The Cup has been awarded which means the offseason has officially begun. The Golden Knights have already started shaping their roster, most notably with the news of a Reilly Smith extension, but they still have a lot of work to do.
This week we are going to go through a series of articles giving our thoughts on how we’d like the offseason to shake out and how we think it will ultimately go down for the Golden Knights.
Today we start with my (Ken) predicted roster. This is what I expect the Golden Knights to do this summer.
Nic Roy – Re-signed for 2 years at $2.75m AAV
As I detailed in a previous article, Roy is in line for a fairly significant raise. I expect him to file for arbitration but sign a contract prior to the hearing. The Golden Knights will utilize their excellent signing of Chandler Stephenson to set the market on Roy and eventually settle on the same number. It’s a nice bump for Roy, it keeps him in line to hit unrestricted free agency at the age of 27, and it doesn’t break the bank on VGK.
Keegan Kolesar – Re-signed for 1 year at $1.3m
Like Roy, Kolesar’s arbitration rights will earn him a bit more than he’s made in the past. However, I expect a short deal as the Golden Knights look to maintain some flexibility moving forward. Kolesar doesn’t have much to prove as it’s pretty clear the player he’s going to be, so he’ll look to cash in and $1.3 million is a decent payday for him.
Nic Hague – Re-signed for 1 year at $874,125
I truly believe Hague should refuse to sign the qualifying offer and hold out from training camp and ultimately regular season games in an effort to maximize his contract. But, I don’t think he’ll end up going down that road as the risk of the Golden Knights never blinking is far too real. (Read more about the situation here) So, I think he’ll take the qualifying offer and play one more year on a cheap deal before he looks to cash in next summer, which I believe he will to the tune of north of $3 million per year.
Brett Howden – Re-signed for 1 year at $1m
This will be a true prove-it deal for Howden as he enters his 5th season in the NHL. Injuries derailed his season last year which caused him to miss nearly half the year. In the games he did play, he was effective, scoring nine goals and posting 20 points. If he played all 82 with those per-game numbers (about 17 goals and 38 points), he’d probably be pushing $2 million, but he didn’t, and thus he’ll have to prove to VGK that he can.
Mattias Janmark – Unsigned
I incorrectly predicted this last year, but I’m going to the well again. While the rest of my moves do leave a bit of cap space available, and possibly enough to keep Janmark around, I think both sides will look to part ways.
TRADE – Laurent Brossoit and 7th round pick to Philadelphia Flyers for 4th round pick
With the emergence of Logan Thompson, the Golden Knights simply can’t hang on to Brossoit. They’ll look to find someone to take on his salary and there will be a few teams lining up to do it as Brossoit is an above-average back-up. It won’t return much, but I do believe VGK will come out on the positive side of the deal, whether it is a pick swap or a single late-round pick coming back.
TRADE – Max Pacioretty to New Jersey Devils for Jesper Boqvist, 2nd, and 4th round picks
The Golden Knights have to do something to get under the cap, and in the end, I think it’ll land on Pacioretty. His name has been in the rumor mill for the last few offseasons and the fact that he has just one year left will soften the blow for the Golden Knights. The return will actually be a bit better than many except as Pacioretty’s numbers will demand a player and picks back. Unfortunately, the Golden Knights get the wrong Jesper from the Devils (the other one nearly had 73 points last year), but Boqvist is a decent depth forward that will make the VGK roster. He has a bit of upside and the qualifying offer will cost less than a million dollars.
SIGN – Rickard Rakell for 2 years at $3.8 million
At the past deadline, the Golden Knights were linked to Rakell before he ultimately went to the Penguins. He was good in Pittsburgh but the Penguins are going to have to make some tough decisions as well. Vegas is familiar with the player, he has enough skill to play anywhere in the lineup, and has shown he can score at a consistent pace. The price is almost exactly what he was making on his previous deal and the dropoff in the production the last two years will keep him right there. It’s just about every dollar the Golden Knights will have left to use, but due to the LTIR situation, they’ll have to use them all up.
This will give the Golden Knights a 22-man roster coming in almost right on the nose of the $82.5 million salary cap. Here’s how the team would look heading into training camp.
