Expansion Draft Contest

Even though the last contest went poorly, I’m having another one. Whoever correctly guesses the most players selected by the Vegas Golden Knights will win a Rangers trading card prize package featuring classic Rangers from the 60s-90s. In the event of a tie, the first tiebreaker will be most correct answers from the Metropolitan Division, the second tiebreaker will be the most correct answers from the Atlantic, and the third tiebreaker will be the Central Division. After that, I am picking names from a hat.

You can find the protection lists here. The contest will run until 3 p.m. Tuesday, and chances are information will leak before then so it is in your benefit to wait a bit before making your submission. Good luck!

432 thoughts on “Expansion Draft Contest”

  8. There is a school of thought that says Vegas should just take the most valuable player available from each team and trade for what they need. They are probably not going to be competitive next year so screw building a cohesive team through the draft.

    I would take 6 goalies including Raanta if I thought there was a market for goalies.

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  9. I wish there was an actual draft where Vegas had to announce each pick from a podium. Sounds like this is going to be more like an expansion press release than a draft.

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  14. Happy Father’s Day to the boneheads out there to all you guys especially Sioux and all those members of Tony from AZ’s family that periodically check in. I know this year is a rough one.

    Liked by 6 people

  18. This day in hockey history, June 18th 1987, the New York Rangers traded their first round pick in the 1988 entry draft along with $75,000 to the Quebec Nordiques for Michel Bergeron. What made the trade unusual was that Bergeron was the head coach of the Nordiques. This was the first time a team ever traded for a coach

    The Rangers’ last coach, Tom Webster, was unable to finish out his rookie year this past season because of an inner-ear problem that even surgery failed to correct. Phil Esposito, the Rangers GM, took over and brought a fiery style to the bench, and he was looking for someone with similar qualities.

    Esposito said that he had asked the Nordiques about Bergeron almost as a joke during the National Hockey League draft last Saturday in Detroit. Esposito was shocked when the Nordiques’ general manager, Maurice Filion, said, ”Let’s talk.”

    Losing makes Bergeron angry. A story his mother tells concerns his teen-age years, when he was invariably the top student of the month at the school he attended in Montreal. One month, another boy was named the top student. Bergeron beat him up.

    In 1964, goes another story, he toured Cuba with a Canadian baseball team as its catcher. Fidel Castro, who was treated with kid gloves by opposing players, performed for the Cubans. Castro hit a long drive that he was thinking of stretching into an inside-the-park home run. As he rounded third, the throw came in to Bergeron at the plate. Bergeron took the throw and threw the ball to third, where Castro had to dive back. The Cuban leader got up, dusted himself off, and cursed Bergeron.

    It turns out it wasn’t a very good trade, as the Rangers went 36-34-10 missing the playoffs that year. He was fired with two games remaining in the 1988-89 season for going over Esposito’s head to the owner to advocate player trades.

    Vintage hockey

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  34. Good morning, boneheads!
    So the NHLPA used 1.35% salary escalator to bring the cap up to $75M. Which means the adjusted midpoint is $65.2M, and the projected HRR for 2017-18 is around $4.25B ( I took into account the customary $100M players benefit allowance, and 31 teams). Good luck with that, they will see the escrow go up. I suspect that the NHLPA will seek to remove the salary escalator from next CBA as it has become a contentious issue among players

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  41. One could make a pretty strong argument for Vegas team being competitive out of the gate if they wanted to spend the money with the talent available in the expansion draft.

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  43. Espo’s trading of the first round pick for Michel Bergeron cost them a shot to draft at #5 that year. Quebec wasted their pick on Daniel Dore, who is currently an amateur scout for the Rangers. Had Espo kept that pick, he could have used it to draft Jeremy Roenick, Rod Brind’Amour or Teemu Selanne – drafted 8th-10th overall that year. Espo dod manage to draft Tony Amonte in the 4th round

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  45. So this snail is standing in front of the Cadillac salesman, see,
    And he looks up at the salesman
    And he says, “how much is that Cadillac?”
    The snail says, “I want a big “S” put on each door, a big “S”,
    “and on top of the car, I want another big “S”
    “so everybody can see it.”
    So the salesman says, “but what do you want that for?”
    He says, “well, you see, when I drive down the avenue,
    “I want everybody to say ‘look at that s car go.'”
    “look at that s car go.”

