It’s pretty much universally accepted that the Golden Knights front office dominated the Expansion Draft. Not only did they build a team that was good enough to come within three wins of lifting the Stanley Cup, but they acquired a heap of assets to go with it. Since June 21, 2017 though, it’s been a bit bumpier of a road.
I saw a tweet yesterday that got the wheels turning in my mind to go back over some of the worst moves in VGK history. As I did it, I realized just how many good moves have been made since then too. So, this has turned into a two-parter! Today we start with the five do-overs and Saturday we’ll unveil the 5 do-agains.
Here we go…
5) Allowing David Perron to leave in free agency
Following the inaugural season and the subsequent run to the Stanley Cup Final it was clear David Perron had fallen out of favor in some way with the Golden Knights organization. He missed the last week of the season, the first two playoff games against the Kings, then found himself as a healthy scratch for two of the five Winnipeg games and one Stanley Cup Final game.
This seemed to overshadow the fact that Perron was one of the most reliable players on the VGK roster the entire season and offered a unique skillset the team has never replaced. His ability to control the puck in the offensive zone, either at even-strength or on the power play opened up space for his teammates and gave the Golden Knights a different look than their usual transition-oriented attacking style.
It was sold as a rebuilding of the 2nd line due to poor defensive statistics, but it seemed to be more about Perron’s age and health than anything else. He went on to sign a four-year deal with a $4 million AAV in St. Louis that has proven to be a steal of a contract. He has 164 points in 184 games with the Blues, more than Max Pacioretty and Jonathan Marchessault in the same span.
4) Firing Gerard Gallant
It’s tough to rationalize because of the success the Golden Knights have achieved in the regular reason after his dismissal, but it goes beyond just the on-ice success here, and it’s not all Gallant vs. DeBoer.
It’s more about the changes that have been made which have fundamentally transformed the makeup of the team. Where VGK were a loveable bunch of underdogs under Gallant, they’ve become a much more corporate version of an NHL team, expected to win the Cup each and every year, which to this point they haven’t done. Firing Gallant was the beginning of the end of the Golden Misfits, the only group of Golden Knights to reach the Cup Final.
Pete DeBoer has done a masterful job about 95% of the time he’s been with the Golden Knights and the series win over Colorado was massive, but those two eerily similar postseason failures loom large. Firing Gallant was meant to get the Golden Knights over the hump, instead they’ve just found themselves staring at a new hump and with a much different team trying to get over it.
3) Trading Nick Suzuki, Tomas Tatar, and a 2nd for Max Pacioretty
This one is mostly to do with Suzuki more than anything else. The decision to right the wrong that was Tomas Tatar in Vegas (see #1 on this list) was a good one and bringing in Pacioretty has been a success, but it was the choice of prospect to send away to make it happen that makes this move sting so much.
In the 2017 Entry Draft, the Golden Knights selected three players in the Top 15. Cody Glass, Nick Suzuki, and Erik Brannstrom were expected to be the foundation for the future of the Golden Knights, but when the first-year team showed so much promise, the prospects quickly turned into currency.
At the time, Glass and Suzuki were similar prospects. Even if the Canadiens really wanted Suzuki over Glass, the position they were in with Pacioretty likely would have allowed Vegas enough power to choose which prospect was included in the deal. In the end, they clearly chose wrong, and to make matters worse, Suzuki made them pay for it in a Conference Final just two years later.
2) Trading for Robin Lehner
It’s all about the ripple effect with this move. In fact, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with either the player or the contract he was given here, it’s all the situation it forced the Golden Knights to navigate. It was clear the moment the Golden Knights made this move that trouble was on the horizon (don’t believe me, read this, written three hours after the trade deadline).
The Golden Knights always knew they needed to find the next goalie after Fleury, but they jumped the gun. Add in an organization that has had some difficulties with communication and you’ve got a recipe for disaster for everyone involved.
It really has everything to do with Fleury and nothing to do with Lehner. When you have a starting goalie still capable of producing at a Vezina winning level, bringing in competition (or really a replacement) is nuts.
There was so much time and opportunity for the Golden Knights to find Fleury’s successor and it probably still could have been Lehner if they really wanted him. The way the Golden Knights went about it put so many people in a terrible position and it took trading the reigning Vezina winner for nothing to fix it.
1) Trading a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd for Tomas Tatar
Where do I even start with this one?
