The Golden Knights have won just two of their last eight games. In them, they’ve been shutout twice, scored a single goal in another, and have mustered just 15 goals in total.
Simply put, scoring has been a massive problem.
We had some good looks, but you’ve got to stick it in the net. You’ve got to give the goalie some credit but we’ve got to get some scoring. We were the benefit of depth scoring to begin the season that won us games and tonight we were on the wrong side of that. -DeBoer
Vegas is 8-9-4 since the calendar flipped to 2022 and they’ve looked every bit of it on the ice. Each and every night there are long stretches of hockey where they fail to look dangerous. However, even when they do, they aren’t putting the puck in the net.
I think there’s always solutions and things you can do better but I do think it’s execution. We’ve got some guys in extended slumps here. When you’ve got Stone and Pacioretty out of the lineup you can’t have multiple guys going double-digit games without chipping in a goal. -DeBoer
He’s talking about players like Evgenii Dadonov (15 games), Nic Roy (15 games), William Karlsson (8 games), and Brett Howden (8 games), forwards who are all mired in long slumps, but also Shea Theodore (14 games), Nic Hague (11 games), and Alex Pietrangelo (8 games) who haven’t been adding offense from the blue line either.
Vegas’ offense is built on two styles of play. The first is scoring in transition, something they’ve always done well and still do when they get opportunities. In the last eight games, eight of the Golden Knights’ 15 goals have come in transition.
The other way is utilizing low-to-high play in the offensive zone to utilize their glut of offensive-minded defensemen. Vegas work hard to gain possession in the zone, then feed it back out to the points or high-slot to allow players like Pietrangelo, Theodore, Hague, and Coghlan to fire shots through or pick out passes to break down the defense. Of the last 15 goals, a total of one has been scored this way, and it was done in a 6-on-5 situation last night with Vegas already trailing by four.
Just two of the Golden Knights’ last 15 goals have come against an even-strength defense that Vegas broke down with passing. Jack Eichel was at the heart of the nicest one.
It’s not like we aren’t getting shots. We’re getting pucks to the net but we are one and done in the o-zone. We can’t create momentum with shift after shift. I don’t know exactly what it is but we are all trying to find it right now. Maybe we’re being a little too static. We’re getting a lot of pucks back to the point and pucks to the net but we’ve got to work. We’ve got to get pucks through traffic because teams are blocking shots. It’s tough hockey this time of year. -Eichel
Eichel has been on the ice with the Golden Knights for just seven games, yet he’s already seeing some of the same issues that have plagued them for each of the past three seasons (and especially postseasons).
I just think we need to dig deeper and maybe be a little less predictable. Teams are packing it in. They know pucks are going to the net and they’re either fronting it or blocking it. We have a lot of really good defensemen that can create a lot, and as forwards we are trying to get the puck back to them and work with them as a unit but it seems like we are a little bit off right now in connecting with plays. -Eichel
The word predictable is the one that jumps off the page in Eichel’s response. Opposing teams know exactly what the Golden Knights are trying to achieve in the offensive zone, and without Max Pacioretty’s elite shooting and Mark Stone’s playmaking, Vegas simply can’t find a way to solve the puzzle. And, a player who has played just seven games with his new team already feels the frustration of this predictability.
Despite how it feels, the Golden Knights are still in a good position to make the playoffs, but, if they are going to improve on that position, or more importantly do anything with it when they get there, they have to start generating more offense when they have extended zone time.
It was a problem in the Bubble, it was a problem last season in the playoffs, and it’s a huge problem now.
Frank
Simply put… VGK need to score 3 or more to win. Lehner is not stealing any games for them, nor is Brossoit sadly…..
Drew
Frank, you are an idiot
Daryl
He might be, but he is also correct
Mary S Dalton
He’s not an idiot Lehner is past his prime like Rask and Fleury. Plus Eichel is a player that disrupts locket rooms not builds them up. He pitted the young players against the vets and was the coaches favorite and that decided the team.
THE hockey GOD
Mary S Dalton
How do you know this ?
References please.
Faith
Exactly. Bad trades to boot.
VGK Fan
Frank you are correct here is a FACT not an Opinion.
When VGK scores 2 goals
16 losses 1 Win
Richie-Rich
The fact is, VGK has to score at least 4 goals against the top 10 teams in this league. 4+, not 3.