    Liked by 2 people

  49. Y’all should think twice about putting Screw Brock Nelson and Sami Vatanen on your lists. Pretty sure Vegas has deals with both their respective teams to not draft them.

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  50. one reason we are going close to cap in projecting vegas is its for 30 players not 23.

    they definitely also want to take 1 or 2 goalies that don’t need waivers to go to ahl. example ullmark from buffalo. a handful of others too either via this draft or as ufas in july.

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  52. Scott Cullen‏Verified account @tsnscottcullen

    Sounds like Vegas is dealing ahead of the expansion draft. Have heard there are at least seven teams with side deals.

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  54. Don’t know how I overlooked that w were picking 30 not 23 so that the cap hit is not valid. Thanks for the sanity check. Since we have limited knowledge of side deals it will be pretty tough to pick a team.

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  56. Just tuned into NHL Central and heard them say they thought the Rangers would have a deal in place with Vegas to protect Raanta because Lundqvist “needed surgery” this summer. Anyone heard whether that is accurate?

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  62. CCCP – Only concern about Yamamoto is having two guys 5’7″ on the same team – especially considering some of our bigger fellows tend to forget they are big. It would be worth the try if the Rangers wouldn’t be against moving Zucc if it doesn’t work size wise and if Yamamoto is as good as they say. I know I am going to get it from the Zucc-ites, but if a deal has to be made because of size, it makes sense to trade the guy with the higher cap hit.

    Truth be told, Yamamoto is my second choice behind Conor Timmins – that is if Eeli Tolvanen is not available. I wish we could move up to get him.

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  63. Brooks saying there is a lot of interest in a Stepan, but the Rangers will only deal him for a number one right side D. Speculated the could deal him to Zona for Keller or Strome, and then flip them for Trouba.

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  68. Seems like Gorton does not agree that Raanta is the least painful to lose. Unless he is holding on to him to trade him elsewhere. Here’s hoping it’s all part of the big plan. That’s why he makes the big bucks.

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  73. I’m not all that concerned with losing any of the guys they may lose. All are replaceable. Though finding someone with Grabner speed may be difficult. I’m more interested in who they may be able to poach from Vegas, or who the may get for Stepan.

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  76. If Gorton sends Stepan to Arizona for a forward that goes to Winnipeg for Trouba then he might be the best thing sliced bread. My question is why does Arizona deal a Keller or Strome for Stepan in the first place? If I could get Keller for Stepan, I might see if the Jets would taker J.T. Miller in a deal for Trouba.

    I just wish the NHL would have given a little more time between the release of the Expansion Draft results and the NHL Draft. I have all of articles all ready, but have to wait and see what picks “Trader George” comes up with.

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  79. Gaining trouba and losing step is a win win. But you still need 2 centres at that point (assuming we still have Hayes at a centre and lose lindberg).

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  81. Interesting drafts by some of you. I went the route of “assuming” some deals were made with vegas to not select some players so I avoided those guys for the most part.

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  92. Brooks is clearly dealing with more off season bordem than we are. My god. That deal with Colorado sounds like one of the deals Doodie scoffed at during his RIGGED trade contest.

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  99. So what are the rules of the contest? Is it the players the Showers take or the ones they keep? They may take players and then immediately deal them. Do those count?

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  103. George McPhee probably isn’t interested in burning any major bridges, but what if someone gives him a better offer on a guy he promised to lay off?

    For example – there’s a deal in place to keep him off of Vatanen and Manson. Let’s say they’ve promised a first rounder, for arguments sake. but what if…we swoop in and say we’ll give them Stepan and a first (again for argument’s sake)? What’s to stop Vegas from holding these teams ransom. Honor?

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  104. Fishsticks activity looks iminent.

    Weight is being Kelly Buchberger along?

    The fish tanks may have found a winner with Weight.

    Fish tanks looking at Eberle..

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  105. Props to the Isles for giving up a R1 in a weak draft to get rid of 2 players and $9M of cap space. Might be the best move Snow’s made in years.

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  106. Lets wait to see if they really are getting rid of 2 players with bad contracts and what else is involved between the Isles and Vegas. The newsday article has some speculation.

    I would also think Vegas may have signed something with Anaheim.

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  108. things looking strong for Vegas

    Alex Prewitt‏Verified account @alex_prewitt

    Emphasis on stocking draft picks, Foley says, but also spreading them out. “We’re out to 2020 with a couple teams.”