I guess from the top in saying the deal was unnecessary in the first place. At the time the Golden Knights were the best team in the NHL and were rolling through a season unlike any we’d ever seen in American sports. They had heaps of cap space and a damn good team so they decided to fix an issue that wasn’t even really there.
While it makes sense on paper to add a 30-goal scorer to a team already scoring goals at a rapid pace, hockey is such a fickle game, and tweaking a winning team is always tricky. Then when you add in the absurd overpay the Golden Knights made to get Tatar, it instantly looked like a mistake.
We now know that he would go on to not only not fit into the place in the lineup expected for him, but he’d have a hard time finding his way into the lineup at all. Healthy scratches at different points in the postseason and eventually a trade that landed as #3 on this list put this deal as the runaway champion of VGK GM do-overs.
We put this out on Twitter to get some response from the fans. Here are some of the responses.
Tatar,Tatar,Tatar
— michael dalsky (@rudy7799) August 19, 2021
https://twitter.com/partypurdue/status/1428375826622423044
Still do the asset for picks dump in the first season, as what was originally planned.
— Chad McVean (@Veaner85) August 19, 2021
Has to be the Lehner contract signing. He was a good addition for the weird postseason but I don’t think signing him was the right choice. Created cap space issues, org issues internally, and then having to let go of fleury for nothing is the worst part.
— Ricardo Ledesma (@fearthereaper96) August 19, 2021
Trade the 6 overall I’m 2017 + next years 1st to move up 1 spot and take petterson
— Clayton (@Clayton31410) August 19, 2021
I want to go with the Suzuki trade (should have sent Glass instead), but I think the Fleury contract extension is ultimately my choice. The whole goalie controversy never happens without that extension, imo
— Lita Nadebah Beck (@LitaBeck) August 19, 2021
I think the worst "addition" has to be Tatar? But the worst "loss" was probably Perron? I'm not sure which I would reverse, but it's probably one of those.
— Self: Hey look, a distraction! (@Morning2Knight) August 19, 2021
normbob
Gallant for DeBoer was dumb as was not trading Glass instead of Suzuki. Oh hell, throw in Tatar. One new trade, McCrimmon for anyone else.
Blitz
I think every move since Turk getting fired has been a shit show.
1. Deboer
2. Engelland benched
3. Lehner
4. Petrangelo (need was a center, need is still a center, holy fuck how many years?)
5. Schmitt
6. Cap space garbage
7. 15 man roster game (Deboer hissy fit in the presser = douche)
8. Vezina winning Fleury trade for less than a bag of practice pucks
9. Over pay for Martinez
I am sure I am missing something. Maybe over paying for Janmark last year, but with all the other dumb moves how do they not? Really all these are a snow ball effect of the first. I am good with Martinez on this team, but old guy, several years lots of money, more cap strain etc.
Daryl
My thoughts from your post…
1. PDB… enough said! Every team he’s coached has gone backwards.
2. Benching Engo and not resigning him. I understand he was getting old and slow but other than his Corsi score, he played better and had better numbers than Holden or Merrill. Plus he was only $700k. Instead the resigned Holden to a higher contract only to have him sit on practice squad the entire time. They also wasted money on Reaves new contract. Two horrible moves on a cap tight team.
3. Lehner. It’s not that he is a bad goalie but it was a waste of money. I personally don’t think he is worth $5m but still it wasn’t needed.
4. See above… Petra is a great defenseman but VGK needed a Center or more help with offensive scoring, and not from a defenseman.
8. Most of us the understands hockey knew a goalie had to go. Nobody wanted Lehner so it was obvious MAF was gone. My issue is they basically got rid of him for nothing. I know it was for cap space, but they filled that cap space with players that really won’t help this team.
Richard Santomauro
This Front Office is unfit to lead. They should have AT LEAST got a 1st and 2nd round pick for Fleury.
Tim
Ken the mistakes you pointed out I’ve been saying for years. There finest hour was the expansion draft since then they’ve been chasing there tail to win the almighty cup. Now there hoping Patrick and Howden can save there bacon for the Glass and Suzuki mistakes.I’m still a fan but it’s not our team and with that the energy is gone.We have faceless people replacing the Misfits and are we any better? Say what you want we went to the finals with the Misfits and may never again so what was the better team? More important we were proud of our Misfits now it’s one backstabbing move after another. Having prospects around here is a joke they’ll be long gone to pickup there next over the hill or in Jack Eichels case the next injury plagued player.
