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The Vegas Train Isn’t Slowing Down: 2018-19 & Beyond

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They’re just off to a hot start. His shooting percentage is unsustainable. The schedule gets tougher in the second half. They’re not playoff-tested.

All of these things have been said about the Vegas Golden Knights, and all of them have been shot down as the team keeps rolling through the NHL like they were relegated from an even higher league. The team knocked out the San Jose Sharks yesterday on the back of another shutout by Marc-Andre Fleury, and will now sit and wait for the winner of Nashville-Winnipeg. Both the Predators and Jets are impressive hockey clubs, but if you think they’ll be big favorites over the Golden Knights, you haven’t been paying attention.

Vegas may well go all the way to the Stanley Cup in their first season. They could even take home the trophy, handing it to Fleury, James Neal, David Perron, and Deryk Engelland before handing it to some of the less experienced players. Eventually it would end up in the hands of 22-year old Shea Theodore, a defenseman who started the year in the AHL only to now log more than 22 and a half minutes a night in the playoffs. Or Alex Tuch, the 21-year old prospect the Golden Knights received from Minnesota who, while still unpolished, can look like an animal off his leash at times as he disrupts breakouts and crashes heavily on the forecheck.

It would be passed to Malcolm Subban, a forgotten first-round pick who showed that all he needed was a chance and some confidence. He’ll still be 24 when next season begins, and looking like the obvious successor to Fleury down the road.

It’s that “down the road” that is so interesting for the Golden Knights. That’s when everyone was expecting them to compete. Down the road. Maybe sometime in the future. When their draft picks develop.

Those draft picks are developing already.

Cody Glass, the first draft pick in Vegas franchise history, recorded 102 points in 64 games for the Portland Winterhawks this season. He only just turned 19, but on a weaker team would be pushing for a role in the NHL as soon as next season. Nick Suzuki, his CHL counterpart selected just a few picks later, recorded 100 points in 64 matches. 42 goals tied him for third in OHL scoring, and he won’t turn 19 until August. Only AHL eligibility rules will likely stop him from playing professional hockey next season, as he’s already too good for the junior ranks.

Erik Brannstrom, the forgotten first-round pick, logged a regular shift on defense against professionals in the SHL, recording 22 points in 44 games. Fellow drafted blueliner Nicolas Hague put up 35 goals and 78 points as a dominant presence in the OHL.

Some criticized the Golden Knights for giving up three draft picks for Tomas Tatar at the trade deadline, especially because of the limited impact he’s had for them. But Vegas still holds 11 combined picks in rounds 1-3 of the 2019 and 2020 drafts, and will continue to pump talent into their pipeline. They’re not going away.

This summer could see the departure of Neal and Perron, and the offense will suffer. There is a chance that Fleury takes a step backwards, and the top line doesn’t produce as much. But there is more talent coming, there are more players ready to take the next step. Even as the core changes in the next few years, Vegas is set up for long-term success. The train isn’t slowing down, it’s just going to change conductors.

Snapshots: Sweden, Voynov, Yawney

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Sweden released their preliminary roster for the upcoming World Championships, and it is loaded with NHL talent. John Klingberg, Adam Larsson, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Erik Gustafsson, Adrian Kempe, Mikael Backlund, Johan Larsson, Mattias Janmark, Lias Andersson, Jacob de La Rose, Magnus Paajarvi and Mika Zibanejad will all be heading to the tournament for the Swedes.

Though obviously this group is missing some of their top options like Erik Karlsson and Henrik Zetterberg, it will also have some very interesting young players filling the gaps. Vegas Golden Knights draft pick Erik Brannstrom will be among the defense corps, and Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130 in Vancouver expects Elias Pettersson will be added soon.

