The is Las Vegas, the only thing that matters here is the Runnin Rebels Basketball Team, there football team and programme is a complete joke and they suck every year.
- SABRES 89

I get that im saying even in a "good" sports market it takes that much time to build a true fanbase. And in vegas who knows how it will go.

Team will never make it here
- SABRES 89

Don't they have a huge season ticket base + it would be a destination for visiting fans.

Don't they have a huge season ticket base + it would be a destination for visiting fans.
- turbo044

it would be one of 500,000 things for tourists to do aside from gambling and strip clubs

my guess is 10 thousand loyal fans, the rest will come from expected tourists


if the casinos don't comp tickets, it will be tough to fill the arena
- homiedclown

Casino's aren't comping anything anymore, this isn't the 70's, whole new ball game here now. No more free parking at MGM properties in the next month, if your not a guest it's 17.00 a day to park if you are a guest it's 10.00 a day.

Don't they have a huge season ticket base + it would be a destination for visiting fans.
- turbo044

I mean, I go to Montreal and I want to go to the Arena. I go to Minnesota I'm going to a game. But Florida, Anaheim, LA, LV, I'd think people would rather do things in the city than go to a game first. If they're already there and the Sabres are in town sure they'll maybe go. Personally, I would go for the games since I want to hit every arena, but a place like LV it's not the reason I'm going.

Casino's aren't comping anything anymore, this isn't the 70's, whole new ball game here now. No more free parking at MGM properties in the next month, if your not a guest it's 17.00 a day to park if you are a guest it's 10.00 a day.
- SABRES 89

oh I know

aside from afternoon shows, free rooms and food

I don't get comped sh!t anymore

I use to get comped night shows, shuttles, cab fare to and from airport, vouchers for high end restaurants


it's nothing like 15 years ago

I would protect ROR, Kane, Foligno, Girgs, Larsson, Bogo, Pysyk, Ennis and Sugar Ray.

Is this the consensus of what everyone else thinks?

Don't they have a huge season ticket base + it would be a destination for visiting fans.
- turbo044

Seaon ticket base is mostly sponsors not your everyday hockey fan, they might fill 20,000 seats at first but it will not last.

Hockey

Las Vegas Wranglers........ Gone
Las Vegas Thunder...........Gone 2 of them

Las Vegas Bandit Roller Hockey, Soccer, ............ Gone

Football

Las Vegas Posse.............Gone
Arena Football Team...........Gone

Las Vegas 51's are still here minor league baseball, if you haven't slept in 2 days go see them, you will.

I know there are 2 other football teams i'm missing

I really don't see how an NHL team survives in Vegas. The city is a 24/7 tourist town. All the locals work for the entertainment/casino business in some way, which means the city's true population is either 1/3 at work, 1/3 sleeping, or 1/3 free time during the 24 hour day. Now this differs from a normal city where the population is usually at work during the day, free in the evening, and sleeping at night. Vegas will only have 1/3 of its population available to go to game at night because the other 2/3 will be either sleeping or working. And, why would they want to waste their money on hockey with all the entertainment opitions the city offers?

As for tourist seeing games, why would they? You don't pay thousands to take a Vegas vacation and skip the shows to see Vegas play Anaheim, you can see a hockey game at home. When I go to Vegas, hockey is not on my mind.

Gionta's NMC becomes a NTC next year.

That is irrelevant if expansion is for the 17/18 season as Gionta becomes a UFA on July 1, 2017 before that season starts.

I would protect ROR, Kane, Foligno, Girgs, Larsson, Bogo, Pysyk, Ennis and Sugar Ray.

Is this the consensus of what everyone else thinks?
- mhp

Do you protect Kane with only 1 year left on his deal? Don't forget we will have new FAs here as well...

Do you protect Kane with only 1 year left on his deal? Don't forget we will have new FAs here as well...
- CoHo_to_B-Lo

he has 2 more years after this season

he has 2 more years after this season
- homiedclown

Right, at the time of expansion draft he will have 1. Which is what we are talking about.

They'll have 2 years played after next season, which exposes them (if I read the chatter about the latest rules right)

"First- and second-year pros -- including those playing pro hockey at any level -- will be exempt from the expansion draft. But if they're entering their third year of pro hockey, they're no longer exempt. Teams would have to either protect them or expose them."
- stashu

I misread the tsn article, thought it meant that those on an ELC would be exempt as well.

