Post-Game Talk: Stanley Cup Final. Las Vegas Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup, 4 games to 1. No contest in a 9-3 final game.

[No More Subban]

When you are a rebuilding team like us. And you watch a team raising the cup. It makes you realise how farrr we are to having a team like that.

not sure how they got stone, eichel and pietrangelo. you should win a cup with these moves. they even had weber. imagine if he was still in his prime..yowza

 

[Non Player Canadiens]

add Adin Hill to the illustrious list of Cup-winning goalies which includes: Darcy Kuemper, Jordan Binnington, Matt Murray, Corey Crawford and Antti Niemi

 

[Kimota]

What I like of Mcphee is he's not static. It's not like in Mtl when we have some talented player, we don't surround the players with talent, we let them sink without help, we keep plugs long time and we don't have vision. In Mtl we are stock for long time with players we just would like to be gone asap. Right now in Mtl a real turn will take 4 years. Mtl is static and toxic.
Vegas won some trades, lost players too but they were always in movement. They had excellence the way to be in their culture. Their fans are not bandwagon bashers, they have good fans and a good GM and excellent overall organisation.

I had my doubts for a while. Because they had gone to the cup with a bunch of rejects and it had worked for them. I felt it was a mistake to break that chemistry to go get a bunch of superstars from everywhere like Pacioretty, Stone and so forth. It's like they got close to the sun and had stars in their eyes and suddenly they had lost sight of the reason to what got them there. But I guess the missing ingredients was Eichel and a good coach. The East lose it and the west take it once again(Stone-Sens, Cassidy-Bruins, Eichel-Sabres).

 

[ReHabs]

If there's one takeaway from this it's to be aggressive and don't let prior mistakes dictate future goals. You don't need to coddle underperforming players, you need to fuel ambitious ones. Every Canadian team should take a long, hard look at themselves and reflect on this -- compared to Vegas they're all run like country clubs.

It's interesting to think about what the Habs would look like if they had been far more aggressive in sidelineing underperforming players like Armia and Dadanov and Gallagher. If a player's intangibles are more valuable than their tangibles, they're better off in the hot dog box and replaced with a league min. hungry young player.

 

[nhlfan9191]

If there's one takeaway from this it's to be aggressive and don't let prior mistakes dictate future goals. You don't need to coddle underperforming players, you need to fuel ambitious ones. Every Canadian team should take a long, hard look at themselves and reflect on this -- compared to Vegas they're all run like country clubs.

It's interesting to think about what the Habs would look like if they had been far more aggressive in sidelineing underperforming players like Armia and Dadanov and Gallagher. If a player's intangibles are more valuable than their tangibles, they're better off in the hot dog box and replaced with a league min. hungry young player.

None of the Canadian teams can offer the players what Vegas can. It’s an attractive place for players to play for multiple reasons. Montreal would never get away with pissing on players the way Vegas has. We would be avoided like the plague if we did some of the stuff they have.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

Eichel wins a cup before Mcdavid, who would have thought...? Edmonton has now a 2 yrs window, they wont be able to afford Draisaitl once he is UFA.

Just like pitts couldn’t afford a Malkin. Zzzz.

 

[ReHabs]

None of the Canadian teams can offer the players what Vegas can. It’s an attractive place for players to play for multiple reasons. Montreal would never get away with pissing on players the way Vegas has. We would be avoided like the plague if we did some of the stuff they have.

I think it's worth trying to be like Vegas and falling short, than not being like Vegas and falling short anyway. It's not about pissing off players, it's about having high standards and constantly aiming to improve. Players are generally driven and ambitious as personalities, they wouldn't mind a hockey club that operates with excellence. See the NE Patriots or Real Madrid for instance.

 

[HuGort]

I'm just glad it is over. Now, onto the draft

 

[JeffreyLFC]

add Adin Hill to the illustrious list of Cup-winning goalies which includes: Darcy Kuemper, Jordan Binnington, Matt Murray, Corey Crawford and Antti Niemi

That's why I do not want us to give up assets to get a goaltender. Montembault could be the guy but I am confident other top goaltender would be available through waiver, free agency or via trade for minimal value. The only thing we should never do is pay top money for a goaltender through free agency, they have a tendency to flop.

 

[HuGort]

So next season Panthers will be like Habs and finish dead last... of course, next season we don't have their first round pick.

Doubt it. Habs, all final 4 teams struggled next season due to covid schedule at end of season and shorter summer.

 

[Runner77]

I think it's worth trying to be like Vegas and falling short, than not being like Vegas and falling short anyway. It's not about pissing off players, it's about having high standards and constantly aiming to improve. Players are generally driven and ambitious as personalities, they wouldn't mind a hockey club that operates with excellence. See the NE Patriots or Real Madrid for instance.

Excellence always starts at the top.

Unfortunately, it appears that you have not seen enough from Hughes and Gorton to conclude that they meet the standard you are espousing in your post. I can understand the skepticism since they don't have a long track record at the helm of this club. I guess we'll have to let time do its thing.

 

[Cournoyer12]

Never underestimate the positive impact that can come from benching a very talented but very INJURED player in the playoffs

…Vegas will still win

Nailed it!!!!!

