Subban is what? 1.5 years younger and way further behind?

I don't care how bad a year it was for Pickard, no one was going to be successful in that Colorado net after the rails fell off the team...

I'm not sure Pickard has less upside than Subban. MFF goes down and its season over. the tank that LVGN want to fall into will be ready soon enough.

I'm not sure Pickard has less upside than Subban.
- weakglovehand

I assume both McPhee and Prior think that Subban has more upside. We'll see if they can help him get there.

Was Subban protected in the expansion draft?

Was Subban protected in the expansion draft?
- mlindsay

I don't think so.

Def see what you're saying, though.

Was Subban protected in the expansion draft?
- mlindsay

He was not.

He was not.
- Sheng.Peng

Why not have grabbed him then or trade for him after?

Unless Boston didn't want to trade him at the time? Maybe they realized this preseason it's just not in the cards for him and the Bruins.

There has to be something else going on.

Why not have grabbed him then or trade for him after?

Unless Boston didn't want to trade him at the time? Maybe they realized this preseason it's just not in the cards for him and the Bruins.

There has to be something else going on.
- Hank3Henshaw

Exactly.
If they were so high on him... could have grabbed him then and taken someone else from COL.
McPhee did not do the best job in the expansion draft imho.

Why not have grabbed him then or trade for him after?
- Hank3Henshaw

I assume they liked both Miller and Subban, but Miller just a little more.

Exactly.
If they were so high on him... could have grabbed him then and taken someone else from COL.
McPhee did not do the best job in the expansion draft imho.
- mlindsay

Agreed. Something seems off...

Draft was an odd one to me, too. It's like they got guys but didn't get guys...if that makes sense. Haha.

I assume they liked both Miller and Subban, but Miller just a little more.
- Sheng.Peng

Maybe. I don't know. Guess we'll see how it plays out.

Agreed. Something seems off...

Draft was an odd one to me, too. It's like they got guys but didn't get guys...if that makes sense. Haha.
- Hank3Henshaw

I get taking guys in order to trade them for future assets (Emelin, Methot, etc)... but taking Pickard to just waive him seems odd.

I get taking guys in order to trade them for future assets (Emelin, Methot, etc)... but taking Pickard to just waive him seems odd.
- mlindsay

Totally agree.

Exactly.
If they were so high on him... could have grabbed him then and taken someone else from COL.
McPhee did not do the best job in the expansion draft imho.
- mlindsay

He took Colin Miller, who was and is more valuable than Malcolm Subban

I'm not sure Pickard has less upside than Subban. MFF goes down and its season over. the tank that LVGN want to fall into will be ready soon enough.
- weakglovehand

Then they'll learn how tanking is a crap shoot in today's NHL. Odds against rewarding for sucking.

Then they can join the futility line of Atlanta/Jets and so forth of the expansion teams and now can't get it going suck teams like Sabers etc.

I get taking guys in order to trade them for future assets (Emelin, Methot, etc)... but taking Pickard to just waive him seems odd.
- mlindsay

It really isn't and it would actually not surprise me if Pickard goes unclaimed. One of the stipulations to claiming a guy on waivers is keeping him in the NHL. It is the exact reason why Pickard is on waivers instead of Subban. If Subban is waived by VGK in the hopes he goes to the AHL, Boston can claim him back and assign him to Providence (provided no other teams claim him).

Vegas will have the same rights to Pickard if another team claims him now and then later waives him. However, look around the league at other teams goaltending positions. There are 3 teams with waivers exempt goalies (Matt Murray is one of them) and most teams have more established backups than Pickard. The other two are Saros and Korpisalo, who are both better than Pickard. So realistically, I can see a scenario where Pickard clears waivers unless maybe someone were to get injured tonight.

For the record I think Ottawa should claim him, but they have a lot of money tied up in average goalies already.

Agreed. Something seems off...

