(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)
It’s been eerily quiet since the Golden Knights season finale. There hasn’t been a peep from any of Vegas’ players, coaches, or executives since their postgame press conferences on Friday night. It’s almost as if The Creator and his staff are choosing the next Pope.
Without any knowledge of the conversations being held it’s impossible to guess which direction Vegas is heading. Whatever it may be, it was apparently obvious to many lineups across the NHL.
I had a few teams tell me today that Vegas was always a very together team. Through good and bad. This year was the first year they really saw them as a frustrated team. Doors slamming in games, players showing frustration or snapping at each other occasionally during games. I don’t want anyone to take that I think the Vegas Golden Knights all despise each other because I don’t know if that’s true. –Elliotte Friedman, 32 Thoughts Podcast
It’s no secret, Golden Knights fans witnessed their team’s frustration almost weekly. That’ll happen with extensive injuries, poor performances, and a struggling power play. However, we can’t hear the doors slamming or snapping on the bench. Mark Stone and other team leaders keep their locker room tight but it’s hard to believe it felt the same without the captain for most of the year. Add in injuries to Max Pacioretty and Alec Martinez and the chemistry had to have taken a hit.
When you’re losing and your season is slipping away that’s normal. Teams noticed it more this year. Was that just as frustration of the injuries and the season slipping away or is there any chance the fabric of this team has been changed and they have to address that. I don’t know. Teams noticed it this year, more than ever. –Friedman, 32 Thoughts Podcast
Friedman’s advice to the Golden Knights is to address the goaltending situation. Over the weekend, the Sportsnet reporter continued to stress that Robin Lehner’s frustration and season ending injuries were sensitive matters.
The number one thing they have to deal with is Lehner. People are telling me wait. This is not over. There’s still more to go here. What’s everyone going to say? This is going to take some skill and handling. There are the possibilities of aftershocks. Is this something that the league and the Players Association are going to have to get involved in? Depending on where all of this goes. –Friedman, 32 Thoughts Podcast
It doesn’t take a spyglass for an opposing team to hear or read about the tension between Lehner and the coaching staff down the stretch. It was on full display after Vegas’ late-season loss against the New Jersey Devils.
Is there a way to deal with this so that it can be solved to everyone’s satisfaction mentally, and physically, and emotionally without a series of aftershocks that further damage the franchise. If it’s not dealt with in a proper way it’s going to get worse before it gets better. –Friedman, 32 Thoughts Podcast
The Stanley Cup playoffs begin tonight, unfortunately without the Golden Knights. On the bright side, missing the cut allows Vegas more time in the offseason. A head start helps examine prospects, target free agents, trades or anything else they feel they need to get sorted out. The next few days will reveal what the organization’s plans are going forward. Lehner, DeBoer, slamming doors, and teammates snapping are areas that need immediate attention.
JC
“It’s been eerily quiet since the Golden Knights season finale. There hasn’t been a peep from any of Vegas’ players, coaches, or executives since their postgame press conferences on Friday night. It’s almost as if The Creator and his staff are choosing the next Pope.”
Or, it’s almost as if they took the weekend off after a long season.
PT
Exactly. I doubt they would do anything drastic until after year end media availability,and that’s tomorrow. This feels like it was written to stir up speculation.
knights fan in minny
flower game 1 starter
Blitz
I think the wild are going to be a tough series for any one. Don’t know if they can go all the way, but certainly have a tough team to get past, skilled and physical. I am all for it, WAR FLEURY!
knights fan in minny
the penalty kill is alittle suspect otherwise they match up pretty good against the blues hope flower can stand on his head
Herby
My money is on the Wild.
VGK Fan
knights fan in minny,
I will be watching and rooting for the third winningest goalie in NHL history in his NHL record 16 consecutive post season 2 more than the next goalie Tony Esposito.
TS
Yeah! That’s my pick! GO MAF!!
Gary J Potter
I am paying attention.
Tim
Well it looks like the thrill is gone in the posting department.
TS
Haha! We’ve all moved on to the playoffs! Gotta root for SOMEONE, right? Enjoy the playoffs!