 

[Cournoyer12]

None of the Canadian teams can offer the players what Vegas can. It’s an attractive place for players to play for multiple reasons. Montreal would never get away with pissing on players the way Vegas has. We would be avoided like the plague if we did some of the stuff they have.

This Vegas love is like watching Cyrus dirty dance with his babes…. Way too greasy!!! LOL

 

[nhlfan9191]

I think it's worth trying to be like Vegas and falling short, than not being like Vegas and falling short anyway. It's not about pissing off players, it's about having high standards and constantly aiming to improve. Players are generally driven and ambitious as personalities, they wouldn't mind a hockey club that operates with excellence. See the NE Patriots or Real Madrid for instance.

The city, weather, tax break, etc is always going to make Vegas a more attractive option. That’s a big part of their success and it’s something we can’t recreate. They can get away with micromanaging a team like they’re playing an EA video game because of these things. If we were lucky enough to start attracting better players, I don’t think it would be in our best interest to start shipping off players who just signed long term commitments to our team that are producing. Or sending off goalies coming off Vezina seasons to a bottom feeder team. The organization would gain a pretty bad rep fast imo. How much of their team did they actually have to develop?

 

[Cournoyer12]

I'm just glad it is over. Now, onto the draft

13 “sexy days “ left!!!!

not sure how they got stone, eichel and pietrangelo. you should win a cup with these moves. they even had weber. imagine if he was still in his prime..yowza

I’ve never really cared for Stone, but he is a warrior! Heart and soul of that team IMO.

 

[BLONG7]

If there's one takeaway from this it's to be aggressive and don't let prior mistakes dictate future goals. You don't need to coddle underperforming players, you need to fuel ambitious ones. Every Canadian team should take a long, hard look at themselves and reflect on this -- compared to Vegas they're all run like country clubs.

It's interesting to think about what the Habs would look like if they had been far more aggressive in sidelineing underperforming players like Armia and Dadanov and Gallagher. If a player's intangibles are more valuable than their tangibles, they're better off in the hot dog box and replaced with a league min. hungry young player.

I don't recall the habs running a country club, until Bergevin showed up..............crazy. Accountability was never Mol$on's thing.....

Good on Vegas......wanted the Canes to get rid of FLA but anyhow.................

 

[ReHabs]

Excellence always starts at the top.

Unfortunately, it appears that you have not seen enough from Hughes and Gorton to conclude that they meet the standard you are espousing in your post. I can understand the skepticism since they don't have a long track record at the helm of this club. I guess we'll have to let time do its thing.

Firing those physios was a nice move to indicate a ruthless pursuit of excellence. More of that SVP.

I would waive or buy-out the useless vets if only to send a message to the organization that you’re only as good as your contribution. If a ELC/League Min player is considered better than you, you ought to be ashamed.

 

[tnq]

Imagine if Boston was in final, can Vegas win the cup ?

 

[Riddick412]

Bettman must have some sore face muscles from all that grinning he's been doing. Seattle up next. Who knew you could just buy the cup?

 

[Colezuki]

I don't really see that. Eichel is just 26 and is signed long term.

The team is a little on the older side, but they should easily be competitive for another 3-4 years.

Well yeah, I still think they’ll be competitive just don’t think they’ll have another deep run in them

 

[BLONG7]

add Adin Hill to the illustrious list of Cup-winning goalies which includes: Darcy Kuemper, Jordan Binnington, Matt Murray, Corey Crawford and Antti Niemi

No Price, Luongo, Lundquist, Cujo, the list would be long..............if you don't have a GM who knows what he is doing.............a team just can't win the Cup

Riding a good goalie is not the way to go.........

Better days ahead guys.......

 

[Habs 4 Life]

Imagine if Boston was in final, can Vegas win the cup ?

With the style of hockey they play, yes absolutely

 

[26Mats]

GMs were smarter and just let them pick a player. They didn't get a whole bunch of free players like Tuch (who helped get Eichel), Theodore, Smith & Marchessault, Karlsson & a 1st, etc., etc.

Seattle walked away with no where near the draft picks that Vegas got. But still got good players, but not great

While I agree that GM's are now smarter, I still think McPhee deserves credit for outsmarting them.

He found a lot of good players, and in many cases got GM's to give him draft picks to take them, because the oth team's GM really wanted to protect another player. Pretty brilliant.

 

[26Mats]

Sure but the opportunity was there for the taking is the point. If Seattle’s management are idiots, it doesn’t take away the fact that the set up allowed for a ton of leverage.

Really not fair for those teams that toiled for years but hey, they didn’t mind the lofty expansion money either.

Bettman's motivations are pure business.
But I'm happy to see the game grow. Eventually I'd like to see it in warm climates like South America, Africa, etc... There are already pockets in those regions. So happy to see the hockey craziness in places like Vegas and Nashville.

But McPhee outsmarted other GM's. he got teams to give him draft picks to take players that turned out to be better that the players the other GM's wanted to protect/not lose. Pretty brilliant. To see a team of rejects turn out together a team of really good players was inspirational to me. And they didn't win right away. They had to go through tough defeats, like the elimination to San Jose on the bogus major.

I admire guys like Marchessult, Stone, and Karlesson, and Eichel for sticking to his guns. He didn't quit on the Sabres, they quit on him and called him selfish and tried to control his medical decisions for his body.

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

Congrats go the Knights