Stephenson-Eichel-Stone
Marchessault-Karlsson-Smith
Boqvist-Roy-Rakell
Carrier-Howden-Kolesar
(Amadio)
Martinez-Pietrangelo
McNabb-Theodore
Hague-Whitecloud
(Hutton)
Lehner
Thompson
Next we’ll have Jason’s predicted roster, then we’ll both take our turns to step into the GM role ourselves and mold the roster how we would do it in our “GM for a Day” posts.
Frank
I could actually see this happening. Don’t like to lose Patches, but it makes sense. This is a pretty solid roster and I like the idea of keeping the misfit line together. Hopefully Cassidy will implement a system that plays to the teams strenghts….. well see!
Tim F
Really would love this offseason. Pacioretty just doesn’t produce enough for his contract and it would be great to get some picks back. Rakell at that price would be an amazing addition.
Alex
There’s a lot it makes sense here. Except for you picking Philadelphia as a trade partner for a goaltender. They have Carter Hart starting. They just resign Sandstrom and they’re bringing the Russian phenom over to compete as well. I don’t see a need for them to pick up a back up
Ken Boehlke
They love to do dumb stuff and I could see Torts demanding he has a capable backup.
Seth
You think they keep Martinez or would it cost too much to dump his salary at this point?
Ken Boehlke
Little bit of both. I think they really value Martinez a lot after the deal they gave him. I don’t think they’d get as much back for him as they would Pacioretty either.
Hint: When I do my GM for a Day, I’ll probably move Alec.
Andrew Taylor
If he’s not the best pure defenseman he’s 2nd. D is already our weak point , imo this would significantly weaken our team
Ken Boehlke
I’m planning on finding a replacement. Wait til you see my whole plan.
Bill DeWall
hmmm spoiler alert…
knights fan in minny
martini is a warrior you need him at least one more year
THE hockey GOD
the FO bashers completely ignore that they said they weren’t going to make many moves
we shall see if they stick to their guns
it’s better to have more options, than fewer in case of unknowns, VGK are in driver seat now with many options.
I expect a few of the AHLers prospects to make the team with their low salaries. Training camp will be very competitive. The VGK have a new coach, and he’s going to be a head buster, a NAZI coach.
Dil
Wad that necessary?
THE hockey GOD
can someone say GESTAPO ?
THE hockey GOD
SS
kGB
Iranian national guard
the brown shirts
the democratic party thug arm BLM antiFA thugs and Alphabet
media sycophants
bunners, hippie freak long hairs
and people that sit in middle freeways protesting because they think
it makes a difference, it really doesn’t (and most drivers really really really want to run them over)
I can keep going all day and night
TS
Thg, you are a REAL MENSCH!
THE hockey GOD
ts
thank you
(I think)
And when Moses descended from Mt Sinai after being away for slightly over 40 days his hair was white, and singed. What happened when Moses returned from Mount Sinai?
According to the biblical story, Moses departed to the mountain and stayed there for 40 days and nights in order to receive the Ten Commandments and he did so twice because he broke the first set of the tablets of stone after returning from the mountain for the first time
Moses said ‘BEHOLD PEOPLE OF ISRAEL I bRING YOu THE FIFT (opps, drops a tablet). THE TEN COMMANDMENTS !
“I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: `I AM has sent me to you. ‘” God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, `The LORD, the God of your fathers–the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob–has sent me to you.
Modern day archeology has found the real Mt Sinai to be in the Saudi Arabian peninsula, in area known as Median. Moses was a Median. The Saudi’s have partitioned off the area and forbidden visitors. Two pillars mark the point were they crossed the Red Sea, and it’s in the Sea of ADEN. Solomon built the pillars. The ground at crossing is scorched. The under sea investigation found chariot wheels covered with coral.
TS
Thg, don’t thank me, my comment was SARCASM. A REAL MENSCH doesn’t condemn others for their OPINIONS, as YOU do. A KNOW-IT-ALL knows NOTHING but his OWN NARROW VIEW ON THINGS.
knights fan in minny
blah blah blah blah the hockey dunce strikes again
Bill DeWall
Lets not forget the worst of all… the Stasi
Tyler Durden
WTF does Ken let this idiotTHG post his bullshit and blocks me from making actual hockey arguments? What does THG have on Ken?
