Official: NHL expanding to Vegas for '17-18

[tom webster]

I'm doing a quick look through the league for a "mock" fantasy draft and there are quite a few teams that are going to have to maneuver heavily this offseason just to fulfill the rules. There are also a few teams in trouble of losing some very good players.

Nashville has Weber, Josi, Jones, Ekholm and Ellis on D. They're going to lose either Ekholm or Ellis. They could easily trade one this offseason but regardless they won't have one or both of Ellis/Ekholm next offseason.

It's been noted that Nasvhille has Suter, Dumba, Spurgeon, Scandella and Brodin.

Winnipeg has NMCs on Myers, Enstrom and Byfuglien so keeping Trouba is essentially pointless unless they can get one of them to waive their NMC. For this, I'm going to assume they convince Enstrom (lame, I know).

 

Here's a rough roster I came up with...

 

Clarke MacArthur – Dustin Brown – Marian Hossa

Matt Belesky – Brian Boyle – Patrik Berglund

Jussi Jokinen – William Karlsson – Joffrey Lupul

Matt Martin – Eric Fehr – Jesper Fast

 

Mattias Ekholm – Jared Spurgeon

Tobias Enstrom – Dennis Wideman

Simon Depres – Mark Pysyk

 

James Reimer - Michal Neuvirth

Personally, I think way too much thought is being put into potential expansion losses. If each team can only lose one player, no team is going to lose a difference maker. Sure, you may lose a valuable depth player but no one is losing the missing link standing between a Cup winner and an also ran.

[Hoss]

There are going to be some teams that lose very good players. Nobody will lose a star, but it's going to hurt some teams. Certainly several difference makers will be moving to Vegas next offsesson.

 

And it'll help a team like Buffalo who doesn't have much risk of losing an important piece.

Edited June 11, 2016 by Hoss

[Hoss]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/nhl-teams-begin-to-learn-guidelines-for-likely-expansion-draft-in-2017/article30400443/

 

Expansion team will be placed third in next year's lottery.

 

Also, forgot the option that allows teams to do "eight skaters" instead of seven forwards and three defenseman. It takes two protected players away but it'll make the talent pool even worse considering certain teams like Nashville and Winnipeg could easily go with that to protect their four defenders. Might expose more decent forwards but the league is wrong by saying they are going to make this team more competitive than expansion teams of the past.

Edited June 13, 2016 by Hoss

[dudacek]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/nhl-teams-begin-to-learn-guidelines-for-likely-expansion-draft-in-2017/article30400443/

Expansion team will be placed third in next year's lottery.

Also, forgot the option that allows teams to do "eight skaters" instead of seven forwards and three defenseman. It takes two protected players away but it'll make the talent pool even worse considering certain teams like Nashville and Winnipeg could easily go with that to protect their four defenders. Might expose more decent forwards but the league is wrong by saying they are going to make this team more competitive than expansion teams of the past.

Not more competitive than this?

 

Peter Sidorkiewicz, goal

Ken Hammond, defence

Brad Shaw, defence

Neil Brady, centre

Jody Hull, right wing

Sylvain Turgeon, left wing

Others: Mark Lamb, Doug Smail, Darcy Loewen, Jamie Baker, Laurie Boschman, Andrew McBain, Norm Maciver, Chris Luongo, Tomas Jelinek, Marc Fortier, Mark Osiecki, Darren Rumble, Mike Peluso, Steve Weeks

[Hoss]

Maybe I'm underestimating how bad those teams were. :D

I guess I'm more focused on the league saying the team will be competitive. Chances are it won't be.

[pi2000]

Gionta, Pysyk, Franson, and Larsson are FA's for the 17-18 season.   

 

The rule stats that at least 20 of the 30 must be under contract for 17-18.   

 

My money would be on Moulson (unless he scores 30+ this season).    Another guy that comes to mind is Evander Kane.   He lives in Vegas, maybe they swing a deal for him where BUF is allowed to dictate who they take in the expansion draft.

