NHL 2017-2018, now with 3% more kniggets

[Firesprocket]

With the NHL season over and Pens coronation as leaders of all that is frozen, it is time to focus on the off season.  The Las Vegas Magneto Golden Knights will have their expansion draft results announced later this month at the NHL awards show.  The lists were have to been finalized by 5 pm this afternoon.  Presumably we will see that list as early as tomorrow.  Because of the draft there was some early trading this year prior to the standard July 1st opening of free agency.  A couple of the highlights thus far:

Jonathan Drouin traded to Montreal for Mikhail Sergachev and a 2018 conditional second-round pick.  Drouin should be utilized as a winger, but can be used as a center (he played 15-20 games this season because of injuries in Tampa.  The conditions on that pick is that Sergachev play 40 games for the Bolts in 2018 in the regular season or playoffs.

Mike Smith traded to the Calgary Flames for Brandon Hickey, a conditional third-round selection, and an unrestricted free agent backup in Chad Johnson.  That is probably a good deal for all parties.  Mike Smith is probably better than his numbers have been the last few years in Phoenix and he will have a better team in front of him. Coyotes are also paying some of Smith's salary so that works in the Flames favor too.

Nathan Beaulieu was acquired by the Buffalo Sabres from the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday for the Sabres third-round pick (No. 68) in the 2017 NHL Draft.  Montreal has no fear of trading within their division, not once, but twice.  What is more surprising out of this trade is that is two defenseman they traded within the division.

The New Jersey Devils acquirinedMirco Mueller from the San Jose Sharks.  The Devils also picked up the Sharks’ fifth-round pick in this year’s draft, in exchange for New Jersey’s second-round pick and fourth-round pick this year.

Simon Despres is in the process of being bought out.  Despres has unfortunately had concussion issues and whether he has a professional NHL career down the road is uncertain.

Francois Beauchemin is the happiest Av on earth this week, he was bought out.

Ryan Reaves is potentially going to be protected by the St. Louis Blues.  If that is the case, that makes the Caps look like rocket scientists for the rumored protection of Tom Freak'n Wilson.

Finally, Buffalo has a double dose of good news. Kyle Okposo is expected to be back with the Sabres by training camp after an extended hospitalization at the end of the most recent season.  Buffalo also hired Phil Housley to manage their bench.  While having ties to Buffalo as a player, he at this point has quite a few seasons under his belt as an assistant in Nashville and shouldn't be considered as another Homer pick.

[Firesprocket]

Expansion draft is complete and here is your initial list of Golden Kniggets:

https://capfriendly.com/teams/goldenknights

Nothing really earth shattering on that list of players (except that they drafted Chris Thorburn from the Jets).  Quite a few draft picks swapped which makes perfect sense.  Quite a few contracts that when they come due in the next few years will go UFA.  Despite earlier statements made by ownership that they plan to be competing for a playoff spot immediately, there is nothing that jumps out on this roster right now that suggests that is remotely possible.  I give them a chance to maybe win 20 games.

[Sharpnel]

I'm surprised that the Knights did not take Raanta or Mrazek. either would have made their goaltending legit. Now they have Fleury and Pickard as their goalies. Good, but would beter with Raanta or Mrazek.

[JadeHellbringer]

Pickard was decent for Colorado last season, particularly when you consider the wet cardboard he had in front of him for defense. As a backup to Fleury, Vegas could have done a lot worse- they may be gambling that he'll develop further and push for the big job when Fleury exits in a couple of years.

As for the roster overall, goaltending is good, defense has some gems (I hated seeing Colin Miller leave Boston), and no one can buy a goal. Expect that to be addressed quickly if they're really serious about this whole 'playoff' business (they shouldn't be), because it's doubly important here- first because you're not going to compete in the West against Chicago, San Jose, etc. unless you can put the puck in the net once in a while to keep up with them, and just as importantly you're trying to get a fan base going. Sheer novelty might get them in the door (I'm still a skeptic), but if all you can show them is a series of 2-0, 3-1 losses that bore the fans more than anything, they won't come back.

[wantec]

Frustrated they didn't grab Grubauer or could be talked into taking Orpik. Like you guys I didn't see any big offensive names, although Eakin and Neal might be the tops of the list that I recognize. Something to remember is they still have the normal UFA signing period along with everyone else. It seems like GMGM wanted to avoid signing UFAs since they could draft a younger player from a team or extort some picks to not take a key exposed player. They can still go after the UFAs, they just have to compete with everyone else. And with all those draft picks, particularly the future ones, they can still try to make trades later on.

[Sharpnel]

Also, the Knights have a ton of picks in tomorrow's draft, including three of the first fifteen. They have a lot of bargaining chips  to get better players and/or more picks. They definitely need more scoring punch, though.