Why does THG get to post his political crap that has nothing to do with hockey?
We need to know why Ken idea this.
Stephanie
I agree .why is politics on here
THE hockey GOD
nobody blocks you Tyler.
Thank GOD for first amendment- free speech . The Lefties can’t stand the constitution because is exposes their faulty views, immorality, lack of values, lack of common sense every time. The lefties make a mockery of the constitution. Thank God for USA , a constitutional REPUBLIC where there is freedom of speech. The second amendment protects the first.
ThG
And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. God rested, indicates that God has energy and needs to rest. Words matter. So did his son Jesus the Christ. You notice that after a day of healing he was retired. Sometimes he went out to desert. Some people think Jesus descended from some alien ship and had to go to desert to recharge. REmember in the he was ‘lifted’ to heaven. Acts 1:9-12 NKJV – Jesus Ascends to Heaven – Bible Gateway
h› passage
Jesus Ascends to Heaven – Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. IF that is not proof of ancient technology. I don’t know what is. Words matter.
VGK Fan
Tyler,
I have gotten a point where I try to just ignore his comments.
Marli
Excuse me, I thought that was the GAZPACHO.
knights fan in minny
can someone say you’re a moron hockey dunce
Robert
I like these moves. I was expecting Martinez to get traded, and I hate to see Patches go, but the move makes sense.
Do you guys think there’s any chance a young player cracks the lineup?
Ken Boehlke
Certainly possible. I think Morozov has the best chance, but I could see Brisson or Leschyshyn too.
knights fan in minny
brisson should get a long look
MARK
LOL this is a horrible roster Ken. Plain and simple if you lose Pacioretty or Eichel or Stone, the VGK have absolutely ZERO chance at a Stanley Cup. You already lost Dadonov which is 20 goals and Pacioretty when healthy is easily a 30+ goal scoring. He played in 38 games and still produced a neat 20 goal season. He’s clearly the BEST pure shooter on the entire team. So if they lose Patches then bye bye VGK Stanley Cup aspirations. Might as well clean house and start the long long rebuild. Stephenson is a center, NOT a left wing. So that top line will be garbage. Keep the top 6 forwards. Instead of trading Patches, how about you trade the problem on this team, MR. ROBIN LEHNER!!!
Dean
It’s impossible to trade Lehner unless the team is willing to eat half his salary (can’t afford to do so) or toss in a first round draft pick (we’ve already given up too many prospects and picks in bad deals). Just look at how little Ken has getting for Lauren who is a better goalie at half the price (and I’m not even sure we can get any positive value for him). Our management has proven to be inept but not many teams have a front office full of clowns that makes the same mistakes we do.
Just someone who knows whos GOTTA GO
You are my hero!
John C
Mark…insight and foresight!! BRAVO!!!
Bibilical references to Carpenters aside, you sir are hitting nails on the head!!
But Patch is a legit ??…age + injuries
Lehner a big big prob …AGREE!!
We beat the AVs last year, anybody think this team could do it now??
That’s the question.!!
MARK
With that roster you produced, that team will MISS the Stanley Cup playoffs entirely and it won’t be close. Lehner needs to go, you can also use LTIR to help keep last year’s team in tact. We are very very deep at defense, so trade away one of our defensemen if you still need cap space. Definitely do not trade the best sharp shooter on the entire team. Lol not good
Paul L
All of these proposed transactions make sense, except for Patches.
The VGK have an anemic offense and literally go through multiple scoring droughts in a season. Even with Patches being injury-prone and entering the final year of his $7m contract, trading away our team’s best pure goal scorer will be catastrophic. The lineup without him in it looks barely good enough to crack top 3 in the division.
The best bet is moving either Martinez or Karlsson and hoping we don’t get fleeced in the process. Martinez would be the better man to move as we have enough suitable HSK players to take the next step and fill that void. Martinez’ leadership experience will be sorely missed, but not as much as our offense will miss Patch’s offensive production and constant threat while on the ice.
THE hockey GOD
I agree Paulie, I dont’ think the patches trade makes sense, I don’t see the Flyers doing it
Jake
Get Jackson Hallum on the team, same line as Eichel.
That will help solve a lot of problems.
Bill Wall
Move Rakell up to LW with Eichel. He can produce when he plays with a good center and can play both sides. Move Stevie to third line center and Roy to wing.