[Hoss]

I think the NHL has said they will not allow teams to make deals to guarantee expansion draft selection or deals to prevent certain players from being taken.

 

Also, there's no way they just give Evander away.

 

Moulson is definitely one of the two required exposed players. The second will likely be somebody who is signed to an extension or a veteran they bring in on a two-year deal (there will be a lot of veterans who should be working on one-year deals that will get two this offseason just to be exposed in the expansion draft.

 

 

I keep forgetting that the expansion team isn't going to be purely what they get from the expansion draft - they'll have plenty of money to spend in free agency. As a player I would definitely find starting a whole new hockey tradition in a new city appealing.

Edited June 13, 2016 by Hoss

[Cereal]

Moulson is definitely one of the two required exposed players. The second will likely be somebody who is signed to an extension or a veteran they bring in on a two-year deal (there will be a lot of veterans who should be working on one-year deals that will get two this offseason just to be exposed in the expansion draft.

Yes, it will be fascinating to see how this impending expansion draft (and the potential for a second one a year or two after?) impacts both UFA and RFA deals during the offseason (both for the Sabres and the rest of the league).  I don't know enough to speculate whether certain teams might be in position to take advantage of the situation (or whether some teams might already be in a pickle).

 

Thanks for outlining/updating the expansion rule n'at in this thread!

[pi2000]

I think the NHL has said they will not allow teams to make deals to guarantee expansion draft selection or deals to prevent certain players from being taken.

 

Also, there's no way they just give Evander away.

 

Moulson is definitely one of the two required exposed players. The second will likely be somebody who is signed to an extension or a veteran they bring in on a two-year deal (there will be a lot of veterans who should be working on one-year deals that will get two this offseason just to be exposed in the expansion draft.

 

 

I keep forgetting that the expansion team isn't going to be purely what they get from the expansion draft - they'll have plenty of money to spend in free agency. As a player I would definitely find starting a whole new hockey tradition in a new city appealing.

 

Not sure how the NHL can police those types of deal.   It's usually just a gentleman's agreement, the league would have no way of knowing. 

 

I disagree on players wanting to go play for an expansion team.   They're highly competitive people, they want to win Stanley Cups, not sacrifice years of their career just to put a new city on the map.

[Hoss]

It's not usually a gentlemen's agreement. Teams have actually traded draft picks to the expansion franchises before to get the deals done.

I'm sure there will be some backdoor deals going on but the league is going to great lengths to prevent it and there's no real reason to risk it. It's hard to hide things these days with so many people in the room and so many measures taken to prevent it.

 

It also doesn't make sense to try to do a "backdoor" deal to get the team to take Evander when there's no reason to expose such a good, young player and also no way Vegas would pass him up if he was exposed anyways.

[Eleven]

It's not usually a gentlemen's agreement. Teams have actually traded draft picks to the expansion franchises before to get the deals done.

I'm sure there will be some backdoor deals going on but the league is going to great lengths to prevent it and there's no real reason to risk it. It's hard to hide things these days with so many people in the room and so many measures taken to prevent it.

 

It also doesn't make sense to try to do a "backdoor" deal to get the team to take Evander when there's no reason to expose such a good, young player and also no way Vegas would pass him up if he was exposed anyways.

 

 

That's not what he's suggesting, though.  He's suggesting a legit trade of Kane to Vegas for real consideration--at the very least, their first round pick--and the wink-wink side agreement that they'll take Cody Franson, for example, as their expansion player from the Sabres.

 

I don't see it happening, either.

[Sabel79]

It's not usually a gentlemen's agreement. Teams have actually traded draft picks to the expansion franchises before to get the deals done.

I'm sure there will be some backdoor deals going on but the league is going to great lengths to prevent it and there's no real reason to risk it. It's hard to hide things these days with so many people in the room and so many measures taken to prevent it.

It also doesn't make sense to try to do a "backdoor" deal to get the team to take Evander when there's no reason to expose such a good, young player and also no way Vegas would pass him up if he was exposed anyways.

