Awe I'm hurt....

Your posts are a disater but the thoughts behind them are bang on though
- Iggysbff

I'll take it hahaha

I don’t think people believe the players don’t deserve it. I think most fans respect very much these players and what they’ve accomplished. That’s why it’s such mixed feelings on this issue.

It just feels unfair for other teams and their fan base who have been patient and suffered for so long as their team got slowly built to become competitive.

Look at Atlanta/Winnipeg. They’ve been slowly building a team for years. Finally it’s paying off and here comes this first year expansion team that have had favorable conditions to immediately be super competitive come by and basically pass in front of everybody else who have been patiently waiting for their shot.

What if they end up beating Washington in the finals? Washington who year after year have been working so hard but can never get past Pittsburgh... finally this could be the year they finally find a way to make it to the finals and this might be Ovi’s last chance to win a cup (maybe not, but it’s so hard to go all the way. You never know if you’ll get another chance)... and this expansion team who you had to give one of your good players to a few months ago comes in with an unfair advantage and kills what might be your last shot at your dream. I’m not really a Capitals fan, so I personally wouldn’t care all that much, but if it would be my team and I would have been patient for years to see them get a shot, I would be furious to lose it to a new team who the league did everything in their power to make sure they are as good as my club. If my team were to lose to a team like Winnipeg who has also been building a team for years, I would still be frustrated and disappointed, but I could accept it much easier. It would feel more fair.

That’s where people are having a hard time getting behind Vegas. We all like the players and are impressed by how they are playing. It’s the fact that the league gave them every opportunity to be as good as any other team right away vs all the other teams who had to takes years to built theirs.

Anyway, that’s how I personally see it. Not that I wouldn’t be happy for these players, it’s just that it would always be remembered as a controversial win.

I don't necessarily think the other 3 teams deserve it any more than the other. But I do think that Vegas doesn't deserve it. Not because of anything other than the fact that they shouldn't go into hockey fandom thinking the Cup is easy to obtain.

It's not about deserving for as much as it is a rivalry. As Pacific division opponents I don't believe in rooting for the enemy. But If I had to pick a team to win I think the jets are most deserving. After seeing there team move and then rebuild a arena and building from the draft. They definitely deserve the cup.

The Knights are good. They are just as deserving as any good team to win the Cup. How the team was brought together isn’t on them... they’re only job is to play and they’re doing that well.

It’s just too bad they’re going to play second fiddle when Vegas’ NFL team starts playing. But cheap flights/hotels and comped tickets should keep the arena at least half full for next few seasons.

I’m of the opinion that MAF is carrying them on his shoulders. The jets are dominating these games for the most part and Hellbyuck has been pretty bad. He has to save Smiths Shot last night. But Vegas had the shooting massacre to galvanize from and haven’t looked back which that alone is enough for me to keep rooting for them. Granted they did get more talent then say TB back in the day with the likes of Jayson More being plucked off a roster lol

I don’t think people believe the players don’t deserve it. I think most fans respect very much these players and what they’ve accomplished. That’s why it’s such mixed feelings on this issue.

It just feels unfair for other teams and their fan base who have been patient and suffered for so long as their team got slowly built to become competitive.

Look at Atlanta/Winnipeg. They’ve been slowly building a team for years. Finally it’s paying off and here comes this first year expansion team that have had favorable conditions to immediately be super competitive come by and basically pass in front of everybody else who have been patiently waiting for their shot.

What if they end up beating Washington in the finals? Washington who year after year have been working so hard but can never get past Pittsburgh... finally this could be the year they finally find a way to make it to the finals and this might be Ovi’s last chance to win a cup (maybe not, but it’s so hard to go all the way. You never know if you’ll get another chance)... and this expansion team who you had to give one of your good players to a few months ago comes in with an unfair advantage and kills what might be your last shot at your dream. I’m not really a Capitals fan, so I personally wouldn’t care all that much, but if it would be my team and I would have been patient for years to see them get a shot, I would be furious to lose it to a new team who the league did everything in their power to make sure they are as good as my club. If my team were to lose to a team like Winnipeg who has also been building a team for years, I would still be frustrated and disappointed, but I could accept it much easier. It would feel more fair.