Ken Boehlke
I considered putting him here. I actually would mess with the lineup if this were the roster. Not sure I like 3 right-handed players on the same line. (VGK has done it before)
VGK Fan
I would keep the team in tact and start the season with Lehner on LTIR. This would allow the organization to find out how good LT really is. If LT turns out to be the player we saw last year I would move on from Lehner’s contract.
I’m not a fan of moving Patches he is the best goal scorer on the roster and has averaged a point a game the last three years. After this season if he stays healthy I would extend him to a team friendly contract the following year. I just don’t think moving your best goal scorer is a good option for a team who can’t score goals. One of my concerns is Stone’s back issue that is just another reason why we should not move Patches.
Dean
I think the team would love to move on from Lehner. They realize they made a huge mistake and now possess a below average goalie who’s a head case for 3 more seasons. However, we have to realize there is no out as the rest of the league knows this as well (and most knew it before we ever signed him). You can’t easily trade a guy who has no market and if you do, prepare to give up massive capital to do so. (Look at the Dadonov trade and I think he’s a more desirable asset for any team than Lehner would be).
THE hockey GOD
Fan, I hear you. I think that is FO plan. But I don’t think you can put someone on LTIR without reason. If you can justify his shoulder surgery, then follow it up with so called Emily Kaplan’s “fake” knee surgery. Then you may be on to something.
Tim
I love the thought of losing Patch it’s not that he’s that bad but hurt way to much to make a difference. I like your first 3 lines but my forth line wouldn’t include Kolesar. Lets face reality Amadio has bounced around so he’s no stud but better then Kolesar so what does that tell you. Howton and Hutton aren’t bad for minimum wage. I want to see when practice starts what Ivan, Pavel, And Brandon can do.
Vic
2023 Cup odds for the VGK at 16-1. Ouch. After watching the Avs staggering 3rd period shut down of TB last night, the VGK should be 160-1. It’s going to take time and rebuilding.
VGK Fan
Vic,
Next years Avs have a lot of free agents and guys like Kadri are going to want to get paid next year. I’m not sure next team Avs team will be as good as this years.
https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/avalanche
knights fan in minny
how about the lanches owner also owns the super bowl champs rams and the championship laccrose team hell of a year for the guy
THE hockey GOD
now maybe you can understand that the owner is a key piece of the puzzle
knights fan in minny
was i talking to you hockey dunce
ulf
I think the Avs will be close as they’ve always been great in development under Sakic.
The D-corps will basically be the same; remember Girard sat out most of the playoffs and Byram showed that he’s more than ready. #1 Goalie is a question mark but Kuemper might want to stick around on a reasonable deal.
As far as forwards go, I think Lehkonen, Nischushkin and Burakovsky can all sign for reasonable cap hits as they clearly like the way they’re utilized there.
So really we’re talking about one name: Kadri, who’s gonna cash in somewhere. Even if he goes, the Avs played Rantanen as #2C when Kadri got sidelined and they didn’t miss a beat.
I think it may be a little challenging, but nowhere near as hard to ice roster as good as this year.
knights fan in minny
the byram kid was fantastic and only 20 years old
Mike StG
VGK Fan, I agree the Avs are facing some big roster decisions. Ten of the 20 players they played against Bolts are UFA or RFAs. They have $25M in cap space and need to sign a goalie. They won’t be able to keep Manson. They’ll probably lose at least 2-3 forwards – Kadri, Burakovsky, Nichushkin. And the next year they’ll have to pay MacKinnon probably $4M more, plus Byram and Compher. So, Sakic will have to prepare for those contract increases.
They’ll still be a very good team, but not the beast of a team they were in these playoffs with the TD acquisitions they were able to make with the cap space they had available.
sb
Something in this article is missing. The writer never mentioned Sin Bin’s favorite exaggerated, inflammatory phrase “Cap Hell.” Not once. Where did Sin Bin’s “Cap Hell” go? Simple. One five minute telephone call from GM McCrimmon to Montreal put an end to Sin Bin’s exaggerated Cap Hell. Vegas Management solved this minor issue in 5 minutes with one telephone call. Clearly, what is intellectually challenging for one group of writers is not a challenge to a brilliant hockey GM. That Vegas would eventually buy Weber’s contract was known from the day they traded for Eichel. Vegas MGT always had a plan to handle the Eichel cap hit in 2022 and beyond. All Vegas was waiting on was for Montreal to make that last $4 mill bonus payment leaving only three $1 mill payments for Mr. Foley to handle. That was always the timing for acquiring Weber’s contract. Foley, McPhee and McCrimmon are brilliant managers. Vegas and Tampa managements are the best at handling the cap. Vegas bought $31 mill of cap space for $3 million dollars. BRILLIANT!