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  113. But wait, there’s more! If you cancel my subscription within the next ten minutes, I will take out another subscription and cancel that one also. THAT’S RIGHT, I will cancel TWO subscriptions almost simultaneously. Just pay additional handling charges on the second cancellation. Don’t procrastinate!

    Liked by 1 person

  114. Good morning, boneheads!
    The league is about to get busy. The Rangers? Who knows. I trust Gorton. He’s already shown that he isn’t prone to making moves just to make some noise.
    Speaking of noise. Years ago, my first day as a resident, I was walking through the adult hospital floor early morning. And I hear an older man screaming from his room:”Noise!!!Noise!!!”. I thought to myself, geez, this guy is the only one who’s loud on this floor. What’s he complaining about? Little did I know that he was calling a nurse. Brooklyn accent at his best.

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  116. From what i’m reading the league is already very busy, they’re just not allowed to leak any details or confirm any trades until Vegas is done. There are rumours of at least 7 side deals in place with teams for Vegas to select certain players….

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  121. I don’t know why any of you guys keep tossing around Evander Kane’s name. Besides being a low life off the ice his overall stats are… underwhelming. Two seasons with more than 20 goals, only once more than 43 points. So every three or four years (contract years?) he has a good season. No thanks.

    On the Auntie Raanta stuff don’t discount that GM plays up the guy he is most willing to lose because he already has a replacement in mind.

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  122. With the players that the Isles exposed they are kind of all in on making a deal with the Showers. It will be interesting to see how that works out. If Weight is more involved in the decision making it should be an improvement over Snow who has an awful Summer last year.

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  127. Maybe we can find someone who’s into a menage a trois so we can get Hamonic. No way the Isles send him to us directly. But he would fit nicely.

    Do you think Marc Staal would waive his NMC to join his brother in Minnesota? Or would he join his brother in Vegas, if those rumors are true? Let me say this: if we make the right moves and Staal is a fixture on the 3rd pairing…the cap hit sucks, but lots of teams could do far worse. But I think if we have a semi-realistic shot at getting his hit off the books and getting some value (or wiggle room) back, go for it.

    I would give up our R1+ if Vegas grabbed Josh Manson and sent him our way. Then use Stepan to recoup the pick and get a youngin from Phoenix.

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  136. Mark Scheig‏ @THWMark

    This week, fans will:

    Today: Complain about jerseys
    Wed: Complain about Vegas picks
    Thu: Complain about schedule
    Fri: Complain about draft

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  145. Coos
    Not sure who you are talking about, some have wanted him gone for a while now.

    I think the fall of stepan is pretty easy to track….

    Up until the shortened season, stepan had potential, but he had a ceiling and a few of us saw it but most were blinded because he was “home grown”.

    He was hidden in plain sight because of the step vs brass debate that raged here since the acquisition of brass. Problem was, the step supporters were always blinded to the true ok nature of step’s game because he was home grown and therefore had to be better than a non ranger pick and everyone though the strike shortened season was the norm, not the aberration for step.

    To sum it up, with out brass around to bash, everyone else realized what some of us had long ago…stepan was greatly overrated by most of the rangers fans.

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  147. Gravy

    Ufas not on a teams protected list (and most were not protected) are fair game for Vegas. They can talk now to ufas and if they sign a ufa now it counts as their pick from that team. Vegas is likely to take a couple of ufas if only because on that team there’s nobody they want otherwise. Vegas can also talk to and sign a rfa without compensating that team, that would count as their pick from that team.

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  148. Not me on Stepan Wicky. I agree with you on him.

    High salary
    Slow
    Not physical
    Weak faceoffs
    Not as strong defensively as advertised
    No move or no trade starts July 1

    I do see smarts and he did have 1 huge game 7 ot goal.

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  149. couple of weeks ago someone did say Day could go to ahl if we chose. Whoever said it was right.

    Larry Brooks‏ @NYP_Brooksie

    Day, by the way, could play for AHL Hartford rather than return to OHL Windsor next year if NYR so choose…

    NYR draft selections Sean Day and Tim Gettinger invited to Team USA World Junior training camp.

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  151. Stepan to me is all about the NTC. I’m not saying that we just give him away either. Brooks’ story from either Sunday or Monday (I forgot which) about moving him to Arizona as part of a three way trade for Trouba was interesting. I had previously considered Arizona but couldn’t find a deal that made sense for us. I had also looked at trying to move him for Trouba directly, but it made no sense for Winnipeg. But if the pieces we get become Trouba, then it makes A LOT of sense.