That’s where people are having a hard time getting behind Vegas. We all like the players and are impressed by how they are playing. It’s the fact that the league gave them every opportunity to be as good as any other team right away vs all the other teams who had to takes years to built theirs.

Anyway, that’s how I personally see it. Not that I wouldn’t be happy for these players, it’s just that it would always be remembered as a controversial win.
- MathieuLeclaire

This is completely stupid and false. Everyone joked at how bad Vegas would be after they picked their team and it was a bunch of misfits and bottom line players. They were picked by the vast majority to finish bottom 3 in the league. Other teams CHOSE to give away these players. It's great seeing what a bunch of guys buying into a team mentality can do.

This is completely stupid and false. Everyone joked at how bad Vegas would be after they picked their team and it was a bunch of misfits and bottom line players. They were picked by the vast majority to finish bottom 3 in the league. Other teams CHOSE to give away these players. It's great seeing what a bunch of guys buying into a team mentality can do.
- Iggysbff

Bingo.

Its (frank)ing hilarious seeing these posts now. Like they got McDavid, Crosby and Ovie. The best player they got was Fleury and Pitt fans didn't want him anywhere near the playoffs.

Guarantee not 1 fan of another team would trade their top 2 lines for Vegas's, or their top pairing defense for Vegas's.

yes, but you can't get past the fact that these players ALL could have been kept by other NHL teams.
- Eklund

Yes, that is true, But then they just would have been able to get another good player in their place. The results surely would have been different...Or would They?

This is completely stupid and false. Everyone joked at how bad Vegas would be after they picked their team and it was a bunch of misfits and bottom line players. They were picked by the vast majority to finish bottom 3 in the league. Other teams CHOSE to give away these players. It's great seeing what a bunch of guys buying into a team mentality can do.
- Iggysbff

Not only did the teams choose to expose these players, they handed out 1st rounders like candy to protect some of them...who just happen to be playing golf right now

When the Vegas team was drafted. I couldn't see any of this happening. I thought their D was weak, and their offence couldn't win with the 4 lines they were running on the ice. Boy, was I wrong. Also, didn't the Blues go to the Stanley Cup in their 1st season?
- dogeatdog

It's not really the same St. Louis only had to compete against the other expansion teams that came in the same year.

First of all, the idea that they bought a Cup-caliber team or that the Expansion Draft was set up to give them one is revisionist history at it's finest. Please find me all the articles from after the Expansion Draft or from before the season started that predicted Vegas to be a Cup contender. Everyone thought they'd be terrible AFTER they saw what their roster looked like. That's part of what makes this all so crazy.

Second of all, one of the biggest factors for Vegas's success is the Panthers management totally blowing it and trading Riley Smith to the Knights to ensure they would draft Marchessault over some mediocre defenseman. That blunder by Dale Tallon is on the same level as Hall for Larsson. The NHL did not gift Vegas a great top line, the Panthers did.

Past that it's a combination of guys having great breakout seasons (namely William Karlsson), great coaching, strong goaltending by Fleury in the playoffs, and of course that thing no hockey fan ever wants to admit is a huge part of any team's success: a healthy dose of luck.

Is it good for the league? I can see both sides to that argument, but a great story is usually a good thing. Do the fans deserve it? I understand if you're a fan that's gone Cupless for decades you feel they don't. I tend to agree with that point but I also tend to root for the wackiest things to happen so I'm fine with them winning (but I'd rather see Ovi get his Cup).

Haven’t earned it. This is an exposed league flaw in which Gary Bettman severely altered the expansion process along with the fact that Vegas didn’t have to share picks with an additional team. Their instant success shows what a goddamn joke this whole process was. Teams surrendering 1st round picks just to keep their players? I mean...wtf?