Galdom
Also sad is that Lehner and Brossoit can’t score goals.
Daryl
They can’t stop a puck going in their own net what makes you think they could put one in the other teams net?
VGK Fan
Gladom, You are correct that is same reason we lost to Montreal. MAF wasn’t able to play on the Power Play.
LOL
Galdom
I think they have three options and I’m curious to see which route they will go.
Option 1) stay the course with this roster for the season and do nothing substantial at the trade deadline and do not give up anymore future. Give the players themselves a chance to get themselves out of it. Improve within. this is the option that I think they should proceed with.
Option 2) be aggressive at the trade deadline and continue to go for it all by landing a big fish like Claude Giroux.
Option 3). Start to tear it down and get some assets to replenish the future of this team beginning with trading Riley Smith.
Daryl
I think they will take option 2, which will be a mistake
Galdom
Agreed. I believe that will be the option they will pick as well. Option two.
Pistol Pete
Galdom, Forsberg in the biggest fish but would be a major cap hit to acquire him. Imo it’s feasible if Pacioretty is washed up with injuries. If I’m not mistaken Forsberg is a lower cost rental then Giroux, however Giroux is 34 and Forsberg is 27. Let’s see if Nashville can agree to what Forsberg wants. This season is a breakout for him. Previous seasons are decent but not as strong as this one which may be why Nashville wants to pay him less than he wants. He would make a great LW for Eichel. Stone is another big cap hit whose future is uncertain. With both Pacioretty and Stone questionable career wise, if in fact they really are, causes one to wonder if a big acquistion is imminent.
Chad
Problem is they are under contract and probably are worth anything to most teams. So they are stuck with the issue of cap. Even if they release them they are counted against cap unless retire. They can’t land Claude or anyone else that has big contract as they would have to give up players that teams actually want and probably draft picks in order to move players and ruin future of team. I mean right now the farm team looks avg at best because they trade too young talent for the all stars now. An overhaul of the team from top is needed. To many injury plagued players that were over paid for. But pay for what was thought to be rangerovers become Prius. Chemistry is way off to many chiefs not enough Indians and coaching doesn’t adapt to changes. The premodonas on this team need to get tougher and funny how the new player hasn’t been here long and is calling out the issues.
Kevin
If it’s a roster issue, then they need to make moves. Ability-wise, on paper this team is stacked…except for in-net. The on-paper roster just isn’t on the ice, and that’s the injuries. Are they a fragile group of players? A big chunk of those injuries are serious … it’s not small stuff … so not too sure ‘fragile’ is fair. But it does mean it’s different people on the ice virtually every game, which leads to …
If it’s a chemistry issue, that just takes time to plan out. There is definitely some of that. Eichel’s had some good passes that aren’t being handled. There are a LOT of examples in the sports world of good players needing time to gel, and having super strong teams right after a period of learning/mediocrity. We might not have it now in this season, but give it time. If you were around in the 80s, Magic Johnson humiliated the Lakers in his first year because no one expected his no-look passes. When Brady went to Tampa, they got Gronk because he already knew how Brady thinks. Again, we just gotta give it time, and honestly, we might not see it this season.
If it’s a strategy thing, then that’s coaching. Defense strategy seems to be OK … the 1-1-3 seems to be working for the most part. Offense, not so sure. Bad 5-4 and now bad 5-5 … that’s NOT a coincidence. See Ken’s article. Perhaps they can adapt a simpler strategy that allows for any player to play on any shift, and not a strategy where it needs to be the same 3 forwards in order for it to work.
Just some immediate thoughts after reading the article..
Pistol Pete
Kevin thanks for your thoughts. Looking forward to you posting more often.
Howard
Ya, “predicable” is cycling back to point for D man to take a wasted shot that’s normally blocked high, sometimes resulting in a rush the other way. It’s Deboer’s flawed system. PDB’s system will never win a Cup.
Injuries piling on now because PDB insists on all his players blocking everything. He ruined NJD and SJS like this, just ask their fans.
The only team I’ve seen in the last 20 years to win a Cup that was somewhat similar to VGK here are The 2012 La Kings.
While RL can be better, he’s not the main issue here. The common denominator is PDB’s flawed system. Pete needs to be ‘let go,’ PERIOD.