The Sin Bin writers are gonna need to find a new way to SMEAR Mr. Foley, McPhee and McCrimmon in the future.
THE hockey GOD
SB , you are BRILLIANT just brilliant, very good observation. But of course the frick/frack writers continue onward with their inciting the fan base with outrageous conspiracy theories. And the unsophisticated fan base eats them up.
Note PDB was out of job for a New York Minute, while GG didn’t get a new job in what? Two years ? The VGK are laughing stock of NHL right now.
DocDG
Actually GG did have a “job” for 2 years. He only went back to work when his VGK contract ran out. Then he took the Rangers from a record of of 27 23 6 , 16th in the NHL during the short season before his arrival to 52 24 6, 7th in the NHL and one series away from the cup final.
Firing GG was the 1st big blunder under McCrimmon. Hiring PDB was the 2nd.
Of course promoting McCrimmon to GM with a grand total of 1 year of NHL experience is probably right up there with dumping Fleury for Lehner as the biggest mistake of all time for this team. I really can’t decide which was worse.
VGK Fan
sb,
We have around 5.2 million to sign 5 players. I would not give management too much credit just yet. Once Smith signs that makes it $200,000 to sign 4 players.
Acquiring LTIR is never a good plan to start out with its the result of not managing your money correctly.
sb
The answer is simple and only takes one five minute phone call by Mr. McCrimmon. “Hello Buffalo. We will trade you our 5th round draft choice in this year’s draft for the $5 million contract of Ben Bishop.” Five minutes, no more cap problems and Vegas can resign EVERYONE. The people who write this blog want you to believe that Mr. Foley, McCrimmon and McPhee are incompetent idiots. They are not. They are geniuses. The salary cap has never been a problem to them like it is for the uniformed. It’s like chess – they are always one move ahead.
VGK Fan
sb,
With all do respect VGK can only spend up to 82.5 million on the teams roster. Acquiring additional LTIR for guys who will never play doesn’t mean you can play a regular season game at roster size over 82.5 million.
Maybe I’m misunderstanding what you are trying to state. But to me it seems as though you are under the impression they can play regular season games with a roster greater than 82.5 million.
Chris
This team is deep on defense. I would get out of the pietrangelo contract, pick up a player and some high draft picks. That could alleviate the cap situation. VGK has 6 very good defenseman without petro and a couple AHL d-men capable of filling in. It keels the offense in tact and solves the cap problem. And I would also dangle Lehner out there. If anyone will take him, pull thr trigger.
Ken Boehlke
Pietrangelo has a full no move clause in his contract. VGK are stuck with him for the next 5 years.
DocDG
Thanks for saying “stuck with him”. He is being paid for what he did before he got here. His performance with us would rate him as being a capable upper middle of the pack defenseman who has a bad tendency to give the puck away at critical times. His actual value to us has been a bit more than half of the 8.8 million we are paying him.
Travis Hardy
There’s bound to be some pain over the next season or so with the money already spent. Good players do leave/retire/regress and it’s very rare you stick with a team for a career. I would hate to see Patches go, but a healthy Stone has a better all-around game and they missed his ability to pick pockets in the defensive/neutral zones and set the table in the offensive zone. Fact is they need cap relief and losing anybody for nothing makes the Eichel deal an adject failure. So if you can move someone who has value and get something back as a team that has squandered all it’s dear capital and prospects you have to pull the trigger.
Obvious
With nut job in goal team gas no hope so won’t matter much what they do
Fat bastard mcriminal hates Pac as much as he did fleury. He’s been trying to get rid of him for years.
