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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on May 20, 2018 18:41:30 GMT -5
Gerard Gallant was quite humble in victory when he said that they knew Nashville took a lot out of Winnipeg and that contributed to Vegas winning the series ... major respect points with me for that one ... as for the Golden Knights, I don't know ... I'm not on the Vegas-to-the-Cup bandwagon ... I think it's a good story, but at the same time I'm perplexed at how good a team they were able to assemble ... and they have some talent in their system, as well ... George McPhee knew what he was doing but I'm still confused how they got so good so fast ... they haven't taken the foot off the pedal since their inaugural game ... stands to reason they may be a better team next year ... maybe we should pool our money and ... never mind ...
Cheers.
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on May 20, 2018 19:11:49 GMT -5
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Post by CentreHice on May 20, 2018 19:13:31 GMT -5
Vegas seems to have played this entire year with something to prove....as they were all deemed "castaways" for various reasons.
"Salary dump" was part of it, I presume, so that's gonna give you some pretty good players.
Add the "something to prove", and they're on a mission. Good mindset.
Dis---thanks for posting what Gallant said about the Preds taking a lot out of the Jets. Nobly correct!
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Post by drkcloud on May 20, 2018 19:19:37 GMT -5
Playoff hockey is never a bad thing and the Finals always hold appeal for hockey enthusiasts, but Vegas-Tampa really does not do much for me. No doubt Bettman is delighted -- south, no taxes, no tradition. I agree. A Vegas-Tampa final is just not “must watch” tv for me. Despite the fairy tale story, i wont be watching and I'm rapidly losing interest in the nhl... at some level its kind of a joke that a team of castoffs could go this far. I cant believe that young hockey fans have never seen a Canadian team cup win, never mind a Canadien cup win. And the league could not care less about fans like myself who used to watch ALL the games. Rather create a Vegas spectacle than hockey tradition. Good for them.. it appears to be a success thus far. Wont get my interest, dollars, nor tv viewership though |
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Post by blny on May 20, 2018 21:21:54 GMT -5
So what lesson does this teach other teams? That your best chance at having a competitive team is to be a brand new franchise? There's no doubt the Knights were given a competitive advantage over previous expansion clubs. One could argue those clubs have a right to be upset. However, you still have to pick the right pieces. GMGM did a pretty masterful job moving the chess pieces around. And, you still have to bring the club together and have them gel. The best team on paper isn't always the best team. Gallant and McPhee made sure to put together a team that plays up tempo for 60 minutes. They skate you hard. Every shift. Guys like Laine looked slow vs them. They've got a goalie who's on a mission. MAF is playing the best hockey of his career. He's 33, and appears to have lots of life in him at the moment. Perhaps they're a team that's greater than the sum of the parts, but there are some damn good parts. |
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Post by Skilly on May 21, 2018 7:14:05 GMT -5
The big loser is all this is the 32nd team. Whether it be Seattle or Quebec, I think the NHL now realizes that the expansion rules would be better for 2 team expansion not one team expansion. A lot of team made mistakes on their protection lists, and a lot of teams did it based purely on cap implications, but those mistakes are minimized hugely when they are spread over two teams ... These kind of players were not available in past expansion drafts and the NHL should have realized protecting 8 would not enough. Then again, maybe they wanted a great team in Las Vegas tout-de-suite
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Post by franko on May 21, 2018 10:57:09 GMT -5
The big loser is all this is the 32nd team. Whether it be Seattle or Quebec, I think the NHL now realizes that the expansion rules would be better for 2 team expansion not one team expansion. A lot of team made mistakes on their protection lists, and a lot of teams did it based purely on cap implications, but those mistakes are minimized hugely when they are spread over two teams ... These kind of players were not available in past expansion drafts and the NHL should have realized protecting 8 would not enough. Then again, maybe they wanted a great team in Las Vegas tout-de-suite that kind of thinking suggests that the NHL brass thinks. |
