This notion that teams didn’t want the players left available is stupid. Most teams lost a fringe 2nd/3rd line player or a #3 or 4 defensemen. This alone put Vegas as one of the deeper teams in the league on offense and defense.

The emergence of Karlsson was a huge kick.

I feel bad for fans who have been around for 30, 40 years and rarely sniff the playoffs. The expansion draft was bs, whether you recognized the names or not, they are still very good players.

Kudos to the players, not their fault, but they are not the island of misfit hockey players the masses keep saying they are.

A Vegas win cheapens the cup. It will rank up there with Carolina.

The NHL hasnt wanted a first year team to be more competitive out of the gate then Vegas. Does the NHL want Vegas to be successful? Has Vegas received special treatment? Is that right if they did or do. How does that knowledge of a Leagues support affect the psyche of the organization and players who feel that backing. The NHL should be an honest impartial broker in all phases. A team full of misfits and 3rd and 4th line rejects looks like the incarnation of the '97 Detroit Red Wings. Why are Vegas quicker and more physically superior, if the league wants Vegas to succeed there first year do they turn a blind eye to drug testing there first year ? Who knows, Bettmans league is so shady and lacks so much transparency it's very ripe for corruption. The League has its hands on all aspects of the game. Officiating, now there's 2 refs, one to override the other, and if that's not enough the league will step in front Toronto and yeah or neah. The draft lotto, why is it not live when the balls drop? For integrity and transparency sake. Bettman does not care that his league gives off the perception of being bush league and potentially rigged, whether it's true or not is not the point. It's the perception to many fans of manipulation across many aspects of the NHL organization.
- morrison1980

A Vegas win cheapens the cup. It will rank up there with Carolina.
- Beatle_john

IF Vegas wins the cup. The NHL is a garbage league not worth anyone's time watching. Totally fixed. maybe NBC is right to schedule games in non prime time.
- ziffles

I agree. This would be a huge black eye for the sport if it bent the rules so drastically that a first year team wins a cup. It would be an embarrassment

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

Fans must be pretty butthurt about their own teams struggles to resent the Knights tho. The only reason I am not hoping they win is because I want Ovi to win one.

Fans must be pretty butthurt about their own teams struggles to resent the Knights tho. The only reason I am not hoping they win is because I want Ovi to win one.
- Larsson_fan

Caps doing their best to lose this series...

Or maybe people don’t want to “actually” post an opinion because it’s saturday morning and people have better things to do?

It would look terrible for the league if an expansion team essentially bought the cup, which is what Vegas is doing. The NHL is already not taken as seriously as the other big sports, this is making it look even worse. If I were an owner (or fan for that matter) you’re damn right I’d be choked that a team was handed a contending team and high draft picks. This is not a good look for the NHL.
- iknowbest

This. Guy. Gets. It.

I went through the entire thread...

Is it just me or does it feel like only the fans of the perennial loser franchises are complaining about Vegas?

It is hard for some fan bases to deal with like myself (Canucks) but it is all about the players and they have proven to the world they can play. So let’s not take anything away from them.

This. Guy. Gets. It.
- BeadyEyedDouche

Wouldn’t be terrible at all. Would be the opposite.
The story brings new fans. And all the “superstars” that go through their careers without winning may realize it takes a TEAM effort to win. They sign massive contracts and hamper their teams.
Guys that go their whole careers then get traded to a contender to load up for a run is way worse.

This question is totally idiotic. Vegas sure as hell deserves it

All the people complaining about Vegas... mostly from up north... seem to want to sugarcoat how the major dynasties purchased and preyed on small markets to get their own cups. No complaints about the league tied to those cups.

This question is totally idiotic. Vegas sure as hell deserves it
- twpguy

Anyone complaining about it is either a whiner or a moron. It’s easy to see which is which.

Anyone complaining about it is either a whiner or a moron. It’s easy to see which is which.
- Iggysbff

All other fan bases (Florida?) should question their Front offices as to why certain players have been exposed in the draft, instead of others.
It wasn't that easy for Vegas as some lead you to believe.