  • There have been some conflicting reports on Slava Voynov’s potential return to the NHL, but Arthur Staple of The Athletic can make one thing very clear. The New York Islanders have not reached out to anyone connected to the former NHL player, and have “zero interest” in bringing him aboard. Whether or not any team will actually sign the 28-year old defenseman is still unclear.
  • The Anaheim Ducks will not bring back assistant coach Trent Yawney next season, choosing not to renew his contract. Yawney has been with the Ducks organization for seven seasons, first as head coach of their AHL affiliate (Syracuse, then Norfolk) and the last four seasons as an assistant to Bruce Boudreau and Randy Carlyle in the NHL.

Vegas Likely To Stand Pat At Deadline

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If there were any last thoughts that the Vegas Golden Knights – who are on pace to be the best expansion team in sports history – would be sellers at the NHL Trade Deadline, they went out the window with the team’s convincing 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning last night. Tampa, who sits atop the league standings with 65 points, is now just two points ahead of Vegas, with the Knights holding a game in hand. Not only is Vegas playoff-bound in their first season, but they have a legitimate chance at the President’s Trophy. Unbelievably, they have a chance at a Stanley Cup title in their inaugural season as well.

For that reason, the idea of the team selling off their impending unrestricted free agents like James Neal, David Perron, or Luca Sbisa has become unthinkable. Despite the long-term benefits that trading away those players for picks and prospects may have on the young franchise, GM George McPhee is surely unwilling at this point to take the wind out of his team’s sails when they truly feel they can win it all in 2018. There is some evidence already that this team is happy with it’s current roster and more interested in extensions than blockbusters. Deryk Engelland and Jonathon Merrill recently signed new deals and the team is reportedly focused on an extension for Neal. The current Golden Knights roster is unlikely to change this season.

That just may include additions as well. For the same reason some are holding out that the Knights will be sellers is the same reason they are extremely unlikely to be buyers too. In just their first year existence, Vegas is in no position to be dealing away picks and prospects. While most teams are already stocked with prospects, Vegas has just their 2017 selections and a few free agent signings to build off. Cody Glass, Nick Suzuki, Jake Leschyshyn, Erik Brannstrom, and Nicolas Hague are nothing to laugh at, but the team needs to focus on quantity just as much as quality among their junior-level prospects. Their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, has been a middling team this season (currently 18th in the league), and that’s with a veteran free agent signing leading the team in scoring in Brandon Pirri and another team’s goalie as their starter in Kasimir Kaskisuo. Tomas Hyka may be the only prospect on the Chicago roster to ever make a noticeable difference in Vegas. The Stanley Cup is the toughest championship in sports to win and even a number one seed only gives the Knights the same shot that 15 other teams get, not a guaranteed trip to the final. In short, Vegas cannot afford to give up talented top prospects, nor can they give up the draft picks needed to keep filling out the system, for a greater chance at a a difficult title to claim.

The Vegas Golden Knights are rolling right now, playing far better in 2017-18 than anyone could have ever possibly imagined. There is no way they are sellers at the deadline but, due to the constraints of being an expansion franchise, they are unlikely to be sellers either. Like the old saying goes though, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Vegas is no less threatening this season or moving forward if they do indeed stand pat this season.

Poll: Who Will Win The WJC Gold Medal Game?

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In what has been a tournament filled with outstanding performances—except perhaps at the ticket offices—Canada and Sweden have outlasted all the rest and will come together in the World Junior Championship gold medal match tonight. Neither team lost a game in regulation during the tournament, with Canada only falling in a snowy shootout at the hands of the United States in the outdoor game.

Both teams are loaded with future NHL talent, including the almost consensus 2018 first-overall pick in Rasmus Dahlin. Dahlin has been incredible all tournament long, looking just as poised and confident as always. The 17-year old defenseman plays for Frolunda in the SHL, where he has 11 points in 26 games and has graced highlight reels all season. While other 2018-eligible players have impressed at the tournament, Dahlin has cemented his spot as a franchise-changing prospect and the prize of the draft lottery.