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Post by Willie Dog on May 21, 2018 10:58:17 GMT -5
So what lesson does this teach other teams? That your best chance at having a competitive team is to be a brand new franchise? It teaches them to play a system that is best suited to the talent you have... systems coaches are dead in this league... the ability to adapt to your personnel is key. |
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Post by Willie Dog on May 21, 2018 11:01:46 GMT -5
Vegas seems to have played this entire year with something to prove....as they were all deemed "castaways" for various reasons. "Salary dump" was part of it, I presume, so that's gonna give you some pretty good players. Add the "something to prove", and they're on a mission. Good mindset. Dis---thanks for posting what Gallant said about the Preds taking a lot out of the Jets. Nobly correct! It was the teams who gave up young ELC/< 2mill players that are to blame for not evaluating talent well enough... the only salary dumps on Vegas were Fleury and Neal I think. |
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Post by folatre on May 21, 2018 13:32:21 GMT -5
I would also say Florida parted ways with Marchessault and Reilly Smith for financial reasons. Florida simply had buyer's remorse on the contract they gave Smith and jumped at the chance to dump him for a pick. Panthers did not protect Marchessault because after he scored 30 goals they decided his next contract would not fit in their salary structure (self-imposed $64-65 million cap).
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Post by folatre on May 21, 2018 20:52:14 GMT -5
Vasilevskiy is standing on his head, but credit to Washington because in reality without some luck Vasilevskiy would have been picking two or three pucks out of the back of his net through two periods tonight.
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Post by jkr on May 21, 2018 21:28:10 GMT -5
I would also say Florida parted ways with Marchessault and Reilly Smith for financial reasons. Florida simply had buyer's remorse on the contract they gave Smith and jumped at the chance to dump him for a pick. Panthers did not protect Marchessault because after he scored 30 goals they decided his next contract would not fit in their salary structure (self-imposed $64-65 million cap). When I watch Florida games & see all those empty seats I wonder how many people there know or care how their team is being run. Quality players are dropped for little or no return & a strong coach is dumped in a bush league manner. Every time I see a Panthers home game I ask myself, how is this sustainable? . |
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Post by jkr on May 21, 2018 21:30:05 GMT -5
Smith - Pelly with a goal to make it 2-0. He's also had 2 huge hits, particularly on Girardi.
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Post by blny on May 21, 2018 21:31:32 GMT -5
I would also say Florida parted ways with Marchessault and Reilly Smith for financial reasons. Florida simply had buyer's remorse on the contract they gave Smith and jumped at the chance to dump him for a pick. Panthers did not protect Marchessault because after he scored 30 goals they decided his next contract would not fit in their salary structure (self-imposed $64-65 million cap). VGK told Florida if you want us to take Reilly Smith we want Marchessault. The Panthers were so eager to get rid of Smith they gave away a 30g scorer. |
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2018 21:50:24 GMT -5
Smith - Pelly with a goal to make it 2-0. He's also had 2 huge hits, particularly on Girardi. Caps have been leaning hard on the Bolts all night. They'll need to keep up that physicality in game 7 |
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Post by folatre on May 21, 2018 21:52:03 GMT -5
I agree. Off the top of my head I cannot even think who owns the Panthers. But their attendance is really poor and it was not a secret last summer that management was operating under orders to stay approximately 10 million under the cap.
I am not an expert, but my suspicion would be it is only sustainable because of revenue sharing.
Regarding Marchessault, you describe it accurately blny. But I think Florida's management was already looking into their internal budget influenced crystal ball and said well since we are not going to pay Marchessault in the summer 2018 what he has earned then we may as well bait the hook so Vegas helps us be cheap (and foolish).