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  153. Doodie end the contest no one cares.

    If step is moved for a number one right d man a Faulk in Carolina then I could see as a stop gap if jumbo joe were to leave San Jose him and Nash play one yr together and jumbo taking slightly less come here.

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  156. Alright, I’ll play the Vegas Knights Game:

    Forwards
    – William Carrier
    – Nikolai Kulemin
    – Oscar Lindberg
    – Peter Holland
    – Alex Chiasson
    – Andrej Nestastril
    – Marcus Kruger
    – Mikhail Grigorenko
    – Jacob Josefson
    – Jonathan Marchessault
    – James Neal
    – Bobby Ryan
    – Jordan Weal
    – Nail Yakupov
    – Cedric Paquette
    – Kerby Rychel
    – Mark O’Dano

    Defense
    – Josh Manson
    – Scott Harrington
    – Jamie Oleksiak
    – Kris Russell (UFA)
    – Brayden McNabb
    – Matt Dumba
    – Nikita Nesterov
    – Karl Alzner (UFA)
    – Brendan Dillon
    – Alex Biega

    Goalie
    – MA Fleury
    – Malcolm Subban
    – Petr Mrazek

    Yeah this team is terrible.

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  162. Joe Smith‏
    @TBTimes_JSmith

    Hearing #tblightning has a side deal in place with Vegas to protect its young ‘D.”

    James Mirtle‏Verified account @mirtle
    James Mirtle Retweeted Joe Smith

    Rumour is Lightning will unload salary to Vegas, too. Another high pick for McPhee perhaps?

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  167. The tricky part of this is deciphering all the side deals. That’s the only reason I went with Stoner from the Ducks, as he may be the player Vegas gets as part of a package to avoid the selection of Manson/Vatanen.

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  168. I’m telling y’all, if Vegas grabs Eric Staal, there’s a perfect way for McPhee to make him feel a little more comfortable AND get a top-21 pick in this year’s draft…

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  173. good guy – it all really depends on how firm the side deals are. While I can see Vegas staying away from a guy like Vatanen (who would be a first-pair defender, but makes good money and it’s not at all likely that Vegas will contend while he’s relevant), Manson is a building-block. Not that the Ducks had a choice, but they HAD to have been certain that a deal was struck with Vegas. But if it’s more of a soft “Hey, please don’t take Manson…we’ll give you a first-rounder…PLEASE…” then Vegas might feel that the better move is keeping him for themselves. Or if someone comes along offering a better deal…who knows?

    I picked Manson on my team because I think there’s a better chance that Vegas wants him OR someone is willing to make Anaheim’s side deal look silly.

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  176. What happens in Vegas…doesn’t stay in Vegas…
    .
    Need a Brass-like deal if moving Step who has value, esp with younger team looking for leader who provide good post games quotes.
    .
    Something has to break with Minny. Francisco Scaramanga and his third nipple would look good in blue, but he is a lefty…

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  180. Alex, thanks. I did not realize that signing a team’s UFA would count as the “pick”, although that would make sense since they have the exclusive window.

    I don’t think people are clamoring to trade 1C more than usual. It’s just that the rumor mill is churning since the NMC kicks in soon. So if he’s going to be moved, this is the time. And agree with RR2, don’t think anyone is looking to dump him. Except Wicky, of course 🙂

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  181. I think dumba would be the guy from minny.
    –
    Id still prefer trouba to dumba. I like Manson and vaatanen. But I’d prefer dumba to Faulk or Tanev. I like Barrie too but don’t think he’s available. Good with Murphy from yotes.
    –
    We are just lefty deep in D. In the pipeline too. Mcdonut staal, Holden, skjeL smith in the NHL…graves, day, that Finnish kid whose name starts with a “t” i can’t think of.

    On the right we have…..couple of free agent signings that have proven nothing and kampfer?!?! Puhleeze.

    Imo you move 2 of the “NHL” lefty D men and address other roster needs.

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  189. Will the Ranger selected be announced before or after the Lady Byng award (Wickys fav) is announced tomorrow night

    Although i do think that info is leaked by player or agent in many cases.

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  191. Proposed trade with Vegas.
    this is mine as i don’t have the inside info Eric has.

    Miller, 1st round pick in 2018, 3rd round pick in 2019

    for

    Dumba, 5th round pick this year

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  196. I am a Miller fan, but you really want to trade Kreider, who has three consecutive 20 goal seasons, and even in a bad playoffs scored 3 goals, instead of Miller who can’t score in the playoffs, and is still an unproven commodity.