Louise Millman
The following is Ken’s comment I believe:
It’s been eerily quiet since the Golden Knights season finale. There hasn’t been a peep from any of Vegas’ players, coaches, or executives since their postgame press conferences on Friday night. It’s almost as if The Creator and his staff are choosing the next Pope.
My question for today:
Has the smoke turned white yet???
Blitz
I guess KM and PDB are in the press conference tomorrow. This is not good news to people like me that want to see a positive change for this club. My obsession with this team is long gone and now it is just familiarity that keeps me around. It’s not the losing that bothers me. It’s how we got here. I am moving away from the west coast in 2 months and watching games with 9-10pm start times takes commitment. We’ll see, but my hopes of real change are dying.
Blitz
…and now I see Mask Girl is going to be working the MIN vs STL series. For F sake please make it stop.
THE hockey GOD
“masked girl” LOL
who is that Masked girl ?
That is the Lone Ranger
who are you ?
I am Tonto.
THE hockey GOD
why not fire Jason and have Elliotte Freakman freak show write the last three articles in this slot ?
meanwhile in the real world
Jesse Granger
@JesseGranger_
·
3h
The Golden Knights have set end of season media availability for tomorrow at 9:30 am PT.
Pete DeBoer is set to speak first, followed by players and GM Kelly McCrimmon.
This should be interesting, would like to hear what RL has to say for sure.
But likely “recovering” from surgery.
Vegas4Life
RL is garbage. I honestly think McCrimmon should get the axe for choosing him over Flower & other horrible deals he has made. VGK has made some pretty stupid moves but this one takes the cake. Lehner is average at best. Even before we traded for him it was 1 good game one crap game. I believe they tried to dump him and his salary after last year but no one wanted him and we were stuck shipping Flower. This is why they are saying it is probably going to get worse before it gets better. Let Thompson take 1A and Brossoit take 1B. If Thompson is not up to par and digresses let Brossoit take a crack and if they both fail go find a goalie that can “try” to keep the puck out of the net. Lehner is not the answer and been saying this for a year +.
THE hockey GOD
I just came up for next season’s slogan, it is terrific!!
MAKE
THE GOLDEN
KNIGHTS
GREAT
AGAIN !
MGKGA !
knights fan in minny
your a legend in your own mind
THE hockey GOD
i love you too minny
thanks for support
knights fan in minny
shut up ass clown the hockey dunce
The Shadow
Injuries are part of the game. It’s the coach’s job to manage that. Look at the Pens Injuries. Lehner is not to blame. Blame management and coaches for keeping hi.r and trading for him. Time to clean house at that level. The team will respond but some ass kicking is in order starting with the coach. He couldn’t motivate a hungry dog to eat.
Pistol Pete
Apparently getting 94 pts with 500+’injuries is an example where the coach should be fired for not being able to manage his injuries.
The only thing I find suspect when it comes to the job DeBoer has done this year is the underperforming PP. It did go 40% over the final 5 games of the season however. Not sure what to make of that other than chemistry was developing with the return of Pacioretty and Stone. Eichel sure can hold the puck and pass I’ll say that.
THE hockey GOD
the pittsburg pens were way down on bottom of list of
man games lost
not even close, and they have much more depth in their organization than a team with only five years
VGK Fan
The Shadow,
Most people on this site agree with you. It was a bad look when Pete through Lehner under the bus then got in the bus and drove over him. A lot of us weren’t thrilled with the 4 wins in the last 11 games.
Richie-Rich
Well, presser in 1 hour! Don’t expect anything but them to stand on the island of excuses and we’ll do better next year, blah blah blah…..