[Firesprocket]

I'm surprised that the Knights did not take Raanta or Mrazek. either would have made their goaltending legit. Now they have Fleury and Pickard as their goalies. Good, but would beter with Raanta or Mrazek.

There was so much tender talent that Raanta wasn't going to be an automatic.  As for Mrazek, word is out that he has some ego issues and that may have turned off the Knights.

Frustrated they didn't grab Grubauer or could be talked into taking Orpik.

Getting rid of Orpik would have cost the Caps an arm and a leg in draft picks, which they don't have.  Grubauer and Schmidt made more sense.  Given who they picked up for tenders, I can't say that any of them were a bad choice.  Berube was a bit strange.  However all those other moves they made with the Islanders for picks certainly helped out.

[Peter Smith]

In StanBo we trust.
In StanBo we trust.
In StanBo we trust.
In StanBo we trust.
In StanBo we trust.

[Sharpnel]

Can Cale Makar actually play defense? If not, why did the Avs even bother? And he still has to play a year at UMass before he can don an NHL jersey. WTF!

[JadeHellbringer]

Can Cale Makar actually play defense? If not, why did the Avs even bother?

Remember all the big moves they were going to make? Landeskog, Duchene, Varlamov, they were going to be the big movers and shakers at the draft?

****** Joe Sakic forever.

[Sharpnel]

This is what happens when you hire former star players as the big boss, especially one who has no front office experience.

[CrossfirePilot]

They took my favorite emerging Wild player "dang them, dang them to heck!"

[JadeHellbringer]

This is what happens when you hire former star players as the big boss, especially one who has no front office experience.

Ehhhhhhh... I won't paint them all with that brush. Seems to be going well for Yzerman, Hextall, Snow (to some extent), etc.- just this one guy is kind of a jamoke.

I'll be interested to see what he has to say after this- probably the usual crap about "believing in our roster, turning the ship around" or some such nonsense. What SHOULD be happening is he gets launched via trebuchet into Lake Michigan.

[Sharpnel]

Ehhhhhhh... I won't paint them all with that brush. Seems to be going well for Yzerman, Hextall, Snow (to some extent), etc.- just this one guy is kind of a jamoke.

I'll be interested to see what he has to say after this- probably the usual crap about "believing in our roster, turning the ship around" or some such nonsense. What SHOULD be happening is he gets launched via trebuchet into Lake Michigan.

Or, since we are talking about Colorado, launched from the top of Pikes Peak in that general direction.

[Hammerpilot IIC]

Mike Smith traded to the Calgary Flames for Brandon Hickey, a conditional third-round selection, and an unrestricted free agent backup in Chad Johnson.  That is probably a good deal for all parties.  Mike Smith is probably better than his numbers have been the last few years in Phoenix and he will have a better team in front of him. Coyotes are also paying some of Smith's salary so that works in the Flames favor too.

Mike Smith's a great goalie--it'll be interesting to see how he does on a team that at least helps him keep the puck away from his net.

I love the 'Yotes, but man...it's been a rough few years.

[Peter Smith]

Mike Smith's a great goalie...

Mike Smith is a great actor playing the role of a goalie.

[Kit deSummersville]

Dunno if he's that great of an actor....

[cavingjan]

It will be interesting to see how he does away from the yotes' coaching staff.

[Firesprocket]

Somewhat surprised, it has been almost a month since Tippett has left Arizona and his name hasn't materialized for a position (not necessarily head coach) elsewhere.

[Fat Guy]

Surprised nobody's taken a chance on Jagr yet. His numbers this year were remarkable for someone only a few years younger than me.


And me...

[Firesprocket]

I suspect Jagr will get signed later in August.  There are 13 teams in the league that have 20 or less players signed to a NHL level contract next year.  Once teams fill them out then they can look at  a luxury or mentoring that Jagr brings to the table.

[Firesprocket]

It has been announced by the Dallas Stars that Dave Strader succumbed to cancer this morning :(

[JadeHellbringer]

It has been announced by the Dallas Stars that Dave Strader succumbed to cancer this morning :(

I can't even imagine a Stars broadcast without him. One of the great broadcasters in the sport.

[GhostBear]

Jagr to Calgary. $1M + $1M in doable incentives.

Rumor is the Blues offered the same; Jags chose the Flames.

Bets on if the Flames start tanking, Jags becomes trade deadline bait again?

[Sharpnel]

Looking forward to the Avs finishing in last place ... again

[JadeHellbringer]

Jagr to Calgary. $1M + $1M in doable incentives.

Rumor is the Blues offered the same; Jags chose the Flames.

Bets on if the Flames start tanking, Jags becomes trade deadline bait again?