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  197. The best part of the expansion draft almost being over is that we won’t have to limit ourselves to only 3 or 4 trade targets anymore. Come Thursday, Gorton can actually make a hockey trade without having to limit himself to teams that have protected slots available.

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  200. Bdl
    I don’t want to trade either one. Never said I did. But I’d trade kreider before miller if it came down to it and i had to trade one.

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  201. If Vegas wants entertainment value for their fans, they take grabner.

    If they want hockey asset, they take raanta.

    If they want to do the rangers a favour, they take fast.

    If they want to build for the future, they take lindberg

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  206. I read what you said Wicky, and if I had to trade one or the other, it wouldn’t be close. I would trade Miller. I would much prefer that come September they are both Rangers.

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  212. Trivia Question:

    Forgive me if this has been mentioned before, but in honor of the Rangers (possibly) losing Antti Raanta: Who was the last Rangers goalie selected in an expansion draft?

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  213. If Vegas wants to build for the future, wouldn’t they take Grabner or Raanta and then trade them for youth/picks.? they only have so many NHL level slots

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  222. I looked it up and it looks like the Rangers could only protect one goaltender, so they traded Beezer to Vancouver knowing he would be taken there. So I am not sure if we answered Oleosmirf’s question or not.

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  225. Daniel Day-Lewis announced today that he quit acting. My only hope is that he’s method acting to prepare for a role as an actor who quit acting.

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  246. If grrabner goes to Pittsburgh he’ll probably play with Two Cup Carl (Hagelin) they’ll be fun to watch out there together against the Staal-Holden pairing. Fun thoughts!

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  250. I’d like to know what meds he’s taking that require “every few weeks” blood test. Immunosuppressants?
    Sounds like they’re going to LTIR him and avoid the infamous recapture penalty.

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  251. They got his stats totally wrong. Maybe that’s how he’s done in Chicago?

    Weren’t certain players back in the 60s-70s breaking out in horrible rashes from their longhorns? For some reason Esposito comes to mind.

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  252. It’s more than a shame that the NHL retconned these contracts at the last CBA. Yeah, they needed to handle cap circumvention and fast, but these old deals signed before the CBA (cough cough Richards) should’ve had some kind of grandfather clause. Teams will ALWAYS find a way to get out of them, but the damage is done to the player. A lot of guys signed these long deals with the intention of retiring on their terms, and wound up being humiliated in the end.

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  254. I agree, DaveB. I remember writing a guest blog on it a few years back. Awful. Pure bullying by Bettman, punishing the GMs, teams, and players after the fact for signing contracts that were totally within the rules of CBA.
    By the way, Chicago will avoid 4 year, $4.275M per year recapture penalty by placing him on LTIR.
    Speaking of bullying. Where is Wicky 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  256. Agreed ILB.

    Disappointed that the Rangers don’t have an exciting side-deal in place, according to reports. But strictly from an excitement standpoint. If we come out of the tunnel minus our backup goaltender, I think we’ve done better than most teams. Raanta is very good, but I have faith we’ll have an adequate replacement for him by opening night. And frankly, as an asset…he wasn’t getting us more than a 3rd.

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  258. Kind of “convenient” that Hossa gets the “gunk” (that was they called the allergy back in the 1970s/1980s) when his contract calls for him to only get paid $1 million per year. After the J.R. Richard episode I have learned to never criticize an athlete when they are hurt/sick, but this one does not pass the smell test. You mean the equipment/uniform companies/NHL can’t figure something out – if they wanted to.

    If I can remember back in the day the allergies were a big problem. One of things they talked about as a cause was the sticks and whatever they were using to make them because players are the ones who work on their sticks.

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  260. Exactly, BDL. No reason to give up an asset in order to protect what would be a bottom 6/back up. Also, props to Gorton for not being in a position to be forced to protect someone much more important.

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  264. I read last night that GM GM picked his team yesterday and started calling a few guys to see if he could get them on a plane to Vegas to be onstage for the announcement. And since players and agents know there will probably be a decent leak of information today before the big reveal tonight. But who knows

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  266. So Hossa goes on LTIR, possibly ending his NHL career just as his salary drops to $1m per year. There’s absolutely nothing fishy about that at all

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  267. I think lindberg is a bit tougher to replace considering the “current” make up of the roster vs the other 3. I do agree that not giving up an asset is a good way to go though.