Pete
It is the coaching staff in my view. I grew up a Devils fan who moved to Vegas for school. I still follow the Devils so I had experience rooting for a DeBoer coached team with the Devils. His coaching is especially concerning when you consider that he traditionally flip flopped goalies between Brodeur and Cory Schneider with the Devils, now the same thing was done in the playoffs even with Lehner and Fleury. Okay, now Fleury is gone, but still you cannot play goalie musical chairs especially in the playoffs like we tried to do last season.
Then, you consider the lack of performance on home ice. During the first couple of seasons under Gallant, the Fortress was a feared place to play and we had one of the best home records in the league. This year under DeBoer, we have more road wins than home wins and that is unacceptable. Gallant was fired after a year where we went to the Cup final, then lost in playoffs , and then was fired midway through year 3. We have not made it back to the Cup finals in the years under DeBoer, the team has looked lackadaisical on home ice, and while injuries are a factor this season, does anyone have any confidence DeBoer can bring Vegas a cup? After all, he never has won a Cup, and his career arc seems to be the same throughout. His teams do well early on, then, after goalie switches and his coaching, they fall off and he eventually is fired as he was in Florida, NJ, and San Jose.
It’s the coaching in my view as we have one of the most individually talented squads in the league, but as Eichel has mentioned, they have trouble connecting.
DocDG
THANK YOU, THANK YOU THANK YOU. you are 100% right.
We desperately need a coaching change but there is another even bigger problem.
Since Kelley McCrimmon seems to be incapable of admitting that he ever made a mistake we will be stuck with the blunders he has made until he is sent back to the Western Hockey League where he belongs.
Blunder #1 Firing Gallant and hiring PDB.
Blunder #2 Giving an 11 year veteran goalie with a lifetime best record of 25W 13L 5 OTL and a history of not being able to stay on the ice for a full season a ridiculous contract that we can’t unload. And somehow thinking that he will lead us to a Stanley cup.
Blunder #3 Giving away one of the best goalies in the league for NOTHING.
The next problem he has created with his mismanagement is fan based.
I have had the same season tickets since day 1, most of the people around me have also been in the same seats as long as I have. This year I still go to every game but for the last couple of months been amazed to see almost no season ticket holders showing up for games. Counting me and my wife, last night there were only 6 of us out of the 30 seats surrounding us, the game before that there was only 1 other than us. A company I do business with has about 100 tickets a game they planned to use for promotions. This year they can’t give them all away so they are sending them to Nellis for use by Air Force members. When I talk to random fans going into or out of games there is no anger against the players, it is focused on management that has screwed up the team and bad coaching that can’t get the performance that the players we do have are capable of.
If you have been paying attention you might have noticed that the team is now offering a ticket package for the last several games of the season. They have never had to do something like that before. You also might have noticed that there is no longer any advertising for “The Can’t Wait List”.
To me this indicates that the fan base agrees with me that McCrimmon’s blunders and PDB’s coaching have gone a long way to damage the love affair that was created in season 1. In my opinion Bill Foley needs to fix this problem quickly.
Richie-Rich
I am with you 100%. A season ticket holder since year 1. I’ve been picking and choosing games. I have a blown out knee so it is difficult for me to get up and down to my seat, not to mention the walk from my vehicle.
I will have a partial knee replacement 1 April and hope I can get to the 24 April game.
McCrimmon’s a bad chess player and only a few moves left before he is checkmated. His legacy is in junior hockey and that is where he belongs. He has destroyed the chemistry of this team, made it older, and definitely more boring.
Mike StG
I think the oft overlooked and dismissed reason and biggest factor is found in the text of Ken’s piece:
“… and without Max Pacioretty’s elite shooting and Mark Stone’s playmaking, Vegas simply can’t find a way to solve the puzzle.”
They can’t do it without them. They don’t have the elite talent on the team to compensate for their loss. It will either get better when they return, or possibly when they bring a comparable player in at TD to fill in (assuming that one or both are out until next year).
Daryl
While I agree, your need more than 1 line to win. Even with those guys, VGK isn’t winning as the rest of the team isn’t performing. And who’s to say they will win with those guys? They’re is talent in the team right now and it isn’t working
Pistol Pete
Mike StG I agree it’s harder to score enough without Pacioretty and Stone. I think Eichel makes up for at least one of them and note below my lineup putting Marchy and Smith up with him. That could pack more scoring punch than the current Dadonov and Stephenson. Stephenson should center the third as had been assumed if Pacioretty and Stone were playing.