Won’t be the least bit surprising to see him shipped out. And down the toilet will go stones production then too
Best move not mentioned would be to have fat bastard sacked and the sooner the better
THE hockey GOD
“With nut job in goal” it’s wiggy biscuit, try to get it right so
people listening don’t need a scorecard to keep track of everyone.
ulf
The Devils are a ways away from contending and they won’t send picks for one year of an ageing and injury-prone Patches, since he won’t make a difference this year and they may not recoup the same picks when they’d inevitably offload him at the next trade deadline.
Mike StG
Ulf,
Point well taken on the Devils. I agree it would serve no purpose for NJD to trade for Max. Seems possible Vegas could trade Patch and sign Rakell as a cheaper, younger replacement, but I’d think a team like the Canes would be more inclined to want Max since they lack firepower. Maybe a straight hockey trade for Jesper Fast, whose cap hit is $2M ($3M actual). He scored 14G last season (34 pts) and has 1 year left on his contract like Max. The Canes could use someone like Patch with a wicked shot.
Although I was promoting Martinez two months before VGK traded with LA for him and was really excited when they did, I think he is probably the one who will go. Without him they have a decent D corps – Petro & McNabb, Theo&Hutton as 1st & 2nd pair, Zach/Hague as 3rd pair, and Coghlan as 7th D. They also have some decent HSK D prospects – Korczak, Miromanov, Jones. But their defense is pretty stellar WITH Marty, so I hope it’s not him who goes. If they trade Nic Hague then it’s pretty certain Marty stays.
JockEnvy
McCrimmon’s 4 line setup gets more atrocious every year. That 4th line is bottom 5 line in the league and that 3rd line isn’t much better. This will be McCrimmon’s last season. VGK maybe sneak into the 7 seed with this roster at full strength. Anyone on the top two lines goes down for an extended period, another year of watching the playoffs ahead.
THE hockey GOD
JE
the team had a lot of players playing above their station last year, it’s a miracle that pDB had them in playoff contention to the last week. Their last few games were all one goal games. That is incredible. IMagine what he will do with healthy roster like the Stars.
sb
Absolutely correct. Vegas had two things go against them in 2022. Five hundred man-games lost to injury and they didn’t sign E. Kane and let him sign in Edmonton. Kane was the difference maker and why Edmonton got in and Vegas didn’t.
Mike StG
Predictions (tongue-in-cheek) for VGK next year under Cassidy:
1) Karlsson scores 25G and 60 pts, under Cassidy’s system that will allow him more freedom to just play – as defense won’t be driving offense – and with less emphasis on the Misfit line having to match up to opponents’ top lines every night for defensive reasons.
2) Vegas has fewer injuries resulting from blocked shots. Last season there were many broken hands and feet from shot-blocking (Patch, Zach, Karlsson, others). Cassidy does not emphasize or demand this like DeBoer. So, fewer injuries means less man games lost.
3) Petro’s shooting percentage is in double digits (10%+). Both he and Theodore put up over 40 pts and at least 15G each. Alex’s goals and assists derive primarily from the high slot (his traditional strength) as he takes fewer shots from the point and makes fewer stretch passes from the DZ to OZ. We see more of Shea using his skating and puck handling ability to drive the net.
4) Whitecloud and Hague scoring decreases with de-emphasis in defense shooting from the blueline and less aggressive pinching.
5) Alec Martinez (assuming he’s still with us) scores at least 10 goals, with no less than 7 on the PP.
6) Eichel has a 30G/90 pt+ season, assuming he has quality wingers and injuries don’t pile up in the forward group. He makes a noticeable improvement in the defensive side of his game.
7) Lehner has a .920 or better save percentage, as Cassidy’s defensive system limits odd man rushes and high danger chances.
8) The Power Kill is back. William and Reilly combine for no less than 6 shorties this season.
Wow, if all these happen we might just make it to the Cup Final. 🙂
DocDG
I wrote this last week and have been looking for an appropriate time to post it.
HOW VGK MAKES THE PLAYOFFS NEXT SEASON (A Fantasy)
1 With our new coach the Misfit Line is turned loose and is allowed to score goals again.
2. Eichel, Stone and Pacioretty click as a line, stay healthy and become one of the top lines in the league.
3. The new coaching staff has a clue about special teams and we wind up having a better than average record in both PP’s and PK’s.
