Guest Writer: The epic tale of Marc-Andre Fleury

Vegas won’t be better unless they get a healthy Eichel. Patrick is a bust so far and Howden doesn’t add much so they are still weak at center.

Fleury is playing beat the clock and winning so far but moving to the Hawks dims
that going forward. The Hawks D doesn’t compare with the one he played behind in Vegas. Seth is in decline and if Caleb makes top 6, that shows overall weakness. McCabe helps if he can stay healthy.

Gotten worse because they virtually stayed the same.

The cap management has been bad this summer. After getting back 7mm AAV from Fleury, VGK adds a 32 year old Dadonov (w/ 2 years at 5mm AAV) and a 34 year old AMart at 5.25mm AAV for 3 years. The team is slightly over the cap with Patrick and 2 other players left to sign. Patrick should garner 2.5mm to 3.0mm+ AAV. Where is the room going to come from? What's stayed the same is the center depth, and that was bad. The depth chart is probably going to be a combination of Karlsson, Howden, Patrick, and Stephenson. That's poor.

The defense and goaltending are very good. But the lack of quality center depth is going to sink this team again. Who knows: maybe Krebs will be a revelation and play 2C?

And you have Peter DeBoer to figure it all out...

Being a hockey fan for the greater part of 25 years or so and being a LA Kings fan, I was optimistic about a team coming to Las Vegas. Especially since I have lived here since High School. It didn’t take long before I grew a disdain and certain envy of their team who used a really good formula to become a very competitive and top team in the league in not only the first season but subsequent seasons since their inception. I felt with how fast their team became good, it not only drew more hockey and non hockey fans in to cheer for the team but almost seemed like in some forums and games I’d attended, made some of the fanbase arrogant and entitled to some degree. Fast forward to now and it’s disheartening to see even a team I don’t care for, treat key players that helped establish their team with veiled loyalty all in the name of winning. And winning at any cost it appears. It’s an utter atrocity the way the organization treated MAF if the whole finding out by Twitter story is true. He is getting up in age and Lehner is younger and signed long term but overall going back a year to that infamous sword in the back picture, the optics haven’t been good. The worst part of it all and the cruelest irony is the team will probably still be very good and more than likely win the pacific division. All I can say is there will be a time when they aren’t doing well and are a shadow of their former self and my belief is no one will feel sorry for them. Until then, I’m sure they’ll enjoy being a competitive team as long as they can

Gotten worse because they virtually stayed the same.

The cap management has been bad this summer. After getting back 7mm AAV from Fleury, VGK adds a 32 year old Dadonov (w/ 2 years at 5mm AAV) and a 34 year old AMart at 5.25mm AAV for 3 years. The team is slightly over the cap with Patrick and 2 other players left to sign. Patrick should garner 2.5mm to 3.0mm+ AAV. Where is the room going to come from? What's stayed the same is the center depth, and that was bad. The depth chart is probably going to be a combination of Karlsson, Howden, Patrick, and Stephenson. That's poor.

The defense and goaltending are very good. But the lack of quality center depth is going to sink this team again. Who knows: maybe Krebs will be a revelation and play 2C?

And you have Peter DeBoer to figure it all out...
- Only_A_Ladd

I’m really excited to see where Krebs ends up in the lineup. The organization is very high on him.

We saw Nicolas Roy step up and actually look pretty good on that first line last playoffs. I think him and Krebs are going to get a look in that spot.

Agreed on the changes. They’re counting on a stable of dark horses to find improvement. That and staying healthy.

Being a hockey fan for the greater part of 25 years or so and being a LA Kings fan, I was optimistic about a team coming to Las Vegas. Especially since I have lived here since High School. It didn’t take long before I grew a disdain and certain envy of their team who used a really good formula to become a very competitive and top team in the league in not only the first season but subsequent seasons since their inception. I felt with how fast their team became good, it not only drew more hockey and non hockey fans in to cheer for the team but almost seemed like in some forums and games I’d attended, made some of the fanbase arrogant and entitled to some degree. Fast forward to now and it’s disheartening to see even a team I don’t care for, treat key players that helped establish their team with veiled loyalty all in the name of winning. And winning at any cost it appears. It’s an utter atrocity the way the organization treated MAF if the whole finding out by Twitter story is true. He is getting up in age and Lehner is younger and signed long term but overall going back a year to that infamous sword in the back picture, the optics haven’t been good. The worst part of it all and the cruelest irony is the team will probably still be very good and more than likely win the pacific division. All I can say is there will be a time when they aren’t doing well and are a shadow of their former self and my belief is no one will feel sorry for them. Until then, I’m sure they’ll enjoy being a competitive team as long as they can
- Joetaylor0009

Their time will come and it will be akin to the Sharks’ situation with huge contracts burdening them for years. That said, the team pulls off big moves every year. They’ll look different in five years.

Vegas won’t be better unless they get a healthy Eichel. Patrick is a bust so far and Howden doesn’t add much so they are still weak at center.

Fleury is playing beat the clock and winning so far but moving to the Hawks dims
that going forward. The Hawks D doesn’t compare with the one he played behind in Vegas. Seth is in decline and if Caleb makes top 6, that shows overall weakness. McCabe helps if he can stay healthy.
- Minnyhock

Yeah, Howden looked just awful last year. Surprised the Rangers got an asset for him. Agreed on Seth Jones too. He isn’t worth that contract at all. Thanks for reading my first blog!

Good blog. Hope you contribute again. That Dadonov move puzzles me as well. It makes me think they aren’t confident that they’ll get Eichel.

I’m really excited to see where Krebs ends up in the lineup. The organization is very high on him.

We saw Nicolas Roy step up and actually look pretty good on that first line last playoffs. I think him and Krebs are going to get a look in that spot.

Agreed on the changes. They’re counting on a stable of dark horses to find improvement. That and staying healthy.
- Trevor Neufeld

For two years in a row, against Dallas and Montreal, respectively, the VGK offense turned into its defenseman bombing from the blueline and the wings crashing the net. There was zero creativity from a center to unlock any other option. Roy is a beast, but I don't think he's going to create much from the middle when the team is going to get pushed out to the blueline again like it has the last few years.

Good blog. Hope you contribute again. That Dadonov move puzzles me as well. It makes me think they aren’t confident that they’ll get Eichel.
- Minnyhock

Thanks! I appreciate that. Working on a few other pieces for the Golden Knights right now, so hopefully I stick around for a while.

For two years in a row, against Dallas and Montreal, respectively, the VGK offense turned into its defenseman bombing from the blueline and the wings crashing the net. There was zero creativity from a center to unlock any other option. Roy is a beast, but I don't think he's going to create much from the middle when the team is going to get pushed out to the blueline again like it has the last few years.
- Only_A_Ladd

That’s a really good point! I think moving Holden is only going to make the situation worse.