Blitz
Definitely the team would be better with stone and patches, but you also have to give up 7+ million dollars of something. So it is not that simple. Plus adding Eichel has caused an issue that there is no one to play with him, other than Patches. They need one more guy. I think Stone is a bad fit on the Eichel line (maybe the PP). You could probably run stone/stephenson/dadinov, as a L2/L3 and put patches w/ Eichel, but there still is that other wing that they just don’t have a valid guy for.
Daryl
Some seem to forget that to add Eichel someone else major was going to have to move. We have no idea who that person would have been. Stone getting injured prevented that move, for the time being.
I also agree with you that Stone on the Eichel line doesn’t make sense to me. For one, I think he is too slow and doesn’t match up well. I like Smith’s speed but his passing would come into play. I really thought Stephenson would work but not so far.
THE hockey GOD
McNab left in period 2 last night, he got crunched behind his own net. Another man down.
The ESPN broadcast team was one of the best I have heard all season. They were parroting many of my comments throughout the night. Especially their excellent discourse on rebound control. They were spot on in many other areas. Messier and Chelios. Both HOFers, who know what they are talking about.
Daryl
More excuses was all I read from you… We all know rebound control isn’t real
THE hockey GOD
another spin out comment out of nowhere
off your ADD meds again Gomer ??
Daryl
Excuses
Excuses
Excuses
Can’t wait to hear the next one
THE hockey GOD
hypocrite all YOU post are excuses
Blitz
@THG I liked the ESPN broadcast team as well last night.
knights fan in minny
levy is good the other 2 were boring
Matthew Gordon
I thought Chelios was drunk for sure. Levy was throwing shade at him if you knew what to look for.
the REAL TS..REALLY!
Yeah, the guys in the booth were having a little TOO MUCH FUN. “When in Vegas, baby…”! It WAS an entertaining broadcast, though!
the REAL TS..REALLY!
I do realize they were in cali….
FG
If the playoffs were to open today, Vegas would not make it. Although it may be hopeful since their remaining strength of schedule is very low, it’s difficult to see them winning a majority of their games. From an analytic perspective check out JFresh’s‘tweet today and Dom’s team analytics.
Tim Herron
I personally want to see them bottom out. Better now n rebuild around Eichel. Lose the dead weight. Mccrimmon dismantled team, needs to go.
Foley needs to grow some balls n speak up. Special teams person in charge needs to go. Eichel came from this crap, do not waste his talent here. Marchy hinted at dissension in locker room which is very bad sign. ANYONE UNHAPPY OR CAUSING IT NEEDS TO GO. It dragged Buffalo down a cesspool its still trying to get out of. Clean the locker room now or this city WILL have a loser team for yrs ahead.
THE hockey GOD
@ Tim Herron, Foley doesn’t have time to do that. Foley is from Texas, he , like most of “unsophisticated” fans are clueless about hockey.
Daryl
That’s right, unless you are from Canada, you are clueless about hockey
THE hockey GOD
clueless and useless again, I am not from Canada. I was born in good ole USA. GOMER
ROFLAMO get lost you clueless redneck stalker !
Daryl
I never said you were from Canada…. So in your own words, don’t put words in my mouth. You comment all the time about what Canadian announcers say and how much more knowledge they are over US announcers.
It’s called reading comprehension, something you obviously failed in school
THE hockey GOD
I never said you said I was from Canada, moron. Learn to read.
You are one putting words in MY POST
You are 12 year clueless, perverted STalker piece of lying shit. You are not even a VGK FAN, you live in CAROLINA and are a Fluery butt licker PENS FAN. You don’t even BELONG on this forum. Get lost clueless redneck stalker
Daryl
It’s all because of the bad ice isn’t it?
