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Vegas odds on who's going to Vegas |
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The selections made by the Las Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL expansion draft will be revealed Wednesday and what’s known for certain is that at the end of that process, one player on the Detroit Red Wings’ unprotected list will be a former Wing.
Who will it be? Since we’re talking Las Vegas, let’s handicap the odds on which Wing will be saying goodbye.
Riley Sheahan (3-1)
True, he only scored two goals last season, and they both came in the last game of the season. But in the previous season, Sheahan was a 14-goal scorer, and he potted 13 goals in 2014-15, both of which are solid totals in today’s NHL. He’s also a capable checker and a physical presence.
If they decide that last season was an aberration, then Sheahan could be bidding adieu. And there’s also that fact that Sheahan was a sought-after commodity at the NHL trade deadline a year ago, albeit by teams who were trying to take advantage of Sheahan’s off-year to get him at a bargain-basement price.
Ryan Sproul (5-1)
Defensemen with an offensive upside are at a premium and knowing that Sproul can shoot the puck and would be able to work power-play time could make him an asset that the Golden Knights decide they are unable to pass up.
They will overlook Sproul’s defensive lapses and his inconsistent compete level because let’s face it, the Golden Knights aren’t going to win too many games next season.
Tomas Nosek (8-1)
If the Golden Knights look to the future, then Nosek could be a player of interest. He’s shown to be a decent NHL player in brief stints with the Wings, solid on the defensive side of the puck.
Can Nosek put up enough offense to be a difference maker in an NHL lineup? That’s the question that remains unanswered.
Petr Mrazek (10-1)
He’s been an NHL No. 1 goalie, albeit for just part of one season, but there’s a lot of guys out there available with stronger NHL resumes than Mrazek, less baggage, and contracts that don’t pay $4 million per season.
It would be a surprise if Mrazek was the Wing the Golden Knights opt to make their own.
Luke Glendening (15-1)
Maybe if he didn’t just have offseason ankle surgery, Glendening might have some appeal to the Golden Knights. He’ll never be more than a third or fourth line player but he is a leader type who can set a tone in a locker room.
But like a lot of Wings, Glendening is paid a lot more than he’d be worth on the open market.
Xavier Ouellet (18-1)
There’s no doubt that Ouellet established himself as an NHL-caliber defenseman last season in Detroit. He likely also established that he’ll never be more than a 5-6-7 guy on any team’s roster, nor will be bring much of an offensive upside.
In other words, it won’t be difficult to find guys of his ilk. You don’t need to draft them.
Darren Helm (20-1)
A healthy Helm would be appealing to any team, but he hasn’t been a healthy Helm since the Bush administration it seems.
He’s got a big ticket contract (noticing a trend here?) and spends as much time on the injured list as he does on the ice.
The Field (25-1)
Like in big golf tournaments, after you get past the contenders, if you think a longshot is going to come in, then you play the field.
If you are of the opinion that Vegas is going to go way off the board and make a play for someone like Jared Coreau, Martin Frk or even a broken-down veteran like Niklas Kronwall, then play this wager.
Just don’t hold your breath waiting to cash in.
Follow me on Twitter @asktheduffer
Detroit Red Wings Blogger • 
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