I distinctly remember Darcy flipping Atlanta a 345th (may not be entirely accurate) round draft pick in exchange for a promise not to take Dixon Ward in the expansion draft. I'm sure this happened...

[Brawndo]

BREAKING: AP source says #NHL settles on Las Vegas as choice for expansion.

 

As has been speculated on

[WildCard]

BREAKING: AP source says #NHL settles on Las Vegas as choice for expansion.

 

As has been speculated on

You know they're going to completely up the jerseys too

[Hoss]

http://apne.ws/1ro1GET

 

Story doesn't indicate the year they'll be coming in which is confusing since the recommendation was already made. Maybe they'll make the recommendation as an either/or and let owners vote.

 

Also, the committee that makes the recommendation is made up of nine owners so technically the BOG will need 15 of 21 teams to approve it to get this done.

Edited June 14, 2016 by Hoss

[Rasmus_]

It's really a shame that Quebec City didn't get more of a realistic shot.  Posting those types of fees and having a building ready to go, is a shame.  The Nordiques were a model franchise back in the mid 80's into the 90's.

[Hoss]

The Canadian dollar and geographic imbalance killed QC before they started.

 

I am very excited for Vegas, the $500M fee for the league and the league being the first to go to Vegas. It's bold and risky, but I'm hoping it works. The sport has plenty of talent to get this done.

Also excited for this to be the first expansion draft where I was actually able to follow what's going on.

[Thorner]

The Canadian dollar and geographic imbalance killed QC before they started.

I am very excited for Vegas, the $500M fee for the league and the league being the first to go to Vegas. It's bold and risky, but I'm hoping it works. The sport has plenty of talent to get this done.

Also excited for this to be the first expansion draft where I was actually able to follow what's going on.

Plus, as someone with a fair few trips to Vegas under my belt, the idea of being able to spend a winter day in a pool, get drunk over dinner and gambling then head out to a hockey game filled with lots of rowdy out of towers seems like quite a swell proposition.

[Doctor of Philhousley]

Plus, as someone with a fair few trips to Vegas under my belt, the idea of being able to spend a winter day in a pool, get drunk over dinner and gambling then head out to a hockey game filled with lots of rowdy out of towers seems like quite a swell proposition.

As someone who has a few trips to Quebec City under my belt, all of this (minus the gambling of course) may be suboptimal compared to the sights in that historic city. The passion that community has for hockey should have been a factor in this decision as well. Carolina, Florida, Phoenix, and now Las Vegas will all struggle short and long-term, yet the league will continue to deny QC is a viable market. Edited June 15, 2016 by Doctor of Philhousley

[pi2000]

Plus, as someone with a fair few trips to Vegas under my belt, the idea of being able to spend a winter day in a pool, get drunk over dinner and gambling then head out to a hockey game filled with lots of rowdy out of towers seems like quite a swell proposition.

 

I wonder if they'll have slots, tables and a sports book inside the arena?  Or is that off-limits?   I picture a sports book on the suite level overlooking the rink where you can place wagers on things like who's going to score next, etc..   Maybe a few BJ tables overlooking the ice as well.

[K-9]

I wonder if they'll have slots, tables and a sports book inside the arena?  Or is that off-limits?   I picture a sports book on the suite level overlooking the rink where you can place wagers on things like who's going to score next, etc..   Maybe a few BJ tables overlooking the ice as well.

BJ tables. Nice. 

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Eleven]

Why is their arena named after our quarterback?

[That Aud Smell]

Why is their arena named after our quarterback?

 

Hush yo mouth. Dude hates that nickname.

 

And, unlike the situation with Doug "the Muscle Hamster" Martin, I am inclined to allow Taylor to encourage the use of another nickname (T2 is apparently what he prefers).

[Hoss]

He actually embraced "T-Mobile" (probably because he signed an endorsement deal with them).

[That Aud Smell]

He actually embraced "T-Mobile" (probably because he signed an endorsement deal with them).

 

Wha--?!

 

Huh.

 

I specifically remember him rejecting it in one of those "lighter side" interviews.

 

My bad, Eleven.