    I certainly hope gorton has a couple deals in place though to improve the roster by trading Stepan and hayes.

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  268. i don’t think that players Vegas has on stage will be traded soon. Said another way if a guy Vegas is trading the next day he will not be there. Nor will be guys who go to Europe for the summer.

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  269. I’m with you on that one Anthony. This was the year that Hossa was supposed to tearily walk away, still with skills that would be welcome on any team. But instead, the end of his career is “allergies.” It’s ignoble and humiliating.

    And think about the guys who did well to forecast exactly when they’d want to (or need to) hang them up – but will hang on for a few extra years as to not leave their clubs in cap recapture hell.

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  271. Alex,
    The toughest guy to lose would be Lindberg. Plays center, and still has upside. I know you like Grabner, but if they lose him it would be a short term hit. He’s as good as gone the following season. There are plenty of back up goalkeepers on the FA market if the were to lose Raanta. Agree that Fast would hurt the least.

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  276. Imagine this scenario:

    – Stepan and Hayes traded
    – Lindberg claimed
    – Klein decides to stick it out for another season
    – We acquire 4 more lefty dmen
    – Patrick Marleau for 6 years 33m

    Liked by 1 person

  281. I love bdl’ scenario at 10:15 where you lose Hayes (who plays centre half the time on his line) and stepan and get nothing back for them. Too bad in the NHL you can’t trade a player or two for another player or two.

    Or even more shocking…trade a centre for a…GASP…centre.

    Oh the horror 😉

    Liked by 1 person

  285. Raanta or Grabner going will impact us in a big way this year. We seem to think good goalies grow on trees. I think Lindberg less so but would impact them before in year 2

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  289. Are you getting centers as good as Stepan, and Hayes? Because despite what Ranger fans think about them, they are very solid NHL centers. If you are looking to rebuild Wicky, by all means trade them away. But if you are looking to still be relevant, you better get two very good centers to replace them.

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  294. Alex Tuch is the side deal to get Vegas to grab Haula instead of one of the dmen. Tuch is a very good prospect, and was one of the main guys mentioned last off-season as a Ranger target, the last time we all wanted to trade Stepan.

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  296. None of us know what is actually going on. Now if lindberg is claimed, they might not move both Hayes and step if they don’t get a centre back. I would NOT move both if lindberg is claimed.

    Either way, I get. A 4th line centre via free agency. Thompson, if available, would be my choice.

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  300. Hayes and miller had mirror seasons performance wise, if we are going to laud Hayes and be hesitant about his departure, we should be saying the same about miller.

    They also shared the centre position on that line, so I’m not sure we are not being abut blinded by Hayes early season and forgetting the bouncing around of miller as well.

    I think miller has more upside than Hayes.

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  301. A downgrade from who bdl?

    We did not have a centre that could win vital draws and the guy that was beast at it was “lost” by the coach.

    Id much rather see lindberg at a 3C spot and a cost effective 4C that can win some draws.

    Doesn’t have to be Thompson, can be someone of similar cost, but I like his game and I think he would be a very good fit.

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  302. Alex, I think Chicago will definitely try to place Hossa on LTIR. The news are out there now for a reason. Including him needing a frequent blood test to monitor side effects of his medicine. The league’s medical team will have to try and overturn it, but it’s not going to be easy. He is well within the rules of a player who is”unable to perform his duties as a hockey Player”.
    Incidentally, if Hossa retires, not only Chicago gets hit with the recapture penalty, he also forfeits the rest of his pay. If he is on LTIR for 4 years, he is paid $1M per year.

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  305. The Chicago Blackhawks………masters of cap circumvention. It worked for Pronger and the Flyers, so why not? They get out from under a huge cap charge and Hossa sacrifices $1 Million per year for 4 years after having earned $40 Million.

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  306. I can’t wait to see actual player name suggestions from all the blog experts here.

    the trick is to sound like an expert without giving actual player names for the roster.

    I mean come on, heaven forbid you be wrong with your speculation on a blog that is available through someone’s time and hard work and supposed to be enjoyable lol

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  308. The cap recapture penalty is something like $3.9m per year if Hossa retired so you can bet your a$$ Chicago will fight any attempt to label it cap circumvention – even if it is, as plain as day.

    Liked by 1 person

  309. Bdl
    So you did not get a centre with step (judging from your post), so you improved the team in another area in his deal. So I definitely like the bottom 4.