It’s not just Dahlin starring for Sweden though. Their group of 2017 first-round picks—Elias Pettersson, Lias Andersson, Erik Brannstrom and Timothy Liljegren—have all shown moments of brilliance throughout the last couple of weeks, and all look like they’ll make their NHL debuts before long. Alexander Nylander has shown off his elite offensive skill, and reminded Buffalo fans that even though he’s struggled at the AHL level he still has tremendous upside.

For Canada, a team that has just a single first-round pick on the whole roster, the scoring responsibility has been spread throughout. Every Canadian player save for Dante Fabbro has at least a point in the tournament, with St. Louis Blues prospect Jordan Kyrou leading the way. Perhaps the biggest surprise has been Cale Makar (that aforementioned first-round pick, fourth-overall to the Colorado Avalanche last year), who has worked his way up from the seventh defenseman on the roster. Makar has been a dynamic powerplay quarterback and will be relied upon again tonight against the tough defense of the Swedes.

It will be a very tough matchup for both sides, as neither has given up very many chances. With the quick-strike offense both teams possess, the game could hinge on which experienced defense corps makes the fewest mistakes. It also could be an Olympic preview for some of the players, as Kyrou and Victor Mete are possibilities to go to Pyeongchang for Canada, while several of the Swedes (including Pettersson and Dahlin) playing in the SHL could crack their squad.

So who will take home gold tonight? Who will win MVP? Who have you been most impressed by in the tournament? Vote below, and use the comment section to discuss.

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What Should Vegas Do With James Neal?

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The Vegas Golden Knights had it all figured out. The plan from Day One was to build the team through the draft with a goal of reaching the playoffs in three years and winning a Stanley Cup in five. Evidently, the team did their math wrong. They won’t stop winning now in Year One.

However, despite the team’s success, they have done exactly as they’ve planned. The Golden Knights built their 2017 NHL draft based on multiple trades that came with the expansion draft as they picked up an extra two first-round picks in draft-day deals. They also added an extra second rounder as well as extra fifth and sixth round picks. That totaled 12 picks in that draft, or 13, if you add seventh-round pick Dylan Ferguson, who the team picked up in a trade after the draft.

The draft pick collecting didn’t stop just with the 2017 draft, however. They picked up quite a few for the 2019 NHL draft as well as they have seven picks in the first three rounds in that draft and 12 picks total. Even in 2020, the Golden Knights have four picks in the first two rounds. However, the one draft that Vegas hasn’t targeted is this upcoming draft, the 2018 NHL Draft. It’s obvious, the team’s plan was to accumulate picks at the trade deadline this year. The team has several top players in the last year of their deals that could be sold off for assets, players like James Neal, David Perron, Luca Sbisa and possibly even Jon Marchessault. That has always been the plan, until now.

The team had been winning quite a bit early on, but the team’s recent 8-0-1 run may have changed the outlook of many. Now at the holiday break, Vegas finds itself with a 23-9-2 record, good enough for a three-way tie for first place in the Western Conference. This team is for real, having pulled off victories in just the last week over the Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning and the Washington Capitals. Just a few days ago, NHL.com’s Gary Lawless said that he doesn’t expect Vegas to break up their team at the deadline.

But what do you do with Neal? While Marc-Andre Fleury has been the face of the franchise, it’s Neal that has endeared himself to Vegas fans. The winger has 17 goals, which leads the team and fans would love to have him stay with the franchise. However, he will be 31 years old at the start of the season next year. This will be Neal’s last opportunity to cash in on a big contract, which he truly deserves. However, do you give a 31-year-old player a long-term contract? An six-year deal? Eight years? At what cost? Or do they just let him walk away next season and start all over again.