THE hockey GOD
BREAKING NEWS
From The Regina Leader-Post ,the daily newspaper of Regina, Saskatchewan, news beat writer , Aurora Victoria Vanlandingham:
The Regina city counsel just had a vote to
(in background from ER over heard Dr. Moe ‘MORE COTTEN, the patient
is in remission)
propose the west side Crittendon Curling center into a hockey rink and winter wonderland. Mayor Sandra Masters “We understand that the Vegas hockey team may soon relocate, and we hope they come; the city will welcome it’s new team the Regina Purple ()aginas with open arms. By initiating this proposal now it will provide plenty of time. We even have a sponsor the SUNNY BOY FOODS Winter Wonderland Community Centre”
(MORE COTTON- Dr Fine in back ground)
Duncan Leo McGregor, farmer and owner of the Crabapple Corner Farmer’s Market and Family Diner had this to say ” Oh boy, what a glorious opportunity. Our family farm juts right up to that old curling rink. I’m rrr thinking that we can save ourselves a lot of work and gravel over that wheat field and turn it into a parking lot. We’d charge friends and neighbors half for parking the car. Eh ?”
(MORE COTTON Dr Howard in background)
Richie-Rich
Correct me if I am wrong, but I see a total of 7 Bruins on the ice in that photo in this post!
Daryl
Which photo… Only photo I see is of pre-game
Chris
Its the warmup man. Count VGK. They are stretching.
THE hockey GOD
i see the problem now, need an eye test ?
look at the photo closely .
Bryce
Tired of watching night after night of our high paid so-called superstars failing to score points. Its really frustrating watching the elite teams in the NHL look so great when they play VGK, the passes, the plays, their stars all looking head and shoulders better than us, while we run around looking like an amateur team helter skelter with no rhyme or reason! I turned off the TV ESPN last nite after about 20 shots didn’t come close, either wide by 2 to 3 ft or over the net by the same without someone touching it. It just seems like we have a bunch of individual stars who don’t want to be a team. One and gun VGK!!
Pistol Pete
Is it time to try Marchy and Smith with Eichel?
Assuming Janmark is playing:
Marchessault/Eichel/Smith
Janmark/Karlsson/Dadonov
Carrier/Stephenson/Kolesar
Rondbjerg/Roy/Howden
Without Janmark, move Carrier up and fill with Amadio. What I like is the center depth with Stephenson on the third and Roy on the fourth. Stephenson better as center. Idea is for Marchy and Smith to score with Eichel.
Galdom
I’d like to see that
Richie-Rich
Lowest point in Golden Knight history.
Shameful performance and even more shameful fans throwing trash on the ice.
https://twitter.com/SinBinVegas/status/1499602660541960196?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1499602660541960196%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thepuckers.com%2FWATCH-Fans-Throw-Garbage-on-T-MOBILE-arena-ice-104077%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3WLENUt_yjE4Kzxo6qqjccBEc3_-fZ1jBrpt1U3hWOivUTkYDSGL499jg
Galdom
Wow!!!!
Howard
Really? Fans were throwing hats because the Bruins player scored a hat trick.
Daryl
Exactly, how dare Bruins fans throw hats on the ice when one of their own gets a hat trick!!!!
VGK Fan
As season ticket holder for the past 4 years this year has less energy in the building than any prior year. The lower bowl has had more empty seats than I can remember with the exception of a handful of games.
Chris
I consider it trashy, but that was actually the Bruin fans throwing hats on the ice for Craig Smith’s hat trick.
Vlad
Too bad Vegas didn’t draft Suzuki. He’s lighting it up in Montreal
Blitz
I said a few days back that playoff hopes are going to depend on this easier 6 game stretch and that VGK needs to win 4 or 5 of the 6 games to really help right the ship. Last nights game was the loss I anticipated and the hardest team in the stretch. So the question to me is, will vegas show up now for the 4 remaining and beat the beatable teams. The 8 game stretch after these 6 is much harder (pens, panthers, kings, wild, preds, etc).
6 games:
Sharts – win
Bruins – loss
Ducks –
Senators –
Flyers –
Sabres –
The time is now!!
THE hockey GOD
@Blitz Ducks beat Bruins in OT on back to back from Bruins, just like VGK. So I expect Ducks will be a tad of a stretch. SENS FLYERS and SABRES Are doable though.
But look at schedule of other teams also, will VGK be gaining any ground? Ducks game is only one in own division. How do the KINGS and OILERS look ?
Blitz
No doubt, I agree, the ducks *can* win this game for sure. It’s not a give me, but I think VGK *has* to win that game. You could say the same about the OTT. You need to at least win one of those games and absolutely not lose to PHI or BUF. 4 out of 6 wins. If they walk away with 2 or 3 wins and the harder 8 game stretch ahead, bad stuff is happening.
