Here's a thought:
The best goalies available are who?
Fleury
Mrazek
Ward
Raanta
Grubauer
Assuming Vegas wants to trade a couple of guys and keep 2 this year, would you take Mrazek AND Fleury? Is there a team out there who would currently trade for either of those guys? I don't think so.
Now would teams trade for Grubauer or Raanta? I think that's far more likely. Who is more valuable from the Rangers Lindberg or Raanta? Raanta he can trade almost right away because of his salary. Lindberg may be more of a longer term asset but does McPhee want that considering all of the other forwards he will have available?
I was looking at the expansion simulator and I'm not sure Lindberg is the guy for them. There are other forwards from other teams will little to offer who can fill those bottom-6 roles. And if that's the case and the asset was to be traded from the Rangers, wouldn't Raanta be the smarter choice?
Maybe I'm overthinking it.
I see Lindberg being taken as a fairly obvious choice. He looked really good and healthy in the playoffs. Young and cost controlled. Good locker room guy and unlikely to get in trouble in Vegas. Can grind it out, but has upside. Also, being a real Center has a lot of value to Vegas. How many real Centers are available for them? Young ones?
There's better goalies, better defensemen, and Lindberg just checks more boxes than Fast.
If the objective of LVGK is to begin their franchise in rebuild mode rather than try to build a patchwork playoff roster, then I'd expect their picks to be primarily motivated by youth and potential trade value.
If indeed they aim on taking albatross contracts and lesser selections to gain a horde of draft picks, then I'd be very surprised if they pick veteran guys (unless they then plan to pawn them off to other teams ala Dagoon's report on James Neal)
Mrazek and Fleury will be the starting tandem for Vegas. Not only are they good goalies, they also help them get to the cap floor.
Ok, so isn't Malcolm Dunham able to go to the minors without going through waivers? If so, have to think he's selected.
Here's a thought:
The best goalies available are who?
Fleury
Mrazek
Ward
Raanta
Grubauer
Assuming Vegas wants to trade a couple of guys and keep 2 this year, would you take Mrazek AND Fleury? Is there a team out there who would currently trade for either of those guys? I don't think so.
Now would teams trade for Grubauer or Raanta? I think that's far more likely. Who is more valuable from the Rangers Lindberg or Raanta? Raanta he can trade almost right away because of his salary. Lindberg may be more of a longer term asset but does McPhee want that considering all of the other forwards he will have available?
I was looking at the expansion simulator and I'm not sure Lindberg is the guy for them. There are other forwards from other teams will little to offer who can fill those bottom-6 roles. And if that's the case and the asset was to be traded from the Rangers, wouldn't Raanta be the smarter choice?
Maybe I'm overthinking it.
Is that Mike's brother?
Just wanted to say, all this trade action around the NBA draft has made me sad for hockey. Why are NHL GMs such p**** when it comes to making deals? Roll the dice already. Duchene and Mackinnon would've been traded last year if this were basketball, damn it.
Just wanted to say, all this trade action around the NBA draft has made me sad for hockey. Why are NHL GMs such p**** when it comes to making deals? Roll the dice already. Duchene and Mackinnon would've been traded last year if this were basketball, damn it.
Just wanted to say, all this trade action around the NBA draft has made me sad for hockey. Why are NHL GMs such p**** when it comes to making deals? Roll the dice already. Duchene and Mackinnon would've been traded last year if this were basketball, damn it.
If I were McPhee I'd take as many of the guys who I think would return nice assets at the deadline. Neal. Plekanec. Ward. Guys who playoff teams will want.
Just wanted to say, all this trade action around the NBA draft has made me sad for hockey. Why are NHL GMs such p**** when it comes to making deals? Roll the dice already. Duchene and Mackinnon would've been traded last year if this were basketball, damn it.
I mean we already know of 6 trades that are ready to go once the expansion draft happens, and I'm sure there will be more once teams figure out who Vegas took. I think this next week could get crazy.
Only bit of relevant info is that Gorton's asking price for both Raanta and Stepan is high enough that nothing happened pre-freeze.
So tomorrow is the day we find out who Vegas is taking?