I misread the tsn article, thought it meant that those on an ELC would be exempt as well.
- Sabresfan-365

That would be nice and i think thats how it should be. But i don't think that is the case. From what i have seen.

Probably a dumb question but are AHL guys fair game in the expansion draft? If it's 1st and 2nd year pros including those in the minors it might change who you end up protecting.

Edit: is one pro year defined by a # of games played or just if you played pro hockey that year?

I really don't see how an NHL team survives in Vegas. The city is a 24/7 tourist town. All the locals work for the entertainment/casino business in some way, which means the city's true population is either 1/3 at work, 1/3 sleeping, or 1/3 free time during the 24 hour day. Now this differs from a normal city where the population is usually at work during the day, free in the evening, and sleeping at night. Vegas will only have 1/3 of its population available to go to game at night because the other 2/3 will be either sleeping or working. And, why would they want to waste their money on hockey with all the entertainment opitions the city offers?

As for tourist seeing games, why would they? You don't pay thousands to take a Vegas vacation and skip the shows to see Vegas play Anaheim, you can see a hockey game at home. When I go to Vegas, hockey is not on my mind.
- sskkoo1

Not disagreeing with the overall post, but this part is limited to 30 cities on the continent, so it still has some relevance. I know I'd probably go to a game (even if I lived in Buffalo) if I took a trip to Vegas.

Probably a dumb question but are AHL guys fair game in the expansion draft? If it's 1st and 2nd year pros including those in the minors it might change who you end up protecting.

Edit: is one pro year defined by a # of games played or just if you played pro hockey that year?
- Sabresfan-365

Not sure on the first part, as I'm confused with someone earlier mentioning McCabe wouldn't be exempt if the expansion were this offseason (not necessarily doubting the comment that was made, just hate that AHL time counts). On your edit though, I would assume it's the "qualifying" # of games that count for things like Free Agency

Probably a dumb question but are AHL guys fair game in the expansion draft? If it's 1st and 2nd year pros including those in the minors it might change who you end up protecting.

Edit: is one pro year defined by a # of games played or just if you played pro hockey that year?
- Sabresfan-365

"prospects" are protected and 1st and 2nd year pros regardless of league. So i would imagine older AHLers would be fair game. Are Bailey, Baptiste etc still considered prospects?

Not sure on the first part, as I'm confused with someone earlier mentioning McCabe wouldn't be exempt if the expansion were this offseason (not necessarily doubting the comment that was made, just hate that AHL time counts). On your edit though, I would assume it's the "qualifying" # of games that count for things like Free Agency
- stashu

The name that crossed my mind on this was Fasching. If they sign him this season and give him a few games does that count as 1 pro year? Would you protect Bailey?

"prospects" are protected and 1st and 2nd year pros regardless of league. So i would imagine older AHLers would be fair game. Are Bailey, Baptiste etc still considered prospects?
- CoHo_to_B-Lo

By the end of next year they would have played 2 full pro years so I assume they would be fair game.

Not disagreeing with the overall post, but this part is limited to 30 cities on the continent, so it still has some relevance. I know I'd probably go to a game (even if I lived in Buffalo) if I took a trip to Vegas.
- stashu

I see your point, but a couple from North Dakota who has saved up money for long time to take a trip to Vegas, I can't see their things to do list going like this:

1. Take in a show
2. Seafood buffet at the Rio
3. Check out the fountains at the Bellagio
4. Get tickets for Vegas vs. Buffalo

In past expansion drafts teams have traded players and picks to new teams with the deal they agreed to not pick certain players.
Also if memory serves me once a player from your team is picked, you are allowed to remove a player.

By the end of next year they would have played 2 full pro years so I assume they would be fair game.
- Sabresfan-365

They'd be fair game how I see it but I feel like Vegas would be less likely to take a prospect. Maybe not though. Fasching I don't think would be eligible since he hasn't played pro yet and next year would be his first. Bailey and Baptiste would be eligible.

I see your point, but a couple from North Dakota who has saved up money for long time to take a trip to Vegas, I can't see their things to do list going like this:

1. Take in a show
2. Seafood buffet at the Rio
3. Check out the fountains at the Bellagio
4. Get tickets for Vegas vs. Buffalo
- sskkoo1

Well I would. But I live in SoDak. NoDak's are dumb.....