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Post by seventeen on May 21, 2018 23:36:49 GMT -5
I have never had a high opinion of McPhee's abilities. His previous stint with Washington was hardly filled with the equivalent of Oscars. I think he lucked out a lot with Vegas. He had teams like Florida cutting costs and no other GM's smart enough to get ahead of him and scoop up these guys. Could Montreal have traded something for Reilly Smith or Marchessault? Course, our pro scouts probably didn't like them. Didn't Minny give up Tuch for Vegas to pick Haula? Then Pittsburgh had their goalie dilemma, so Vegas ends up with a better goalie than 2/3 of the teams in the league. Gallant becomes available because Florida was a train wreck for a while. Like I said....luck.
And in these playoffs....any injuries to Vegas? Nice of Nashville to grind Winnipeg and give Vegas a little helping hand (not too much, Vegas earned a lot of their success). But it doesn't take much to make a large difference. Enstrom came back at the wrong time IMO. He wasn't ready yet, was out of shape, out of timing, yet he was a veteran and it's hard to keep him out.
I hate teams from the US south. They have no connection to hockey at all, yet they've been winning more Cups than any Canadian teams and they'll do it again this year.
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Post by Cranky on May 22, 2018 5:19:58 GMT -5
I like Vegas as a fairy tale story but like all fairy tales, be careful when the clock strikes.
Don't be surprised if they collapse. I'm not saying they are, but I wouldn't bet the house on them. That sum-greater-the-parts can fall apart at the seems if they fall two games behind.
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Post by folatre on May 23, 2018 19:50:18 GMT -5
Wow, did Coburn used to be a lot tougher than he is now? Wilson beat him up bad there.
I know a guy like Coburn was just trying to show Tampa means business in that earlier scrum in the paint and obviously he was trying to light a fire with the fight. But frankly Tampa is just not a tough team, it is not their identity, and they do not seem to be more effective when they get focused on being physical.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 23, 2018 20:59:56 GMT -5
Looks like our last second round pick this year will be either 61st or 62nd.
Only one team showing up so far tonight.
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Post by CentreHice on May 23, 2018 21:40:07 GMT -5
Tough series for the Caps....wonder if Vegas will benefit once again from a somewhat depleted opponent.
Bolts win 3 in a row to take the series lead...then get shutout in the final two games.
Inexcusable with all that talent, regardless of Holtby.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 23, 2018 21:47:32 GMT -5
The next fairy tale will either be Vegas or Ovie.
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Post by franko on May 23, 2018 21:49:07 GMT -5
Ovie wins his Cup in 5.
and yup, there I go discounting Vegas again.
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Post by Willie Dog on May 23, 2018 21:51:23 GMT -5
Tough series for the Caps....wonder if Vegas will benefit once again from a somewhat depleted opponent. Bolts win 3 in a row to take the series lead...then get shutout in the final two games. Inexcusable with all that talent, regardless of Holtby. This most likely cost Cooper his job. |
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Post by Willie Dog on May 23, 2018 21:52:34 GMT -5
Ovie wins his Cup in 5. and yup, there I go discounting Vegas again. Vegas in 6... although I do want Ovie & Eller to win a cup |
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 23, 2018 21:53:16 GMT -5
Game 1 is in Vegas on Monday night.
There will be a first time Cup champ this year.
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Post by folatre on May 23, 2018 22:02:08 GMT -5
Willie, it could be. Yzerman went all in grabbing McDonagh at the deadline. It will probably depend on how close the core of Stamkos, Kucherov and Hedman feel to Cooper. In this day and age, players have a great deal more control and sometimes even de facto veto power over decisions than in the old times so no doubt Yzerman will probably have some conversations and take the pulse of the situation before doing anything precipitous.
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2018 23:00:19 GMT -5
Cheering for Ovie and Eller all the way.
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Post by seventeen on May 23, 2018 23:48:57 GMT -5
Cheering for Ovie and Eller all the way. Me too, which probably guarantees a Vegas win. |
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Post by Dschens on May 24, 2018 2:08:04 GMT -5
Sin City in 6. They've got the easiest path to the SC final, are rested and that's enough.
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