Howard
Why is VGK unable to manage the salary cap when other teams do not have a problem? Our GM has traded away the players that made VGK great from the beginning. Why keep Smith and trade Tuch? The general moron, I mean manager
has traded away the mojo and he will never get that back (unless Mr Meyers leaves Toronto for Vegas). Stone, as great a player as he is, will never be able to play a full season-as the highest paid player on the team, that is a killer. Look for GM to trade
Pach next.
It was fun for awile.
THE hockey GOD
@howard, FO did this on purpose, not a “mismanagement issue”. They are trying to use the Tampa Bay Lightning “model” to win Stanley Cup.
In end run , if it doesn’t work, you may say it’s a gross miscalculation.
Daryl
smh They have mismanaged the salary Cap for a couple years now. It has nothing to do with TBL. Or did you forget playing against COL with the bare minimum players because they couldn’t use a full team or they would have been over the Cap
THE hockey GOD
to stalker idiot, my post was to Howard, not you. Go fuck yourself, pervert stalker and mind your own business. GOMER Doesn’t even realize other teams, like Tampa also played short what a dickhead.
Daryl
Great thing about living where I do… The freedom to be able to speak my mind…..
Someone needs to take their meds today
THE hockey GOD
Acclaimed soprano Anna Netrebko has withdrawn from her upcoming New York performances after not complying with the Metropolitan Opera’s condition that she repudiate her public support for Putin, the Met said on Twitter.
do you think little Bettman has the cajones to do the same in NHL ????
Daryl
They shouldn’t…. These players still have to return home and the NHL shouldn’t be putting them in that position
Galdom
I need a gerbil
knights fan in minny
okay
knights fan in minny
sorry galdom i could not resist i saw your quote i laughed really hard
Galdom
Ha ha
Ulf
Well, two problems.
1) the team isn’t healthy, and even when it is it’s not consistently good. They overachieved for years but are now coming down to Earth.
2) we’re right about on target (maybe a little early) for DeBoer’s message to go sour. He’s not an effective long-term solution at the coaching position.
Solutions?
Start drafting well and stop trading picks. Or else the tiny window will close and there will be a huge dry spell with no one in the system.
Oh, and change up the coach to a less entitled one.
center
gimme a break with that nonsense about a stacked roster. guys like Dadonov are pure crap. how in the hell can they score with a top line of washed up 63, better suited to 3rd line center 20, and Jack Eichel’s playmaking wasted on weak linemates.
and when the misfit line has a bad night, as they did last night, then you have a recipe for disaster, and a strong defensive structure team like Boston easily handles them.
Galdom
For those afraid or intimidated by stats, facts or numbers please stop reading.
Ladies and gentlemen check this out. I was watching the Pittsburgh – Carolina game and the commentator mentioned what a heater Crosby has been on. 52 points since November 25 which is second overall in the league. So I decided to plug in the filters on the nhl.com site to see what golden knights players have accomplished since November 25.
Since November 25, A 3 1/2 month sample size……..
Evgeni Dadonov 34 GP, 5G, 7A, 12PTS, -3, 15:32 TOI
Keegan Kolesar 34GP, 5G, 7A, 12PTS, +3, 11:57 TOI.
Keegan Kolesar with less ice time has been just as productive as Evgeni Dadonov in the past 3 1/2 months. That’s not an endorsement of Kolesar who is doing exactly what he should be doing as a bottom six forward but a condemnation of how pathetic Dadonov has been. The only big difference is Dadonov has had 74 shots on net and Kolesar has had 36. So if Kolesar has hands of stone then what the hell is wrong with Dadonov‘s hands?
Excluding the defenceman and injured forwards (Stone, Pacioretty, Janmark) since November 25……
Marchessault 34GP 13G 13A 26PTS
Stephenson 33GP 8G 16A 24PTS
Smith 34GP 8G 14A 22PTS
Karlsson 32GP 6G 11A 17PTS
Howden 26GP 6G 9A 15PTS
Roy 34GP 6G 8A 14PTS
Kolesar 34GP 5G 7A 12PTS
Dadonov 34GP 5G 7A 12PTS
Daryl
I was never a fan of the Dadonov signing. I always felt like he was a defensive liability and he is too inconsistent on offense. We see how he is working out
Galdom
Yep. Dadonov has been a disaster. Ottawa found a sucker to take him.
