God I can't even imagine what the Avs would look like if he had MORE personnel decision power. Roy is a dinosaur and maybe now the extremely talented young players the Avs have can have a shot at greatness. (frank) Roy. Good riddance.
- Victoro311

I think the interesting part is going to be where they go now, it's easy to assume Roy was at the core of it but if they continue with their poor personal decision it may turn out that Sakic was the bigger problem. I honestly do believe it was Roy but we'll know for sure soon enough.

Schultz is a RFA and if he has a strong enough year where he looks like he could step into Daily's spot in the top 4, I could see him getting protected.
- Tojo.

not an rfa anymore

not an rfa anymore
- martox

Yep he's Ufa now. Had to qualify him this year to make him Rfa next year. Instead we let him become Ufa and resigned him as a ufa so he will be Ufa next year.

Not sure what he would be next year if we didn't qualify him but resigned him before free agency....I think in that case he would be Rfa.

It's really not. Calgary is a bubble team with some velvety promising youth that got sunk horribly by bad goaltending. Vegas won't be a bouble team and they won't have youth.
- Victoro311

Vegas might be decent out of the gates and a bubble team by year 2. Aside from gross vet contracts like Girardi, Staal, Boychuck et... there will be some mid level veterans available, plus some decent (though not great young players). They will also have at least the number 3 pick in next years draft. There's also free agency and they ll have a ton of cap space.

If half the teams in the league expose a player on Fleury's level they might by decent in year 1.

Vegas might be decent out of the gates and a bubble team by year 2. Aside from gross vet contracts like Girardi, Staal, Boychuck et... there will be some mid level veterans available, plus some decent (though not great young players). They will also have at least the number 3 pick in next years draft. There's also free agency and they ll have a ton of cap space.

If half the teams in the league expose a player on Fleury's level they might by decent in year 1.
- Brianandr1

J.Staal won't be available.

not an rfa anymore
- martox

No, check any cap site, he's an RFA. One of the bloggers here mentioned it as well when he signed. Not sure how the rule is written, maybe it is because he signed with the same team, but he is a RFA.

No, check any cap site, he's an RFA. One of the bloggers here mentioned it as well when he signed. Not sure how the rule is written, maybe it is because he signed with the same team, but he is a RFA.
- Tojo.

hmm. nothing I have seen. I thought he relinquished his rfa status when he didn't get signed as a rfa but as a ufa. also even IF he didn't he will be 27 next year which means ufa

J.Staal won't be available.
- BINGO!

I could see guys like Kadri, Nash, Bonino (if the pens don't sign him), P. Martin, Fleury, M. Methot, C. Wilson, B. Nelson, V. Namestnkov, T. Myers, Backlund, B. Pouliot, Mason, S. Depres, M. Calvert, V. Filppula, P. Maroon et available...

B Burns, B. Bishop, J. Thorton, B. Marchand, K. Shattenkirk, A. Steen, P. Sharp, J Jagr (and we know he likes to gamble) as possible free agents.

hmm. nothing I have seen. I thought he relinquished his rfa status when he didn't get signed as a rfa but as a ufa. also even IF he didn't he will be 27 next year which means ufa
- martox

I thought so too initially, but that is not the case. He'll still be 26, though barely, on July 1st next year. Seriously, just check general fanger, cap friendly, etc if you don't believe me, but he is a RFA.

Vegas might be decent out of the gates and a bubble team by year 2. Aside from gross vet contracts like Girardi, Staal, Boychuck et... there will be some mid level veterans available, plus some decent (though not great young players). They will also have at least the number 3 pick in next years draft. There's also free agency and they ll have a ton of cap space.

If half the teams in the league expose a player on Fleury's level they might by decent in year 1.
- Brianandr1

You know I originally thought they'd be pretty good too but it's looking more and more like they're just gonna suck coming out the gate. It looks like the best forward they're going to get is Cam Atkinson and the best defenseman they're gonna get is Simon Despres if all things remain equal right now, and I'm sure the chances of trades that will even make those guys unavailable are fairly high. That's not a team Fleury will want to go to.

You know I originally thought they'd be pretty good too but it's looking more and more like they're just gonna suck coming out the gate. It looks like the best forward they're going to get is Cam Atkinson and the best defenseman they're gonna get is Simon Despres if all things remain equal right now, and I'm sure the chances of trades that will even make those guys unavailable are fairly high. That's not a team Fleury will want to go to.
- Victoro311

If they are smart they will poach teams cheap, controlled youth that get caught up in the numbers games. Anyone on an ELC or Bridge with upside. Since they have to get to 45 million or so during the draft grab a bunch of overpaid vets in their last year of their contracts.

Going into 2018 they should have a ton of capspace for Free Agents and the youth in the system to round out the teams depth. They could be really good by 2019 if they play their cards right

If they are smart they will poach teams cheap, controlled youth that get caught up in the numbers games. Anyone on an ELC or Bridge with upside. Since they have to get to 45 million or so during the draft grab a bunch of overpaid vets in their last year of their contracts.

Going into 2018 they should have a ton of capspace for Free Agents and the youth in the system to round out the teams depth. They could be really good by 2019 if they play their cards right
- TheGame316

They could also grab a few teams anchor contracts with the 'throw ins' to soften the blow. The big contracts get them to the cap floor & the throw ins set them up a little better moving forward. Who could they grab from Tampa if they took a bad contract? What would the Kings give them to take Brown? Columbus have 1 or 2 large contracts that I would bet would like to move them - at what cost? Vegas isn't winning the Cup anytime soon. They will have to get it right by starting out small & growing. I doubt tactics that Arizona is using will be accepted in Vegas.

Imagine if they actually did win within a few years of their debut?? Do you think there will be a few fan bases upset that they won?

So teams with free agents likely to have a deal in place but wait until the expansion draft is over to sign?

So teams with free agents likely to have a deal in place but wait until the expansion draft is over to sign?
- dbell646

Vegas will also be dealing like that...

A Matt Cullen update.

Matt Cullen's agent said Cullen being patient, will make decision "in next cpl wks." Penguins, 3 other teams in the mix.

— Bill West (@BWest_Trib) August 12, 2016