UFA too.

4.  Vegas will be able to take a 4th-string goaltender who is better than our starter.  This means that they will have at least two goalies they can trade (that are worth more than any of our goalies).  So, more upgrades/picks/players added to the pile.

5.  Any deal Vegas makes means that they believe they are getting something BETTER than what they would have gotten.  So, all these mock drafts are just the worst-case scenario.  Vegas can potentially choose packages they like better (than the best player available to them).

6.  Every player Vegas selects will be considerably better than the best player the last expansion teams got (they didn't get anyone who was better than the 13th or 15th best player on their team, whereas Vegas will choose no worse than 12th).  Every single one.  And they'll get more of them too.

 

This is going to be absolutely disgusting.

[Toyotasfan]

You gotta wonder if the environment of young 20-25 year old millionaires growing up in Vegas might end up being destructive to some of their careers. They might have the next NHL'r in rehab. Stick a partier similar to S.O'B or Mike Richards there and you'd have a train wreck.

[flickyoursedin]

Good let's finish last next year and get one of Dahlin, Svechnikov or Merkley and then nothing but Stanley cups from there on out!

[Wilbur]

8 hours ago, Eastcoast meets Westcoast said:

This^^^

 

Lets say we lose Gaunce, we will likely get a chance to pick him up off waivers and not be out at all. 

 

 

Even if we lose Gaunce, there is Gaudette not too far away in the system to replace him.

[Rocky Balboa]

I just can't wait for them to beat the Leafs. 

[Nuxfanabroad]

17 hours ago, bloodycanuckleheads said:

A few things to add...

 

1.  Vegas already has 3 first-round picks this year (and counting).  So, anyone saying that their prospect pool will be terrible is wrong.

2.  Vegas will take 30 players (all of which should be better than the bottom of our line-up).  They don't need that many, so that gives them 6 to 10 players to use as trade-bait.  Just think of how many upgrades/picks/players this will buy them!  Especially when you consider that Vegas is going to load up on good, tradeable defensemen and goalies.

3.  Vegas already has Shipachyov, who will likely score more next year than our top-scorer scored last year.  So, they have better top-end talent than us already.  Plus, just add up all the upgrades they'll be able to make.  You can't claim that they aren't going to have the top-players they need.  They'll be able to get them.  Easily.  If they play their cards right, they should have cap-space to sign another top-end forward or two as a UFA too.

4.  Vegas will be able to take a 4th-string goaltender who is better than our starter.  This means that they will have at least two goalies they can trade (that are worth more than any of our goalies).  So, more upgrades/picks/players added to the pile.

5.  Any deal Vegas makes means that they believe they are getting something BETTER than what they would have gotten.  So, all these mock drafts are just the worst-case scenario.  Vegas can potentially choose packages they like better (than the best player available to them).

6.  Every player Vegas selects will be considerably better than the best player the last expansion teams got (they didn't get anyone who was better than the 13th or 15th best player on their team, whereas Vegas will choose no worse than 12th).  Every single one.  And they'll get more of them too.

 

This is going to be absolutely disgusting.

Don't lose sleep over such things. The league sweetened the deal for a new entrant..who cares?

 

Second f***ing ice rink in a 2nd f***ing desert. Nice symbol for a deteriorating league. Canadians should wake up to the absolute hoax it's become.

[Nuxfanabroad]

10 hours ago, Wilbur said:

Even if we lose Gaunce, there is Gaudette not too far away in the system to replace him.

Can even use half the name plate(keep costs down, & all)

[k_man08]

21 hours ago, zduck14 said:

I feel like one thing everyone seems to be overlooking is that the Canucks, due to their performance last year will have the 2nd choice in the waiver order. With Vegas having to choose 30 players right off the bat, this leaves an extra 7 players that they cannot keep on their roster. Yes they will trade a couple but I really believe they'll end up having to waive a couple as well. So while Vancouver may lose a Sbisa or Gaunce, they could very well get one back just as good later on. 

Isn't it true that many of the players they select could have little NHL experience and may be waiver exempt which would mean they can be sent down without risk?

 

If that's true you'd think that's part of their strategy to not lose any players once drafted. In that case your proposal to claim may not come to fruition.

[IBatch]

20 hours ago, bloodycanuckleheads said:

A few things to add...

 

1.  Vegas already has 3 first-round picks this year (and counting).  So, anyone saying that their prospect pool will be terrible is wrong.

2.  Vegas will take 30 players (all of which should be better than the bottom of our line-up).  They don't need that many, so that gives them 6 to 10 players to use as trade-bait.  Just think of how many upgrades/picks/players this will buy them!  Especially when you consider that Vegas is going to load up on good, tradeable defensemen and goalies.

3.  Vegas already has Shipachyov, who will likely score more next year than our top-scorer scored last year.  So, they have better top-end talent than us already.  Plus, just add up all the upgrades they'll be able to make.  You can't claim that they aren't going to have the top-players they need.  They'll be able to get them.  Easily.  If they play their cards right, they should have cap-space to sign another top-end forward or two as a UFA too.

4.  Vegas will be able to take a 4th-string goaltender who is better than our starter.  This means that they will have at least two goalies they can trade (that are worth more than any of our goalies).  So, more upgrades/picks/players added to the pile.

5.  Any deal Vegas makes means that they believe they are getting something BETTER than what they would have gotten.  So, all these mock drafts are just the worst-case scenario.  Vegas can potentially choose packages they like better (than the best player available to them).