Draft was an odd one to me, too. It's like they got guys but didn't get guys...if that makes sense. Haha.
- Hank3Henshaw

it doesn't

He took Colin Miller, who was and is more valuable than Malcolm Subban
- YuenglingJagr

100%

it doesn't
- YuenglingJagr

I didn't think it did either.

I think I just meant that I thought there would be bigger splashes made in the draft. Not a ton of bigger names on that roster. Seems like they got guys, then traded them away for picks and so forth. I get the idea of building for the future, but I think I was just expecting something else.

It really isn't and it would actually not surprise me if Pickard goes unclaimed. One of the stipulations to claiming a guy on waivers is keeping him in the NHL. It is the exact reason why Pickard is on waivers instead of Subban. If Subban is waived by VGK in the hopes he goes to the AHL, Boston can claim him back and assign him to Providence (provided no other teams claim him).

Vegas will have the same rights to Pickard if another team claims him now and then later waives him. However, look around the league at other teams goaltending positions. There are 3 teams with waivers exempt goalies (Matt Murray is one of them) and most teams have more established backups than Pickard. The other two are Saros and Korpisalo, who are both better than Pickard. So realistically, I can see a scenario where Pickard clears waivers unless maybe someone were to get injured tonight.

For the record I think Ottawa should claim him, but they have a lot of money tied up in average goalies already.
- YuenglingJagr

Nice explanation. Thanks for that.

Absolutely great pick up!(Subban ).. i know what's he's doing in regards to tank!. just a couple of thoughts ..first drafting Dahlin 😨. frank me they'll have possibly the best dman prospects in the nhl,and possibly the best group within a few years!,secondly putting Subban though the rigars of the nhl is definitely questionable,with regard to confidence? But it might work out in spades?..but you would of thought that Pickard would of had value 3/4th round pick?..

It really isn't and it would actually not surprise me if Pickard goes unclaimed. One of the stipulations to claiming a guy on waivers is keeping him in the NHL. It is the exact reason why Pickard is on waivers instead of Subban. If Subban is waived by VGK in the hopes he goes to the AHL, Boston can claim him back and assign him to Providence (provided no other teams claim him).

Vegas will have the same rights to Pickard if another team claims him now and then later waives him. However, look around the league at other teams goaltending positions. There are 3 teams with waivers exempt goalies (Matt Murray is one of them) and most teams have more established backups than Pickard. The other two are Saros and Korpisalo, who are both better than Pickard. So realistically, I can see a scenario where Pickard clears waivers unless maybe someone were to get injured tonight.

For the record I think Ottawa should claim him, but they have a lot of money tied up in average goalies already.
- YuenglingJagr

True... they may get him to the AHL... but I think the fact that they are likely to have to give away some D-men for nothing as well seems like a waste of draft choices.

True... they may get him to the AHL... but I think the fact that they are likely to have to give away some D-men for nothing as well seems like a waste of draft choices.
- mlindsay

I would bet that he figured it would be easier to trade a defenseman for more. Tough call though. I think he had the right idea by trying to pick up intriguing players but also future assets. The team isn't going to be competitive taking other teams unwanted players, it is going to be competitive by drafting good prospects

I would bet that he figured it would be easier to trade a defenseman for more. Tough call though. I think he had the right idea by trying to pick up intriguing players but also future assets. The team isn't going to be competitive taking other teams unwanted players, it is going to be competitive by drafting good prospects
- YuenglingJagr

That's the issue... he was smart to take some D-men with perceived value (Methot, Schlemko, Emelin with $ retained in a trade) and get back some picks... but they took way too many that require waivers. Should have grabbed some forwards to try to offload for 2nds/3rds or guys that can be sent down with waivers (like Theodore).

That's the issue... he was smart to take some D-men with perceived value (Methot, Schlemko, Emelin with $ retained in a trade) and get back some picks... but they took way too many that require waivers. Should have grabbed some forwards to try to offload for 2nds/3rds or guys that can be sent down with waivers (like Theodore).
- mlindsay

There were few waiver exempt players eligible to be picked for the expansion draft, and not many at all with any value.