4. With a “goaltender friendly coach” and a couple of high scoring lines Robin Lehner is able to match the best ever record in his 12 year NHL career. 46 starts 25 wins 13 losses 3 OT losses for 55 points. Thompson has 36 starts 23 wins 10 losses 3 OT losses 49 points. Easily make the playoffs with 104 points.
HOW WE FARE IN THE PLAYOFFS
4 (A) Thompson takes over the net late in the season and has a run like Jordon Binnington did with St Louis 4 years ago and we win the cup. (Possible but I am not actually predicting it.)
4 (B)More probable Lehner stays as the #1 in the playoffs and we are out no later than the 2nd round.
Emmanuel
Lehner, Martinez, and a 1st or 2nd in the next 3 years to Devils for the 2nd overall this year. Use cap space late in the season to patch a weakness in the lineup. I think a trade with the Devils or Red Wings very likely.
VGK Fan
Emmanuel,
I like the idea but not sure the Devils would.
Snowshredder 33
First move fire McCrimmon, he makes way to many mistakes and he has no loyalty to anyone via bye fluery. Put McPhee back where he belongs, make him earn his pay again. He knows how to build a winning team. Gotta find a way to move Lehner, maybe packaging him with patches we’ll have a taker. Don’t want to lose a sniper like patches, but it would be worse to have Lehner. Plus patches has been injury prone. Thats moving 12 million off the cap, that should loosen things up to make a move if we need to instead of having our hands tied. If not give up some more draft picks to lose the slow panda. Draft picks are unpredictable and we still have a chance to win now as long as our captain stays healthy. Maybe you can send him back to the island with Nic Hague since there’s word of interest from islanders in Hague. Like Hague, but might not have a choice. We stick with LT and Brossoit(not bad when healthy), plus cheap for goalie position.
Cassidy will get the offense moving in the right direction including our dismil PP.
Need to sign Roy, has alot of potential. Sign Howden, great bargain. Don’t let the BS talks of Smith or Karlsson being trade bait come true. Anyone who knows hockey knows how valuable these two are. Two way players and unbelievable on PK. Look for big years from both under Cassidy. Keep the original 6 and the rest of the core and build a team chemistry like we once had. I would let some of the young HSK guys get some PT and see what there capable of. Play Kolesar less to give that opportunity 50 to 55 games. Don’t need alot of Kolesar during regular season in today’s NHL, but we will need him if we make the playoffs gotta have someone with a little grit besides patches(if we are able to hold on to him), McNabb and Carrier needs to return to his hitting game even if he misses games being banged up.
Let me dream a little since I’m GM for a day. Fire McCrimmon blame what happened to Fluery on him. Free up the cap space with Lehner, Patches and move Brossiot so we can bring Fluery back to mentor LT. Happy ending. Go Knights go.
THE hockey GOD
SS , WOW
why bring back the farce of the franchise ??
Totally incredulous post, you have been listening to the Frick and Frack podcast too much.
I actually met co GMGM, he’s a really nice guy and very well respected around the NHL. If they fire him, he will get a job in NY minute and take all his connections with him. No more Whiteclouds, Hague’s, LT’s all gone. You people are clueless in your HATE.
Obvious
Fat bastard will be lucky to get a bag of pucks for psycho lehner… no team will touch the festering cancer
Stone and Pac need to start the year in perfect health and be ready to go
Better hope the misfit line finds the fountain of youth in the off-season
Eichel better perform on par with McDavid, matthews and McKinnon or there may be a public hanging on the strip
Frankly don’t see any of this happening never mind all of em
Tim
From what Cassidy said he likes to protect his goalie so it makes sense he keys on getting the 3 best defensive lines. This being said I don’t think Martinez is going anywhere. We can all speculate and come up with who should stay and who should go but the bottom line is will we make the playoffs. Myself I don’t see us in the top three in the Pacific and since the Central division is better they’ll probably have 5 teams in with our 3 for the playoffs. I just don’t think we have the firepower and were old and slow and many players are overrated and were paying them for what they did as young players not who they are now.