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  311. Obviously this is all speculation for me, I’m not an expert or insider like some of you, but if stepan rumours were true to Arizona what IF..,,

    Z pack
    Strome
    Lindberg
    Thompson

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  313. The effed up thing about cap recapture – The team signing the player to the contract is ALWAYS on the hook, even if the player is traded. If Shea Weber retires early in Montreal, Nashville gets the recapture. If he walks away in his intended retirement season (the first year he’s making $1M), Nashville gets a recapture penalty of over $6M. If he hangs on and retires, say, 1 year before his contract ends? A one-year penalty of TWENTY-FOUR MILLION.

    Lets just say if Shea Weber is super-bitter at Nashville, he has some cards up his sleeve.

    Liked by 1 person

  318. If, again if, you move stepan and get strome and Murphy, you’ve addressed a centre and a Rd albeit not a 1st pair.

    You still have decent to above average forward depth to address a top Rd and pick up a 4C in free agency

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  321. I just think not moving step and getting another high contract with a nmc is a mistake.

    Team needs 1st line talent, righty NHL D, and centres…I think it’s a mistake if they do not address at least two of those needs.

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  323. Think losing Lindberg baby is the least damaging in the short term as Aunty is a competent backup we may need to start the year and Grabner can score goals (at least for half a season) and be disruptive and generally more versatile player. In the big picture, we can find another backup goalie or perhaps start grooming the HL successor.

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  327. Circling and circling in a widening gyre
    The defense cannot hear the goaltender
    Wings fall apart, the center cannot hold
    Mere anarchy is loosed upon the rink
    The damned puck is loosed and in New York
    The ceremony of Stanley is lost
    The best lack all scoring, while the worst
    Are full of undeserved icetime.

    Glen Sather, The Twenty First Century Rangers.

    Liked by 1 person

  331. Expert insider
    How are they weaker? On draws…no. Talent….no. Mobility…probably better, but certainly not worse. Cap space…better.

    Not trying to be snarky, I just don’t see how they are weaker.

    I always look for bang for your buck and cap flexibility (especially to take advantage of other teams that must “shed” quality players due to cap issues) in this hard cap era.

    Ie is the on ice performance difference justified by the salary difference.

    At least that’s the way I look at it.

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  333. Strome is unproven. Thompson is 33, coming off a season he played 30 games. While I think most of us believe that Lindberg could be a solid 3, he has never done it. That’s a lot of hope he does this, or hope he forsake that.

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  335. I think Grabner may be their pick. Not a lot of veterans for 1.5 that scored close to 30 goals out there. McPhee knows better than to assume his best days are ahead. That said this league is about speed.
    I don’t consider Grabner irreplaceable but losing his speed would suck. He essentially replaced two Cup Carl’s speed that was missing the previous season.

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  337. Why do I have this feeling that pitt, isles, devs, & filth come out of this weekend much improved. And the NYR’s end up getting fleeced?

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  338. I have to wonder if Hossa will try to play in europe at some point. That alone should make the cap recapture reappear even if it disappears for a short while.

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  339. Dave

    I don’t think it’s cut and dried regarding Weber

    First of all Philly signed him Nashville just matched it.

    Second I’m not sure Nashville was a cap max team so they could use some of those $ that they were under the cap max to reduce or eliminate the “cheating” that the cap recapture is addressing.

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  344. Nah, no way the NHL tries extra-hard to hurt Chicago. Just like how they were totally fine with Philly getting LTIR cap relief on Pronger, while Pronger was employed by the league.

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  354. DaveB – Could understand it if Methot was on the final year of his contract because it would be a stopgap move. But Methot has two years at $4.9 million and you have to factor in Girardi’s dead cap space as well.

    I have feeling the next couple of days prior to the draft are going to be even more active than the Trade Deadline or the July 1 Free Agent Frenzy.

    What gets lost with Vegas and the draft was the way the NHL screwed the Golden Knights. Not only did they not get the first pick as an expansion team automatically, but they didn’t even get the first slot in the lottery. They were “seeded” third. For $ 500 million I would want to be at least seeded first, if not given the first overall pick. Failing that, I would have petitioned the league to enter the 2016 Draft and at least get a jump start on building my organ-eye-zation.