This is sooo good for the league. Shows how balanced the league is, how much depth there is in the league. People whining about expansion diluting the talent are having that hot bologna shoved right back In their face. I get a feeling most of the consternation about Vegas comes from those up north. And that’s not based on anything but frustration. Odd though. Peg was over 50% American players and Vegas is driven by Canadians

Why???? I've attended/watched Sabres games for almost 50 years just hoping the team will win a Stanley cup some day ... Vegas has a very good chance of winning it this year and if not this year they are strong enough to win it next year

- pwasil7

I agree with you. I feel bad for the STL WSH and BUF fans. Hell I’ll even throw in SJ. Teams have had decent to great teams (president trophy teams) that could win the cup and flounder in the big show or critical playoff games. Then this rag a muffin team comes in and wins?

Glad I saw the kings win not once but 2x before Vegas game in.

I’ll agree with most people that the players deserve it just as much as any other player but the fans have not invested as much (obviously) to the team to go through what winning a championship really means and that’s to lose first.

This is completely stupid and false. Everyone joked at how bad Vegas would be after they picked their team and it was a bunch of misfits and bottom line players. They were picked by the vast majority to finish bottom 3 in the league. Other teams CHOSE to give away these players. It's great seeing what a bunch of guys buying into a team mentality can do.
- Iggysbff

That's not true. Sure I heard Vegas would be one of the worst team from a lot of people, but I also heard quite a few people arguing they would be among the teams fighting for a playoff spot. I think most people knew they would be at least somewhat competitive. Now sure, no one, not even myself thought they would ever be competing for a Stanley Cup, but we've heard the NHL often say they wanted Vegas to be a competitive team from the start and they clearly allowed that to happen.

It helped them that some teams made some bad decisions as to who to protect vs who they left exposed, and you have to give credit to Vegas for selecting the right players and the right coaches. I'm not taking anything away from these people. They perfectly exploited every opportunity that was presented to them. Even if Seattle gets the same favorable conditions, I highly doubt they could ever be as successful as what Vegas has done.

But I still stand behind my point that Vegas got very favorable conditions that immediately allowed them to pass in front of many other teams who had no other choice but to built their team the long and painful way.

That's not true. Sure I heard Vegas would be one of the worst team from a lot of people, but I also heard quite a few people arguing they would be among the teams fighting for a playoff spot. I think most people knew they would be at least somewhat competitive. Now sure, no one, not even myself thought they would ever be competing for a Stanley Cup, but we've heard the NHL often say they wanted Vegas to be a competitive team from the start and they clearly allowed that to happen.

It helped them that some teams made some bad decisions as to who to protect vs who they left exposed, and you have to give credit to Vegas for selecting the right players and the right coaches. I'm not taking anything away from these people. They perfectly exploited every opportunity that was presented to them. Even if Seattle gets the same favorable conditions, I highly doubt they could ever be as successful as what Vegas has done.

But I still stand behind my point that Vegas got very favorable conditions that immediately allowed them to pass in front of many other teams who had no other choice but to built their team the long and painful way.
- MathieuLeclaire

You hear any complaints about this from the owners? They were quite happy to take that fat stack of cash. The team got more favorable conditions than previous expansion teams (except draft position... that was worse than previous teams) but they paid a hell of a lot more than previous teams.

A team of cast-offs bound together by a murderous tragedy and adopted as the new champion of a classic city fights through juggernauts to accomplish the most arduous challenge in team sports...

If you can't get behind this your heart ain't pumping red blood.

First of all, the idea that they bought a Cup-caliber team or that the Expansion Draft was set up to give them one is revisionist history at it's finest. Please find me all the articles from after the Expansion Draft or from before the season started that predicted Vegas to be a Cup contender. Everyone thought they'd be terrible AFTER they saw what their roster looked like. That's part of what makes this all so crazy.

Second of all, one of the biggest factors for Vegas's success is the Panthers management totally blowing it and trading Riley Smith to the Knights to ensure they would draft Marchessault over some mediocre defenseman. That blunder by Dale Tallon is on the same level as Hall for Larsson. The NHL did not gift Vegas a great top line, the Panthers did.