DOC (Go Knights Go)
Yea, the McGMs are just a “shit-show”. NOT!
What they have done is put us in the position, as you say Ken, to win the cup each year!
This is season FIVE. Yes, a magical season with the misfits, but that is history now, that’s all.
You all can keep crying about moves you don’t like or act like a fan that supports their team. Those they don’t are merely cry babies!
Pistol Pete
Well said DOC. Never err on the side of the naysayers. I do think Ken’s points are well made though. In hindsight certain moves were not the right ones but like you I feel this team has done a damn good job to be where they are and it would not have happened without the excellent management and ownership.
knights fan in minny
blood on your hero blunder joes hands doccy
THE hockey GOD
blunder joeFlation doesn’t know his butt from a hole in ground, all the dead , illegal alien, cheater ballots, ballot harversters, under age ballot pushers must be having a bad case of buyer’s remorse now (if they have feelings at all for this country)
Pistol Pete
If true all those claims put forth by Trump’s mammoth election fraud legal team would have held up in court but they did not, thrown out across the board in a bipartisan manner. That Trumpists continue to buy the BS is hard to fathom other than they are following a wannabe dictator. What is the first tactic dictators use to win elections by force? Maybe one can guess correctly. Claim election fraud to reverse the results or engage fraud. I have no doubt Trump would do that if so empowered. Won’t work here due to checks and balances in the justice system.
Stephanie
Agree
Pistol Pete
Trump is the most worthless POS POTUS in history. Any administration in history would have developed a COVID vaccine quickly. Trump’s otherwise poor handling of the pandemic cost tens upon tens of thousands of additional lives IMO. At least when Biden reads from teleprompter one knows the guy has studied the material, unlike Trump who never does his homework.
Daryl
For the most part I agree with you on the elections thing, but here’s the problem. Democrats have stated multiple times that there is no evidence that election fraud is as bad as what Trump says it is. And I completely agree but by making that statement they admitted that election fraud does exist. To add to it, they never explained why some ballot sites in democratic locations did some of the very strange things they did, like lock out individuals which isn’t standard practice and wasn’t done in almost any other location. Maybe if they were a little more transparent with the election ballots, there wouldn’t as much conspiracy theories as there are.
As for my opinion of the Presidency… I’m’ someone who voted for Bill Clinton and think he did a decent job, I voted for Obama (1st election) and thought he did a horrible job. I voted for Trump b/c H. Clinton would have destroyed this country. I voted for Trump b/c I think Biden will destroy this country…. and so far he hasn’t let me down.
THE hockey GOD
the courts never heard any evidence, and a number of courts have held it up.
why do you think they are doing audits now in a number of states?
the reason you don’t know what is going on in real life is you watch fake news .
THE hockey GOD
blundering JoeFlastion said “the democratic party build the largest organized fraud operation in history of USA”. We saw it here in NV. hundreds of ballots were dumped at my mailing center. Joe Gloria the chief election official in Clark County refused service , hid in his home for weeks (hard to have court hearing when chief is hiding). A senate hearing in DC about NV election alone found : NV SOS changed to mail in ballots for primary illegally doing an end run around the legislature, under age vote ballots, out of state vote ballots, dead people on register voting, and many more irregularities. The non partisan group found all this out by doing a simple check of the register. The state then purged the register. When asked for questions or any counter claims , the DEMOCRATS on the panel didn’t say a word. They couldn’t because the register is matter of public reviews.
The same thing and more happened in AZ, GA, MI, WI, PA, and parts of TX.
Massive cheating, anyone with a brain knows it.
THE hockey GOD
“Pistol Pete
If true all those claims put forth by Trump’s mammoth election fraud legal team would have held up in court but they did not, thrown out across the board in a bipartisan manner”
Not throw out “across the board”.
There were a half a dozen cases that were not thrown out, and several audits are on going. The fact that you are not informed on the matter proves that you only listen to fake news. MI , GA and AZ judges ruled that audits are to proceed. AZ audit. Also, state legislatures have ordered audits. So far dozens of irregularities have been discovered.
Stephanie
Why do you always bring politics into hockey convos?