6.  Every player Vegas selects will be considerably better than the best player the last expansion teams got (they didn't get anyone who was better than the 13th or 15th best player on their team, whereas Vegas will choose no worse than 12th).  Every single one.  And they'll get more of them too.

 

This is going to be absolutely disgusting.

I said their prospect pool will be terrible compared to the Canucks and stand by it, even with the picks they are supposedly getting this draft and the next.   What they can't do is get a time machine go and draft guys the last three of four years like the other thirty teams, have a worn in AHL team and development staff, like the rest of the league, and pick rookies or sophomores.  So what they are drafting this year for the most part won't be ready for three of four years, next year the same, when we have Boesser coming up, Juolevi and Demko coming up before any of this years draft picks likely will, and Dahlen, Goldobin, Virtanen, Brisbois,Gaudette, Lockwood etc possibly getting their chance before the FIRST Vegas draft pick gets into an NHL game, that is unless they can't wait and want to rush their sixth overall...

 

They won't have much of a prospect pool to start, at least one that compares to ours existing one, now 2013 Canucks maybe, but at that point we had the worst in the league.    

 

And then of course the only way they can even make this work at all is with good drafting.  With all there picks they would be lucky to get two NHLers out of sixth and  twentieth and say thirtieth ( maybe the Pens want to keep Fleury?)...I think all other franchises should be able to match that, and some like Ottawas have four guys ready to go now making trading Dahlen for Burrows no big deal.

 

As far as the seven guys left over and what they hope to do with that, I'm pretty sure with the bottom of the barrels scraps it will be like asking what could Vancouver get for Sbisa, and who wants him anyways?  A third or fourth?  

 

Extra goalies.  Well we already know what Lack was worth on the open market.

 

Shipapchyov who?  What has he done in this league yet?

 

Finally, the Vegas Knights is attempting to create two teams at once with their draft, the NHL team and their development team. A majority of their picks and prospects like all other teams won't make it in the NHL, even more so than previous expansion teams because they start out with better guys, will end up in the AHL.

[IBatch]

14 hours ago, Toyotasfan said:

You gotta wonder if the environment of young 20-25 year old millionaires growing up in Vegas might end up being destructive to some of their careers. They might have the next NHL'r in rehab. Stick a partier similar to S.O'B or Mike Richards there and you'd have a train wreck.

At this point the guys that felt the NHL made a mistake and didn't go to Quebec instead have some strong points to Vegas hockey not doing so well.

A lot of people visit Vegas,  but their core population is around 2 million and their football, baseball, Basketball fans first, with a small demographic existing that watches hockey on TV, mostly imports.  

One of their biggest challenges is the large majority of the work force is at work during normal home game times.  They've worked on changing start times to afternoon games in hopes fans will watch before work, who knows how that will play out.

In the end they have to make fans for life and not rely on tourists watching games because the for comped and have nothing better to do at two in the afternoon.

This isn't Canada where people are nuts about hockey, Vegas has money and the building, but the market isn't a sure thing no matter what Bettman and the Knights are pushing.

And yes Vegas as a distraction was also on the table for reason enough to stay away.  Fluery s gambling was so bad in NYR when he was making over a million a month, and gambling it all late at night..he was the biggest reason why those stacked teams couldn't get it together, his frantic behavior spilled onto the ice, who knows what it was doing behind closed doors.

 

[Wilbur]

4 hours ago, Nuxfanabroad said:

Can even use half the name plate(keep costs down, & all)

Can those savings be applied towards the cap?  You may be onto something here. 

[LAKID]

22 hours ago, bloodycanuckleheads said:

A few things to add...

 

1.  Vegas already has 3 first-round picks this year (and counting).  So, anyone saying that their prospect pool will be terrible is wrong.

2.  Vegas will take 30 players (all of which should be better than the bottom of our line-up).  They don't need that many, so that gives them 6 to 10 players to use as trade-bait.  Just think of how many upgrades/picks/players this will buy them!  Especially when you consider that Vegas is going to load up on good, tradeable defensemen and goalies.

3.  Vegas already has Shipachyov, who will likely score more next year than our top-scorer scored last year.  So, they have better top-end talent than us already.  Plus, just add up all the upgrades they'll be able to make.  You can't claim that they aren't going to have the top-players they need.  They'll be able to get them.  Easily.  If they play their cards right, they should have cap-space to sign another top-end forward or two as a UFA too.

4.  Vegas will be able to take a 4th-string goaltender who is better than our starter.  This means that they will have at least two goalies they can trade (that are worth more than any of our goalies).  So, more upgrades/picks/players added to the pile.

5.  Any deal Vegas makes means that they believe they are getting something BETTER than what they would have gotten.  So, all these mock drafts are just the worst-case scenario.  Vegas can potentially choose packages they like better (than the best player available to them).

6.  Every player Vegas selects will be considerably better than the best player the last expansion teams got (they didn't get anyone who was better than the 13th or 15th best player on their team, whereas Vegas will choose no worse than 12th).  Every single one.  And they'll get more of them too.

 

This is going to be absolutely disgusting.

The Knights will ice a good team with a good coach. The standings will be:

Oilers

Ducks

Sharks

Las Vegas Knights

flames

Coyotes

Canucks

The Canucks have a poor roster and an unproven rookie coach and bad management. The future is not bright unless some house cleaning starts now!