Vegas4Life
You have not watched many VGK games if you think Lehner is not to blame. Go back and look at his track record. One good game. One bad game. That has been his MO since he was with the Islanders. Why do you think they did not sign him long term? Even Buffalo did not think he was worth it. They have been one of the worst teams over the last decade and did not think he was the worth signing long term. DeBoer is not the coach I would have chose. I would have stuck with Gallant. Look what he has done with the Rangers? McCrimmon needs to go for a number of reasons. Dumping Gallant, bringing in his buddy DeBoer, signing Lehner long term and BAD trades. Even Lawless thinks Lehner was a horrible signing and not the right goalie. Even Lawless thinks Lehner was a horrible signing and not the right goalie. Review Lehner’s track record and then let me know.
Pistol Pete
I’d like to see TOR end their 5+ decades drought and it would help put to rest the common criticism that a top heavy team can’t win the Cup. God am I tired of hearing that. Just another guessing game criticism of the VGK strategy to “buy a Cup”.
Herby
This team is broken. Do not see any easy fix. Most of the glue guy have been sent away (for close to zero return). The team began to crack with the Pietrangelo trade and the Eichel trade did finally destroy the team chemistry completely.
We now have an old, uninspired, top heavy and much slower team with zero prospects and no 1st round draft this season. Not a good outlook for the future.
One of the reasons for many injuries is the age of the team. The VGK have the 3rd oldest team in the league. Next year the top paid players are all one year older. The injuries will not go away unless the front office makes some really bold moves, which I doubt.
Do not see this team making the playoffs next season neither at the moment.
Pistol Pete
Best bashing post of the thread (so far)! Lol. Herby is a Kings fan by any chance?
Richie-Rich
I posted some end of season grades based on health, offensive production and an overall evaluation for each player on VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS KEEPING IT REAL EXPERIENCE (Facebook).
Not much else to say now. Will be waiting for the presser and offseason moves. Let the fun begin. MIN getting a beat down by STL as I write this 3-0 2nd period. EDM & LAK tied up 3-3.
I am predicting LAK will go to the FINAL.
Vic
David Perron owns MAF.
Duckboy
+1
Tyler Durden
Any of you losers watch the kings/oilers? That’s how you build a team.
Ken will delete this comment
Blitz
I am not sure Ken has ever deleted a comment. There’s been some serious shit posted that has survived. As far as the Kings/Oilers, I am in 100% agreement you build your team with middle tier guys and good youth. Leave the top heavy, over priced guys for the Knights to consume, and give a good retirement home to.
Richie-Rich
I have the Kings going to the Final and losing to the Rangers. Kings made the best off season and in season moves in our conference.
Pistol zPete
Blues did to the Wild what they were unable to do to us! 4-0. Brutal start for MAF .870! Imagine what the bashers would say if it was Lehner.
A former season ticket holder
Giving up Perron…the beginning of an alien mindset
Billy
VGK had a good run for an expansion team! Looks like bad choices from the top and reality has set in.
Vegas4Life
Road To Recovery? 1. Fire McCrimmon. Let McPhee find the right GM. 2. Give DeBoer one last crack but Steve Spott has got to go. PP/PK was horrid since he took it over. I did not want DeBoer in the 1st place but VGK screwed up firing Gallant so see if Deboer is capable of getting them back to the playoffs. 3. Dump Lehner and his 5m a year salary. This will be tough to do with his NTC long term contract and inconsistent play. Let the Thompson/Brossoit duo give it shot. If it don’t work find another goalie at the trade deadline. 4. Figure out if Stone can return to form. Back injuries are lethal. Praying it is not as bad as I think it is. 5. Get HEALTHY, Younger & Wiggle room below the cap. We traded away a lot of our good young (cheaper) players for aging (expensive) players but the young players that did play were the same ones over and over. Cannot believe we have no other talent in our farm system. 6. Bring Howden back. A fourth line of Howden, Carrier and Kolesar (not completely sold on him yet) showed promise but had to be shuffled too much to see what they could do. 7. Need more big depth of guys that want to play in front of the net. Someone like a cheaper version Josh Anderson who is big and strong and practically immoveable when in front of the net.
I am not sure how much influence Foley had with moves that were made but I think there have been more bad deals than good and we let the wrong players walk. Some deals looked great when they were done but now look at the boat they are in? Sinking and sinking fast. Better right the ship or it is going to be another long season next year.