Pistol Pete
Oh just poking some fun at the hockey god. He/she always starts the discussion. Perhaps they are really not the right winger they purport to be? Just blowing fake hot air to mix things up lol? Whatever the case I will say hockey god does make some sense on some of the hockey stuff though. Seems bright and creative enough just don’t get the Trumpism espoused by otherwise smart people.
knights fan in minny
to top it off blunder boy joe is going back on his 3 day weekend time for a heart attack
Richard Santomauro
We are led by idiots and have too many idiot sheeple who follow them. Today’s America:
-No such thing as gender
-Debt is good, becoming a millionaire bad
-marginalizing and demonizing a particular race and culture is back in vogue
-communism and socialism is good, capitalism (free markets and competition is bad
-police are bad, criminals just misunderstood
-learning is racist
-there is no such thing as borders or nations
-stealing (up to $999) is tolerated in many cities
-patriotism is bad, spitting and burning the flag is good
-Communist China good (NBA, NIKE all benefiting)
-slave labor with no benefits in China is okay, but in America everything must be FREE (paid for by the most productive in society)
And this is just the short list of madness. Making matters worse is that if you point out the insanity of this stuff the idiot sheeple have no ability to even understand why these things are bad. Generations of sheeple have been indoctrinated in the marxist public education system and by so-called “progressive” (anti-American) professors.
The USA is in an irreversable decline. Enjoy your freedoms while they last.
That’s all the politics you will ever get out of me and I won’t reply to any more of it.
Daryl
@Richard… Well said
Daryl
https://youtu.be/TaBrW6p_sCM
This crapwas funny
Daryl
Most won’t know about this because CNN, MSNBC and the likes won’t report on any of it. Biden and his counterparts are ask trying to stop everything going on in Cali.
BTW, the Taliban is shipping Americans from getting to the airport but clueless Joe thinks he’s still made a deal with then to let people get to the airport
Tim
Doc reality check being in the Pacific division with all 7 other teams rebuilding do you think that had anything to do with our playoff run? The management is not a shit show but clearly since our expansion year they have either overpaid or gave up to many prospects to be no better then we were. Patch 7 million, Perron 4 million plus what we gave up for Patch. The Tatar trade was a joke. We’ll give anyone 2 second round picks anytime for anyone Janmark good example. Would you rather have Haula or Roy, Fleury or Lehner, Notice how other teams are bringing up younger players Hague will be traded Whitecloud was a free agent so our big prospect pool has dealt us Kolesar who couldn’t score in an open net. Will Krebs ever play for the Kinghts thats the 64 thousand dollar question. One last thing when our captain doesn’t have a point in 6 games against Montreal does that tell you they’ve got his number.
DOC (Go Knights Go)
Tim I always respect your posts, but reality check for me on what?
Your post didn’t address anything in mine. And mine had nothing to do with what you said??????????
Blitz
It’s interesting you quoted my “shit show” comment, but completely used it out of context and applied it to gms, when I clearly didn’t say that.
Two weeks tick tock. (of course you have been saying 2 weeks for how many months now)
knights fan in minny
give him hell BLITZ
THE hockey GOD
i think the subject of your lead in sentence is what triggered his statement
“@Blitz
I think every move since Turk getting fired has been a shit show.”
It’s pretty clear from this lead in sentence that you were not talking about the GM but your daily bowel movements and not the VGK FO. Thanks for allowing me to “clean up” that stinky mess.
you are most certainly welcome.
DOC (Go Knights Go)
I wasn’t even talking to and/or about you, pal. But thanks for the shout out, all the same!
Daryl
It’s not always easy to tell who you are talking about with your passive-aggressive posts. It’s always…. i’m not going to call you out directly but I’m going to use what you post to make a reply…
Stephanie
As a fan , youre actually wrong .You can
Not like whatever the hell you want .
Daryl
Everyone,
You should not you are not allowed to speak bad about VGK, the team/coach or management. They do not make mistakes or bad moves, they only do great. If you think otherwise then you are not true Vegas fans…. just ask Dementia Doc
Richard Santomauro
Docs on the Front Office public affairs payroll.
LOL
Spike McAwesome
“At the time, Glass and Suzuki were similar prospects.”
Nonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnsense. Suzuki had the higher hockey IQ, better defensive game, better passing, better touch, and better reads. Glass was a marginally better goal scorer. The front office got this one so far beyond wrong it’s silly. Anyone with half a brain knew this was the wrong prospect to trade.