Perron and Sbisa are probably easy enough to let walk away at the end of the season. While they both have played extremely well this year, the team could probably find replacements at their positions quickly enough. Don’t forget they have two young first-round picks who are dominating their junior league in Cody Glass and Nick Suzuki and another first-rounder in Erik Brannstrom in Sweden waiting to come over. Even Marchessault’s situation is easier to predict as he’ll just be 27 next year. A long-term deal might not look too bad at his age. No matter how many years they sign him for, after two years he’d be 33 years old in a league that caters to young players and have started separating themselves from older ones. Is that what you want on a young expansion team? So, what should Vegas do with Neal?

Toronto Loans Tim Liljegren To Sweden’s World Juniors Team

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Toronto Marlies defenseman Tim Liljegren may have been hoping that his next move would be up to the Maple Leafs, but this announcement was a close second. Liljegren has been loaned to Team Sweden for the upcoming World Junior Championships, as expected.

Liljegren, 18, was drafted 17th overall by Toronto this past June and, as an overseas player, was able to jump right into AHL action this season. He has played well against older, stronger, more experienced competition, tallying nine points and a +6 rating in 17 games.

However, at the World Juniors, Liljegren will again be among players his own age with a chance to play a leadership role for Sweden. With potential 2018 #1 overall pick Rasmus Dahlin and fellow 2017 first-rounder Erik Brannstrom (VGK) also manning Sweden’s blue line, it should be a talented defensive group that Liljegren is set to lead.

World Junior Rosters Filled With NHL Prospects

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With USA Hockey revealing their 28-man preliminary roster for the upcoming World Junior tournament, and Hockey Canada expected to do the same today, prospect junkies from around the league are making lists of who to watch this holiday season. The rosters have been released from various other countries already, and they include many other players who’ve already been drafted around the league.

Below are the full preliminary rosters for Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic, along with their respective NHL teams in parenthesis. Russia has announced their KHL group, but has not yet revealed who from North America will be joining them in selection camp.

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Status Of 2017 First-Round Picks

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By the end of September it will be clear where each of the 2017 first-round picks will be heading to continue their hockey careers, but we already have quite a few that have signed their entry-level contracts. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re ticketed for the NHL or even North America, as most will have their deals slide for an additional season. Still, below you can find the current status of each player and their likely destination for the 2017-18 season. While they aren’t final, it will give you an early idea of where to catch them this year.

Nico Hischier – New Jersey Devils – Signed ELC on July 15th. Likely starts the year with New Jersey.

Nolan Patrick – Philadelphia Flyers – Signed ELC on July 17th. Likely starts the year with Philadelphia.

Miro Heiskanen – Dallas Stars – Signed ELC on July 8th. Will play for HIFK this season (Finland).

Cale Makar – Colorado Avalanche – Will play for UMass-Amherst this season (NCAA).

Elias Pettersson – Vancouver Canucks – Will play for Vaxjo this season (Sweden).

Cody Glass – Vegas Golden Knights – Signed ELC on July 15th. Will likely play for Portland this season (WHL).

Lias Andersson – New York Rangers – Signed ELC on July 13th. Will battle for roster spot with New York, but likely play for Frolunda this season (Sweden).

Casey Mittelstadt – Buffalo Sabres – Will play for the University of Minnesota this season (NCAA).

Michael Rasmussen – Detroit Red Wings – Signed ELC on August 5th. Will likely play for Tri-City this season (WHL).

Owen Tippett – Florida Panthers – Signed ELC on July 19th. Will battle for roster spot with Florida; could play for Mississauga this season (OHL).

Gabe Vilardi – Los Angeles Kings – Will likely play for Windsor this season (OHL).

Martin Necas – Carolina Hurricanes – Signed ELC on July 14th. Will likely play for Brno this season (Czech Republic).

Nick Suzuki – Vegas Golden Knights – Signed ELC on July 15th. Will likely play for Owen Sound this season (OHL)

Cal Foote – Tampa Bay Lightning – Will likely play for Kelowna this season (WHL).

Erik Brannstrom – Vegas Golden Knights – Signed ELC on July 15th. Will play for HV71 this season (Sweden).