MARK
VGK FAN: You are 100% right with everything you wrote in your post!!! If the VGK trade away Pacioretty then this team is totally screwed!!! They will plummet to the bottom. Patches is the best pure shooter and goal scorer on the entire roster and you most certainly do NOT let that go. Get rid of Robin Lehner and his $5 million cap hit. Keep Brossoit and Thompson and draft a future goalie to groom under Thompson. Do not touch the top 6 forwards on this team if you expect to be a Stanley Cup Contender!!!
Tim
Mark, Have you considered Patches time on the IR does how good matter if your not playing? So with him not on the team were finished? Here’s a scoop Mark the way the team is constructed there already finished. Our defense is fine but our offense is not explosive to say the least.
MARK
Yes Tim, however what your missing here is our offense is actually perfectly FINE as currently constructed. The problem last year was 3 things. #1. Injuries to ALL our top players.
#2. Horrible coaching and NO changes made at all
#3. We have the worst goalie in professional hockey named Robin Lehner.
So it was NOT just Pacioretty on the IR, it was Karlsson too, Eichel too and Stone as well. So who scored the most of all them guys??? I believe his name is Mr. Max Pacioretty. Soooo if you trade away your BEST scorer on the entire team, then the VGK will be battling with the Seattle Kraken for the basement of the Pacific Division this coming season. Watch and see. This team is totally fine the way it currently is, just get rid of Lehner OR LTIR him. As long as Pacioretty-Eichel-Stone stay healthy and play like themselves, this team will explode with more offense then you’ve ever seen. Especially with Bruce Cassidy’s outstanding special teams track record too.
THE hockey GOD
Mark
the only thing you got right is no. 1
No. 2 and no.3 are from listening too much to conspiracy theory nut jobs.
Let’s do a relatively simple comparison. Montreal vs. VGK. Montreal went to finals last year. Both teams had over 500 man games lost. VGK just missed the playoffs and Montreal fell off the cliff.
Some realty in your posts, please.
Galdom
That’s right THG. You tell Mark. No reality.
Thank you your highness.
knights fan in minny
get a room you 2
Galdom
Ha ha,
MARK
Montreal ONLY beat Vegas because Vegas was exhausted from the Colorado 7 game series. Vegas was way way better then the Montreal Canadians plain and simple. I got all 3 points 100% correct for why Vegas failed this past season. Pete DeBoer is NOT a good coach, his power play sucks and he doesn’t make changes when his team is falling behind in games. Good coaches make “adjustments”, Pete DeBoer didn’t have any. And lastly I’m 100% right about Robin Lehner being an absolutely horrible goalie. If Vegas had a halfway decent goalie last year other then Thompson, then Vegas would have probably made the playoffs. It was a combination of injuries to the top players, horrible coaching and atrocious goaltending that derailed the Golden Knights. That’s the truth like it or not.
Pacioretty
And you get paid to do this.. lol boqvist and a second for a ppg player. Regular 30 goal guy. How much garbage do you believe? Rakell? Who went pointless in the playoffs?
How you believe this stuff is beyond me. I just don’t get it. Give up your best goal scorer for literal Pennies. What a joke
TS
Galdom, Pretty rich IRONY, huh? Too dang FUNNY!
sb
Nuts to this plan! Stop being misinformed by these Sin Bin writers who hate Vegas ownership and management. There is NO CAP issue that cannot be resolved. The way out is in The Rules. The answer is simple and only takes one five minute phone call by Mr. McCrimmon. “Hello Buffalo. We will trade you our 5th round draft choice in this year’s draft for the $5 million contract of Ben Bishop.” Five minutes, no more cap problems and Vegas can resign EVERYONE. And it only costs Mr. Foley $3 mil to get $5 mil in cap space. The people who write this blog want you to believe that Mr. Foley, McCrimmon and McPhee are incompetent idiots. They are not. They are geniuses. The salary cap has never been a problem to them like it is for the uniformed and the haters. It’s like chess – they are always one move ahead. They understand the Rules of the salary cap. With the addition of Bishop’s contract, Vegas can resign them all. Please notice that the Sin Bin writers no longer use their exaggerated, inflammatory phrase “CAP HELL,” because for the wise, there is no cap hell.
VGK Fan
sb,
That is not how the cap works you can’t add 10 million in LTIR then play with a roster of 92.5 million. League rule states 82.5 million cap of rostered players in uniform your explanation only works for the playoffs.