And the bigger problem with firing Gallant/hiring DeBoer was that Pete Laviolette was available when DeBoer was hired, and he wasn’t even interviewed for the spot. VGK decided to hire someone who hasn’t won a thing over a guy with a Stanley Cup and a Calder Cup under his belt. I still haven’t heard a good justification as to how this happened.
normbob
He was McCimmon’s buddy Not a good justification unless you’re McCrimmon.
Richard Santomauro
These top 5 do overs are solid evidence that this front office is unfit to lead. A grand jury would indict the Splash Brothers for criminal front office misconduct and the jury would unanimously convict them. They both belong on the trash heap.
I don’t think I can add any more commentary to what you so succinctly have articulated Ken. I’ve seen one big boner after another. It didn’t have to play out this way. The bottom line is that this front office took an Stanley Cup finalist and began tearing it apart almost immediately.
I am still a fan but I have to wonder what exactly Bill Foley is thinking. What I am seeing doesn’t seem to line up with his values.
This year I will be also rooting for the ex-Misfits around the league, especially Coach Gallant in NY.
Mc
I think that there is a lot of revisionist history and hindsight on some of these…
Perron – I think that you are forgetting his propensity for horribly-time undisciplined penalties and why he was benched by Gallant.
Gallant – I think that you are forgetting that the team was in a troubling slump trying to preserve a playoff spot and Gallant kept saying that they were playing well and just needed to stick to their game while refusing to make any meaningful changes.
Lehner – I think that that you are forgetting that when the decision was made to trade for Lehner, Fleury was significantly struggling that season (rightfully so as he was dealing with the death of his father). The timing of the acquisition was dictated by the circumstances of the season.
THE hockey GOD
yes a lot of short term memory loss going on here today
so name a pizza joint.
i wanna know
Stephanie
Not revisionist .But im sorry penalties is the reason you give up Perron ? When i mean really???? Do you know how many dumb penalties people made back then? Shea had quite a few
Tim
Stephanie your right and to take the comparison a little further Perron is one tuff dude and how many games has he lost to injury. Compare that with Patches missed time and it’s a no contest. Perron is better and all we had to do is resign him for 4 million instead of giving Montreal Suzuki, Tatar, and a second round draft pick and pay Patch 7 million. The other teams in the league smile when Vegas comes calling because it’s bend over time and who’s got the soap.
Mike StG
Tim, I’m sorry but you’re way off in your comparison of Perron and Patch. I liked David a LOT and wasn’t happy when they let him walk either. In fact if he stayed his number would be on my VGK jersey. But the facts are that until he played in Vegas he had never had a 60 pt season. He averaged more in the 45 pt range prior. That improved after he went back to STL, but his pt production and better plus/minus I would attribute to playing with O’Reilly, a perennial Selke candidate and excellent playmaker.
Patch averaged about 65 pts a season prior to Vegas. He has scored 30+ goals 7 times, Perron had 28G when he was in EDM but has never had a 30G season. Patch is better defensively and was even a top 5 Selke candidate one year. Both David and Patch had over a PPG season last year, and in a full 82 game season Patch was on a pace for 87 pts & 40G. David was on a pace of 85 pts & 28G. David was +6 , Patch was +20. It’s not really even close.
Patch is actually a closer comparison to Tarasenko in his prime before the last 2 yrs – avg 70 pts, mid 30G 5 yrs running.
Mike StG
Also, in the past 7 seasons Patch has missed a total of 45 games. David has missed 49 games. So your narrative that Perron is tougher than Max doesn’t hold up either.
Daryl
Perrom is a stronger player but missing games isn’t about toughness really.
You said Perrom had that one really good season but it was in part to who he played alongside. I’m just curious as to who Patches played alongside if that had any bearing on his goals/points production? I think Perrom would have fit in perfectly with this vgs team and how they play. He could have been a beast down low.
Daryl
Let’s keep those things in perspective… The Perron issue was more about management issues. Yes he made some untimely penalties but so has McNabb and more of them. Both Theo and Petra had a couple bad offensive crashes which led to odd man breaks.
Gallant was a players coach and didn’t really throw his players under the bus…. he was also not liked by management b/c he didn’t kiss their ass. During his short struggle was when he had a few injured players, including MAF and more importantly MAF lost his father which really hurt his performance. There were also a few other coaches who would have been better candidates. I think VGK had a short win streak just before Gallant was fired also.