Past that it's a combination of guys having great breakout seasons (namely William Karlsson), great coaching, strong goaltending by Fleury in the playoffs, and of course that thing no hockey fan ever wants to admit is a huge part of any team's success: a healthy dose of luck.

Is it good for the league? I can see both sides to that argument, but a great story is usually a good thing. Do the fans deserve it? I understand if you're a fan that's gone Cupless for decades you feel they don't. I tend to agree with that point but I also tend to root for the wackiest things to happen so I'm fine with them winning (but I'd rather see Ovi get his Cup).
- MannySilvers

Not many people are still talking about the shooting, I still think if that never happens they’re probably a run if the mill team this season. There is no doubt in my mind they ran with that tradegy and used it as uber motivation to give the town something positive to latch onto.

I would never take away anything away from Vegas as an expansion team going as far as they have but am I the only one who felt the NHL gave them alot better picks to grab from other teams who were only allowed to protect a very limited smount of their rosters then allowed Vegas to make trades with teams to protect their players they did not want taken away. I don’t remember an expansion team in sny sport getting as many draft picks as they did year one. I guarantee at least 9 or 10 franchises would reshuffle their rosters in a second given the same rules!
- RussH1964

Dude, the ginger demon cody eakin, Eric with a k haula, a French guy, and 4th liner Billy karl are their centers. Vegas wasn't handed this team. This team was made in Vegas.

You hear any complaints about this from the owners? They were quite happy to take that fat stack of cash. The team got more favorable conditions than previous expansion teams (except draft position... that was worse than previous teams) but they paid a hell of a lot more than previous teams.
- ChrisMS

I don't know. I'm sure some owners with low income teams where happy about the extra money coming in, but if you split $500M between 30 teams, that's an average of $16.7M per team. It's a fraction of the salary cap. Given they split the revenues 50-50 with the players and the average cap hit is about what? $65M, maybe $70M... that means in average a team brings in $130-140M. That means it's about a 12% bonus per team who have to split it with the players anyway. So each team owner get a little over $8M. It's nothing to spit on, but it's still not that significant of an amount.

Haters gonna hate

End of the day I was rooting for Vegas from the start. Love the fact they took a coach who was treated like crap and cast aside (big mistake by FLA too) and gave him a bunch of players who literally were sold off because of contract or were cast offs. Yes it was more favorable as they got some younger guys, but end of the day they all were cut loose by teams as not needed.

Not only did they all come together, but they got a huge rallying moment with the Vegas incident. They suddenly came together with even more purpose.

People can cry all they want but it has nothing to do with some tinfoil hat conspiracy, or poopty reffing (its been attrocious all season and through the playoffs for every team).

These guys have earned their way to this point and win or lose they have earned their spot and had a hell of a season.

Anyone female doging and moaning about them, it is just sour grapes.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but it's as scripted as the NBA and NFL now

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but it's as scripted as the NBA and NFL now
- Komisaurus Rex

You’re as delusional as can be.

That's not true. Sure I heard Vegas would be one of the worst team from a lot of people, but I also heard quite a few people arguing they would be among the teams fighting for a playoff spot. I think most people knew they would be at least somewhat competitive. Now sure, no one, not even myself thought they would ever be competing for a Stanley Cup, but we've heard the NHL often say they wanted Vegas to be a competitive team from the start and they clearly allowed that to happen.

It helped them that some teams made some bad decisions as to who to protect vs who they left exposed, and you have to give credit to Vegas for selecting the right players and the right coaches. I'm not taking anything away from these people. They perfectly exploited every opportunity that was presented to them. Even if Seattle gets the same favorable conditions, I highly doubt they could ever be as successful as what Vegas has done.

But I still stand behind my point that Vegas do very favorable conditions that immediately allowed them to pass in front of many other teams who had no other choice but to built their team the long and painful way.
- MathieuLeclaire

Stand by it all you want. Its totally false and completely moronic.