Juuso Valimaki – Calgary Flames- Signed ELC on July 21th. Will likely play for Tri-City this season (WHL).

Timothy Liljegren – Toronto Maple Leafs – Signed ELC on July 12th. Will likely play for Rogle this season (Sweden).

Urho Vaakanainen – Boston Bruins – Will play for SaiPa this season (Finland)

Josh Norris – San Jose Sharks – Will play for the University of Michigan this season (NCAA).

Robert Thomas – St. Louis Blues – Will play for London this season (OHL).

Filip Chytil – New York Rangers – Signed ELC on July 14th. Will likely play for HC Zlin this season (Czech Republic); could play for Hartford (AHL).

Kailer Yamamoto – Edmonton Oilers – Signed ELC on August 10th. Will likely play for Spokane this year (WHL).

Pierre-Olivier Joseph – Arizona Coyotes – Will likely play for Charlottetown this season (QMJHL).

Kristian Vesalainen – Winnipeg Jets – Will play for HPK this season (Finland).

Ryan Poehling – Montreal Canadiens – Will play for St. Cloud State University this season (NCAA).

Jake Oettinger – Dallas Stars – Will play for Boston University this season (NCAA).

Morgan Frost – Philadelphia Flyers – Signed ELC on August 3rd. Will play for Sault Ste. Marie this season (OHL).

Shane Bowers – Ottawa Senators – Will play for Boston University this season (NCAA).

Henri Jokiharju – Chicago Blackhawks – Will likely play for Portland this season (WHL).

Eeli Tolvanen – Nashville Predators – Will battle for a roster spot with Nashville, but will likely play for Jokerit this season (KHL).

Klim Kostin – St. Louis Blues – Signed ELC on July 5th. Will battle for roster spot with St. Louis; could play in AHL (St. Louis doesn’t have an AHL affiliate for this season, but will be providing players for Chicago and other teams).

Which 2017 Draft Picks Will Make Their Teams?

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This year’s draft was notoriously thin in terms of elite talent, but that doesn’t mean that some of the top choices won’t make an impact. Of course, a lot will depend on training camp and whether players will return to Juniors, College, or overseas. Nico Hischier has already signed his entry-level contract with New Jersey, as has Nolan Patrick with Philadelphia. Both look primed to make their teams out of camp, even though Patrick will be recovering from an injury. It’s common for top picks to make their teams, and it would be shocking to see either fall short. Beyond these two, however, many of the top players till need seasoning.

The third pick, Miro Heiskanen, very well could return to the Finish Elite League for IFK, or theoretically be taken in the CHL import draft. Dallas doesn’t look like they’ll try to rush it with him, but anything is possible with this talented a player. Fourth overall was defenseman Cale Makar for Colorado, who is committed to play with the University of Massachussetts. Still, Colorado is hurting badly for skill and could benefit mightily from his dynamic presence on the blueline. Fifth overall was Elias Pettersson for Vancouver, who should return to Vaxjo of the SHL. He hasn’t signed an ELC and won’t attend training camp. Sixth overall Cody Glass looks primed to make a push for a spot in Vegas if he can show he belongs. The offense acquired via the expansion draft is very lean, and if Glass can round out his frame, the team may opt to toss him into the fire. He comes from a solid program with the Portland Winterhawks, and already surprised many with his ascension to first-round status in 2016-17.