As for MAF, lets remember he was struggling with an injury and more importantly, he had just lost his father and that really destroyed his play. They should have given him more time off (mandated it). Management jumped the gun on Lehner.
THE hockey GOD
@pistol pete “Oh just poking some fun at the hockey god. He/she always starts the discussion. ”
knights in minny started it, I just replied to his post.
DOC (Go Knights Go)
Once I leave, you people are going to start devouring each other!!
Ha ha, I love it!
Tick ….. tick ….. tick………..
knights fan in minny
dementia doc your wrong again just like your idol dementia joe were going to jump for joy when your gone
knights fan in minny
tick tick tick whats that sound joe blunders head exploding
THE hockey GOD
@ppete “Biden reads from teleprompter one knows the guy has studied the material, unlike Trump who never does his homework.”
Trump inherently knew what was right for the country, doesn’t need a teleprompter or study material in order to come to that conclusion. Biden has MIA since his blunder in AFghanistan. HAsn’t had a press conference. Last time he had one he stumbled his way through it. This past week alone he got lost in White House and didn’t follow secret service who pointed in the right direction. So far in six months he has :
created largest spike in inflation in recent history
upended the energy field
highest gasoline prices in a long time
mismanaged Afghanistan completely giving the enemy billions of military equipment including blackhawks, apache, night vision, cruise missiles, drones, weapons, etc.
can not assure safe passage to airport in Kabul.
created a massive invasion of illegal aliens at our southern border
crime in big cities is out of control
weakened US status in foreign affairs.
All this in a few short months, a disaster. The guy is a walking train wreck.
HE has passed OBAMA and CARTER as worst president in last forty years.
JOE
MUST
GO
JOE
MUST
GO
JOE MUST GO ! Dementia Joe must go.
knights fan in minny
love it thg
DOC (Go Knights Go)
Funny ….. It was poor ole Joe at the podium today.
Where’s fat ass? I thought he was coming back into office today?
The worse president in the history of the USA, (orange man), is GONE. Never to be seen again!!!!!! ha ha ha
Daryl
I guess your dementia is kicking in and you can only remember back to the previous President…. Biden hasn’t been in Office long enough to be considered the worst President, but give it time.
knights fan in minny
stop dementia doc you have it wrong its poor ole dementia joe you wont be missed
knights fan in minny
dont you worry dementia doc the don will be back
Daryl
Here’s a great interview lol. The man is clueless!!!
https://abcnews.go.com/amp/Politics/biden-withdraw-afghanistan-chaos-ensuing/story?id=79507930&__twitter_impression=true
knights fan in minny
that was funny daryl the babbling bumbling idiot strikes again
DOC (Go Knights Go)
A bunch of sorry losers here.
You believe everything the right-wing, rabbit hole media feed you.
You LOST the election and you just can’t handle it!
The good people of this country, kicked out that pathetic excuse of a man!
GONE! POOF!!!! ha ha ha ha ha ha Not a damn thing you can do about it, but whine, lie and live your miserable lives in denial!
WE WON! YOU LOST! WE WON! YOU LOST! lol ha ha ha
knights fan in minny
and you bieleve the cover up channel cnn tells you i will find your new site like i found your twitter account coming to ruin your site your twitter account has the same dumb picture that you use hear you look like blunder joes twin brother
DOC (Go Knights Go)
I’m easy to find all over the internet. Perhaps you should spend some time and find out who I really am, son.
I already know about you!
Hmmmmmmm!
Daryl
That’s funny because the ONLY thing you actually know about me is what I’ve posted on here. Nice try though… spreading more BS just like Clueless Joe.
Both my computer and phone are hidden behind a VPN so you can’t even trace me. But being as old as you are, with your dementia, I seriously doubt you know anything about that.
knights fan in minny
how funny doc your twin brother blunder joe said al quidea is not in afghanistan the pentagon said they were besides have no brain function joe lies to you must be proud of your boy
Daryl
I think he blocked me on Twitter…. he doesn’t show up anymore lol
Daryl
Where you one of those morons who said you would leave this country if Trump was elected??? Talking about lying people with miserable lives… all those who cried SO MUCH when Trump was elected was worth the 4 years we had him. Just imagine how great this country would be right now if so many didn’t lie about leaving if he was ever elected!!!