Richie-Rich
Galdom,
Thank you for making my case. There isn’t a single forward on VGK that deserves to be on the 1st line on any of the top 5 teams in this league. NONE.
Besides Petro, we don’t have what anyone would call an elite defenseman, and it is a stretch to include Petro in that category.
Goaltending? FORGET ABOUT IT.
The idea that they are a legitimate cup contender this year is and was hogwash.
The only two players on this team worth mentioning are Marchy and Eichel (who obviously will be a star). The rest of them are no more than average forwards and defensemen. Lehner himself is around 15th in the league in terms of performance this year and at times has looked a lot better, but more often a lot worse.
Say what you want about the players that were traded. The bottom line is that the fans came out to see them and they at least created an atmosphere of excitement. This current crop, with few exceptions, is as boring as their Coach.
Galdom
How is that for a little perspective? We all seem to get on Kolesar a little bit who is probably doing exactly what he should be doing for a $750,000 minimum wage salary player. Everybody loves the misfits but William Karlsson for 5.9 million is barely outpointing Kolesar with much more ice time. Now I still don’t think Kolesar should be on the power play but it does seem a little less preposterous when he is seventh among healthy forwards in points since November 25. The coach doesn’t have a lot of very good options right now. Maybe Brett Howden should get some more ice time and power play time.
Daryl
I said the exact same thing to you in the other thread… I don’t think Kolesar belongs on NY PP but nobody else is stepping up so does it really matter?
Richie-Rich
Hmmmm. could it be we let some stars go before they matured? I think so!
Galdom
It’s time to start getting on everybody including The Misfits. Mark Stone with a severely compromised back was still getting a point per game. Why aren’t the misfits producing more? I know they are not point per game talents like Pacioretty or Stone but it would be nice if they picked up the slack and they certainly aren’t with the exception of maybe Marchessault. As much as we can say there’s been too much roster turnover since year one and year two the misfits are not as productive as they used to be either. We can’t ignore that.
JD
Not sure I agree with in a good position to still make the playoffs.
Playing this bad this time of the year, as history concludes, is not a formula for success.
But anyways, yes, predictable sounds about right.
Every night it’s the same thing. Making the opposing goaltender look like a Vezina candidate.
We simply cannot convert on chances and put the puck where it needs to be. It’s actually amazing how terrible we have been at it.
That long list of players not contributing is astonishing… Very frustrating to say the least to be a VGK fan at this time.
I used to make sure my calendar was free to watch EVERY game, but this season, even all the lack of passion and hustle in their game. I’ve probably missed half the games.
Hopefully they get it together.
trade
what are the odds on a major change, i.e. coach or trades happening soon, if the VGK lose to Anaheim tonight?
Galdom
I guess it depends how pissed off Foley gets, coaching change is always the easiest and quickest impact move.
Daryl
I’m not a fan of switching HC in the middle of the season, especially in the latter part of a season
Richie-Rich
Anaheim can be a very dangerous team. They have chemistry and passion, something lacking on the Vegas team. If Lehner’s in net I will be surprised as I don’t think his frame is built for a back-to-back. I expect to see Brossoit.
Galdom
If they lose tonight the temperature is going to get even hotter,
trade
Kings down 3-1 in 3rd, they come back and win in OT after a Columbus goal is taken away for offsides
they just moved 3 points ahead of VGK.
trade
and Dallas just won and moved into 8th place and the final wild card, and the Vgk are temporarily officially out of the playoffs.
trade
and now the Vgk are back in a playoff spot
good game by Nic Roy
Erik Vornoff
Vegas was going great right out of the gate due to a sweetheart deal that allowed them to pick up top flight players in their initial draft and they did an exemplary job stocking the first few seasons. But several big Vegas moves in the recent past have me scratching my head. Letting go Gallant when things were going well…letting go of dyed-in-the-wool Knight Fleury and picking up volatile, often injured Lehner is another one. Acquiring broken necked, coach-killer Eichel in exchange for some serious capital might be another but he looks good so far even though the team is mostly losing. Releasing all the #1s, releasing Gallant and making some big bad moves for questionable character players is putting the Vegas Stanley Cup fantasy to the test.