Seventh overall was 5’11 center Lias Anderssson, who will fight for a position on the New York Rangers. In May, he signed a two-year contract with SHL’s Frolunda, so he might be one of the least likely of the group to see playing time in the near future. Casey Mittelstadt went eighth overall to Buffalo, and his phenomenal performance in the 2016 U-18 World Juniors played a large role in that. He only has USHL experience under his belt, however, and is committed to the Minnesota Gophers for the 2017-18 season. Michael Rasmussen is a towering, 6’6 center from Tri City of the WHL, and his overall physical package propelled him into that 9th selection by Detroit. Detroit is in need of cheap roster players on ELCs, but rushing a player of his caliber, especially coming off an injury-marred 2016-17 season, seems unlikely. GM Ken Holland is known for his patience when it comes to prospects. Rounding out the list, we have one of the few wingers selected in the first round – Owen Tippett of the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads. His 44 goals in 60 games caught the attention of Florida’s scouts, and he could make things interesting with a solid camp showing.

In the final evaluation, there are really only two sure-fire picks to make their teams in the 2017-18 season. Of course, there are players later in the order who could surprise and get a look as well. Gabriel Vilardi (11) would inject some much needed offense to a floundering Los Angeles squad, and already possesses NHL size. Nick Suzuki (13) could transcend Glass in Vegas as his flashy speed and exceptional passing are already pro-level. Future teammate Erik Brannstrom (15) proved again that he belongs in the conversation in the recent Summer Showcase. Timothy Liljegren (17) is already making Toronto fans salivate at his potential, and there is always someone unexpected who completely blows away the competition in camp. We shouldn’t see more than one or two surprises, but anything is possible once the players retake the ice in August for some internal competition.

In your mind, which 2017 draft picks make the NHL starting roster for their teams, excluding the obvious Hischier and Patrick? Will any of these names compete for a Calder, or will there only be one or two immediately successful rookies from this class? (For comparison’s sake, 4 players played regularly last season of all the players selected in 2016).

Please vote in our poll below!

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Draft Capital: The Path To Success For Vegas

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Recently we looked at how the Vegas Golden Knights could still hold court at the 2018 trade deadline, a roster filled with pieces on short term deals that could be attractive to teams for the stretch run. The team has burdened itself with so few long-term commitments that it can move salary in and out as it tries to slowly bring it self into contention. Cody Glass

As with any build (re or otherwise) in the NHL, the best players on your team must come through the draft. Bringing a core group through together is the key for any dominant team, with examples like Sidney Crosby–Evgeni Malkin–Kris Letang, Jonathan Toews–Patrick Kane–Duncan Keith or Anze Kopitar–Drew Doughty–Jonathan Quick winning several Stanley Cups as young players together. The Golden Knights are hoping their first draft group can replicate that success.

When the Golden Knights secured three first-round picks in this year, selecting Cody Glass, Nick Suzuki and Erik Brannstrom (6th, 13th and 15th-overall) they pumped an incredible amount of high-end talent into their system in one day. Those three could easily become the backbone of a competitive team, but it was the other work they’ve done that will really result in some success in the future. On day two of the draft, Vegas selected nine more players including Nicolas Hague who was expected to go in the late first round and Jake Leschyshyn who has NHL pedigree (father Curtis Leschyshyn played over 1,000 games and won the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 1996) and took a huge step forward in the WHL this season.

It’s the sheer amount of lottery tickets they’ve purchased that is sure to pay off for the Golden Knights. Over the next three drafts they have ten selections in the first two rounds, and as noted earlier could gather even more this season. Not only would that allow them to pump their system full of a huge number of prospects, but should also let them move up to get the specific players they want to target. Though 2018 picks are hard to come by, as teams are viewing the first round as one of the deepest in recent memory, it’s harder to project the talent further down the line. Vegas is set up to compete for the very best players available those years, just through sheer draft capital.

So when you look at the Vegas roster, and don’t see a ton of youth and upside (outside of a select few like Shea Theodore) remember that they’ve just started to build a pipeline that should be among the league’s best in just a few years. With a bottom five finish the most likely outcome of this season, they’ll be in the lottery conversation again to select at the top of the draft, and perhaps pull in Andrei Svechnikov, Joe Veleno, Rasmus Dahlin or one of the other elite prospects available next year. That slow build to contention might not take nearly as long as you think.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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