sb
Number 1, Perron. The knock? Defense. He’s not a 200 ft guy. 2017 scored 48 points at full strength, but only plus 1. So, he’s on the ice for 48 goals for and 47 against. While it isn’t a minus, our top point producers are around plus 20. I’m not thrilled with a guy putting up 48 points and giving up 47. No. 2, Gallant or Deboer. Both good coaches. I seem to remember when Turk was here, most commentors to this site hated him and blamed him for everything. Short memories. Number 3, Suzuki for Pac. Well, you gotta give up a great to get a great. Pac was Montreal’s captain. GM’s done a great job moving out Haula, Perron and Neal for Stone, Pac and Stephenson. Number 4, Lehner. Agreed. At the trade deadline, the need was for a good back up, not a starter. What Vegas needed was a Number center. That should have been JG Pageau at $5 million. Shoulda gone after Pageau, Miller or Anderson to back up MAF. Number 5, Tatar. Right on. A mistake. Wrong guy. Let’s offset this with stealing Chandler S. for $2.75 million. McCrimmon, McPhee and Foley the best, most successful MGT team over the past four years. What they have accomplished in four short years has never been done before in N. American sports. And all you guys do is complain, complain and complain. Shameful how you guys treat our Managers and Owner. Shameful.
Richard Santomauro
I feel zero shame. I have my own personal opinion about the FO, DeBoering and some of the moves they’ve made. As more than just a fan, a season ticket holder, I feel zero shame and have that much more of a right to criticize.
It’s going to take a Stanley Cup or a significant improvement in almost every area of hockey statistics along with another run to the semifinals.
Personally, I think the most improved team in the Pacific are the Kings. Winning the Pacific is not going to be easy. The road to the semifinals is going to be tougher this year. I believe we will make the playoffs, but I have seen absolutely nothing in the moves made this off season to make me feel that VGK is a solid cup contender.
Krebs, Patrick, Howden could change my mind if they are given a shot. But we probably won’t see much of Krebs. FO will probably float him as trade bait at the deadline. I hope not.
Daryl
You talk about Perron and his defense yet they just signed 3 players who are -100 combined. That is where the money for MAF went.
I do remember a few on here complaining about Turk but most of those complaining are not here any longer. For the most part, we were behind Turk even during that short span when the team was really hurting.
And I disagree with you on moving out Haula, Perron and Neal for Pac, Stone and Stephenson. Those weren’t exactly moves to get them out to bring the others in. I like Stephenson’s pickup but he has played better than anyone has expected. Stone is too emotional for me and is a no-show in the playoffs. Neal was getting old but probably would have been a good pickup for a couple more years.
VGK has looked great but I honestly believe if they played in any other conference, things would have turned out completely different. The Pacific is a joke of a conference and has been for the past 5 years or so. But as for as that first year, while Mgt did a good job of picking players, I think it was more of the attitude of those players. That all had something to prove. I also think the way the Expansion Draft was put together, many teams, like Minn (Haula,Tuch), Ducks (Theo) and Florida (Smith March) really helped VGK get some of the players they did.
After the first year, I give management a negative report. Their biggest concern is, as you stated, a Center, but they’ve done everything but. They needed a backup goalie and screwed that up. They gave Holden and Reaves a raise which was a mistake. Most, including myself, felt the Suzuki move was a very bad move. They also let Gusev go for nothing. As for trading for nothing, they traded MAF to clear up cap space but then used that money on wasted players
Dylan Barmmer
Super Greedy and Deeply Impatient Spoiled and Entitled A-Hole Owner. Cares not one bit about the community nor the great VGK fans. All $$$$ and EGO. Sad, really. He sucks. Already ruined a beautiful thing…in under five years!
Victor
Fleury was the scapegoat to the Conference Final exit against the Habs last season but the Knights needed a goalie with the aging of Fleury. The Knights blew out their cap sace with Petrangelo, Stone, and Karlsson. As for DeBoer he was the scapegoat for the declining Sharks. If the Knights want to raise the cup this season, the team as a whole will need to stay consistent for the run! Don’t knock DeBoer…..
Richard Santomauro
DeBoering – is exactly that – a boring coach and I don’t think the players respect him very much. I am still pissed about them discharging Gallant.
Yeah, I said it. My opinion. If you don’t like it don’t lay a comment on top of it. Not going to change my mind.
Hockey logic
If Kuemper can stay healthy, watch out for the Avs.