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  356. I think the league did fine by Vegas

    Less protected players plus teams did not really have long time in advance notice hence the no moves effect

    Look at the boatload of picks they are going to have in next few seasons

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  357. Nope, don’t believe everything you read on the internet cccp. The bill (not law as yet) says that hate speech about ‘gender’ used in the commission of a crime can be taken into account during sentencing. Doesn’t make the actual speech a crime.

    Liked by 2 people

  358. The only problem is that every other an expansion team got to be pick first overall (obviously the years with two teams they went one, two). If I were going to invest as much as Foley did I would want every advantage I could get my hands on and that includes the first overall pick.

    This year it is not a huge deal because Patrick and Hischier are good players who might be great, but if this were 2015 or 2016 they would have lost out on the guarantee to bring in a franchise changer like McDavid, Matthews or even Laine.

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  361. It is even funnier if you read it with an Esa Tikkanen accent. Of course, you have to figure what that accent is and where it is from. To me he sounded like a Canadian trying to do a foreign accent, but the poor Canadian can’t figure out which accent to do. The old joke was they said that Tik spoke like six languages, but none of them were English 🙂

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  362. Anthony

    Again I think Vegas is extremely well positioned with that three day window and teams protecting players they really don’t want to

    They are doing smart thing in spreading out the wealth over a few years

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  365. I guess I must be grumpy because the Devils and Flyers are picking one-two.

    BTW, it was good to see Carp pop in. I thought his boss had him dealt to Vegas so McPhee takes Matt Puempel in the Expansion Draft.

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  396. Two players entering the last year of there contract. A small checking 4th line winger who is injured, or a young center with upside. Must have been a tough choice for Vegas.

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  398. You guys do realize that having Fast, Grabner, and Raanta still on the team is actually a GOOD thing. Quality players rounding out a mostly quality team. What? Too soon, too sensible?

    Liked by 1 person

  401. Wick I love the nicknames today lol. I think it sucks to lose Oscar but essentially you’re replacing a 4th line center who netted 20 points. I feel like he can be replaced internally or you can sign a plug-a-hole guy like Bonino or a Campbell for the fourth line. Oscar had a big post season but he wasn’t going to be a top 9 forward this season. If anyone’s making that argument they’re over reacting about the situation a bit.

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  404. I’m glad it’s not Grabner as well, Alex. I think his speed is tougher to replace than Oscar’s attributes. Obviously you want to keep home grown potential and guys that get it done for you when it counts but again- the situation with the 4C is something probably filled a little easier

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  405. IDK Gravy. I think as Rangers fans we tend to grossly overestimate guys on our roster when we lose them and undervalue some when they are here. If Oscar was a 35 point a year 4th line center that was a top 2 PK guy and or was winning 60+% of his faceoffs then yeah I think it’d be a huge loss. But the honest truth is he’s probably going to be a real nice depth player for most of his career and one that’s replaceable on this roster for the forseeable future.

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  406. Definitely possible. But it’s at the expense of probably only one more year of Grabner, who will likely not repeat last year’s production.

    That said, we’ve maintained the attractiveness of our team.

    Liked by 1 person

  407. The lost a fourth line center with upside. Upside = might improve to be a third line center. Yawn.

    What’s the date for opening night again?

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  410. 100% right on Grabner’s production, Gravy. I’m probably the only Rangers fan that looked at his scoring as an extra added bonus to his speed and PK ability. If he scores 10 goals this season I’m fine with it as long as he provides the attributes he was originally signed for. Goal scoring should increase with Vesey and Buchnevich having better years along with what will hopefully be a healthier season from Nash.

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  417. Lindberg beats rangers 3-2 on a short handed goal in January book it. Play develops after a shattenkirk turnover on pp at blueline. Rangers lose 5th straight fall to 5th in metro.

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  422. Yeah, Gravy, if you’re into that sort of thing. I prefer Oscar and his dreamy eyes that guide you into the window of his soul.

    I think I have to stop after this one.

    Liked by 1 person

  423. I will definitely miss Oscar, but I was certain he was gone to the crap tables! He will probably get flipped to pittsburg and win a cup next year. I’m just another tortured Ranger fan wondering how long a lifetime is.

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  428. James agreed on Grabner. It’s not just the goals. The world class speed, smarts, pk, replace Hags quite well and we missed Hags dearly the year before.

    I would have been fine if Fast was selected, less so for the other 3. Grabner and Raanta would have bothered me the most. In Raantas case it’s based on concern on how Henrik will be after knee issue during the world championships. I feel very comfortable with Raanta in net.

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