Safe bet, but I'm not 100% sure on whether the Flames are for real or not. The West is so wide-open for the most part (sorry, Colorado and Vegas) that there's a lot of room for teams to surprise us- either with good play or bad. The two above are probably out of the running already, and there are a few who are almost shoo-ins for the playoffs (Sharks, Ducks, Hawks, Preds, etc.), but the field is wide-open for success or failure for Calgary, Edmonton, St. Louis, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Los Angeles, etc.

If Calgary is in rough shape at the deadline, yeah, he goes off to earn yet another jersey for his collection. If they get some decent goaltending though, he may just be part of a playoff run just as easily. It's a good pickup by the Flames in that regard- low cost, no long-term commitment, and the guy might just be what they need. Bravo to them!

[Firesprocket]

Welcome once again to the Firesprocket’s preseason picks that you probably don’t give a damn about.  Let us get started with the Metro division

1)   These Pittsburgh Penguins lost Bonino and Fleury, but if Letang gets back to his old self they should be ready for another serious run at the cup.
2)   The CBJ, while I don’t think they take a giant leap forward.  I think it will be a slight step back.  None the less, everyone who may have been able to otherwise steak claim to this position lost key personnel.
3)   The Hurricane should make a run and get into the playoffs without needing the wild card so long as Darling stays healthy.
4)   NY RANGERS OR ISLANDERS.  Take your pick.  The one that isn’t fourth will end up being 6th instead.
5)   Washington Capitals.  Hanging on to the last playoff spot you say?   I think I’m being to generous.  It is conceivable that they won’t make the playoffs at all after losing Williams and Johansson in the off season.
6)   Refer to number 4
7)   Flyers- they will hit a really strong 10 game stretch and look awesome.  Shortly after they will bottom out and stay there.
8)   NJ Devils- because they have to many wholes to cover u.
The Atlantic division
1)    Tampa bay rebounds if Stamkos can play 34 of the season.
2)   Toronto has an awesome season and manages to pick up a top 4 defenseman for the playoffs.
3)   Habs lack of consistency lands them here
4)   Ottawa best of what is left in the division.  Fighting for a wild card with NY and or Washington.
5)   Boston Bruins.  Simply because they aren’t worse than the other teams behind them
6)   Florida Panthers-  Still trying to figure out how good or bad they are
7)   Buffalo- Maybe they are better than the Panthers, just not by much.
8)   Detroit- is fairly awful due to being squeezed against the cap.
Central
1)   Team Bruce sleep walks through the first several months of the season only to fall apart later
2)   Dallas- Chicago and St. Louis are going to take a step back for reason of age and or injury.
3)   Chicago- they have more bodies than St. L Louis
4)   St. Louis- what is behind them is a larger unknown.
5)   Winnipeg- Assuming Mason normalize the team to at least league average tending they could make the playoffs as the final seed
6)   Nashville-  injuries and draft losses are likely going to keep them  from repeating to the finals
7)   Colorado-  Still here to make the Golden Knights look good.
Pacific
1)   Edmonton-They should get back to the 2nd round or farther.  While the defense depth is a little low, having the amount of excellent forwards  should give them a chance to win every single game with little effort.
2)   Anaheim-  A year older, but still relevant.
3)   Calgary- Except for the unknown quantity of play they will get from Smith in net, this team looks really good and could easily enough swap places with Anaheim.
4)   I’m flipping a coin on who will be better between the Kings and the Sharks.  It landed edge, so Sharks it is.
5)   Coyotes -  I’m a dreamer
6)   Kings-  They aren’t getting back into the playoffs this year and we are going to blow this team up
7)   Vancouver
8)   Vegas

ECF- Pens vs the Leafs
WCF- Oilers vs Wild

SCF Pens vs the Oilers with the Pens capturing their third cup.

[JadeHellbringer]

Don't write off Boston quite so soon... this is a pretty interesting team all of a sudden. The changeover to young talent is proving interesting, with some really great young players coming up the last couple of years- David Pastrnak (thank god they finally got a deal done!), Frank Vatrano, Charlie McAvoy (who is technically a rookie but killed it during the playoffs against Ottawa almost every time he was on the ice), among others... this in addition to the veterans like Bergeron, Marchand, Krug (when he's not dead) and solid goaltending from Rask, if they can keep from exhausting him this time by having a backup who can stop a puck now and then allowing for nights off for the starter.

It's not a Cup roster- there's holes to fill, rookies to harden up, Chara is basically a giant pylon out there at this point, and Marchand will probably get at least one suspension for shoving a firecracker in someone's pads or something asinine like that sometime before spring. But I'd wager on this being a playoff team at least, and not one that will be a fun opponent for their first round opponent.

[Sharpnel]

McDavid and Simmonds [ :o ] with opening day hat tricks.

[Sharpnel]

Somebody in the Pens front office needs to go Toronto and seriously maim the guy who scheduled them into back-to-back games to open the season. They need to wipe this last game from their collective memories.