Wait... where is James Tanner comparing MAF to Mike Vernon? (MAF not a HOFer) Pointing out he's a product of Pittsburgh's dynasty? James where are you? Is it just lucky like last year? James?... Wait... I understand your smarter then everyone here because its just "Lucky"... not supported by the "advanced stats"

Lots of valid stuff on both sides, but I really don't agree with the mantra that the players have all come together and earned it in these playoffs. Fleury is carrying that team the same way Pits goaltending did last year. Every rah rah post about how these players have came together, and I'm sitting here watching Winnipeg cave them in for most of every game.

It would be one thing if they were clearly crushing their opponents game in and game out, but add the goalie carrying the team to them being a one year old expansion franchise, and it stinks a little.

Seattle also will probably not replicate this situation even remotely unless a goalie and coach of that caliber are available, and they somehow pull a 40 goal scorer off of another teams 4th line.

People who think the expansion rules somehow handed Vegas this gift of dominance are out to lunch. McPhee himself in many interviews makes it pretty obvious that he didn't expect this result. My first thought after the expansion draft was over, was how pathetic the roster looked versus what they could have actually built. I actually thought it was pathetic how obvious it was they were not even trying to compete after all the league talked about was how much they wanted Vegas to have a good team out of the gate.

After the officiating last night it's clear gary wants his Knights in the final.

Nothing we can do.

After the officiating last night it's clear gary wants his Knights in the final.

Nothing we can do.
- LordHumungous

What constitutes deserving? Do you have to struggle for years before deserving a shot?

IMO if you play good enough to win, you deserve it.

Vegas may have benefited from a better draf rules, but they made good decisions. Good for them. Not all the good players they picked were a result of teams having to poney up. Who saw Karlsson coming? Who saw Engelland all of a sudden become a good dman?

They had to craft this team and build around the established playeda they were gifted.

Wouldn’t be terrible at all. Would be the opposite.
The story brings new fans. And all the “superstars” that go through their careers without winning may realize it takes a TEAM effort to win. They sign massive contracts and hamper their teams.
Guys that go their whole careers then get traded to a contender to load up for a run is way worse.
- Iggysbff

Everything about them getting this far is suspect. The calls, the bookies, the odds, the roster, the "cinderella story".

The NHL has written this from right out of the gate. An expansion team winning the cup is just as bad as a relocated team winning the cup. See; Colorado; Carolina. The NHL "powers that be" aren't doing their best to grow the game and award loyal fanbases, they're trying to "expand" the game and gain a new crowd, without realizing that the NHL is a niche sport and it will NEVER have what's called a "casual fan" or "casual viewer", especially when the refs are clearly corrupt, biased and incompetent, when the game is too hard to follow for your generic potato-faced fat mess and when the commentators on the national broadcasts are absolutely terrible.

All they're talking about is Vegas and the team rallying around the shooting and it's disgusting how much they're exploiting that event and disgusting how clear the NHL is writing this story and doing everything in their power to make sure it happens.

Those 500:1 odds are going to pay off for everyone who dropped a couple few million dollars on that line and the fact that it's a VEGAS team in VEGAS and the knowledge that there's a TON of money in fantasy sports and betting odds and anyone who doesn't think the NHL is at least a little corrupt at this point is a moron.

Everything about them getting this far is suspect. The calls, the bookies, the odds, the roster, the "cinderella story".

The NHL has written this from right out of the gate. An expansion team winning the cup is just as bad as a relocated team winning the cup. See; Colorado; Carolina. The NHL "powers that be" aren't doing their best to grow the game and award loyal fanbases, they're trying to "expand" the game and gain a new crowd, without realizing that the NHL is a niche sport and it will NEVER have what's called a "casual fan" or "casual viewer", especially when the refs are clearly corrupt, biased and incompetent, when the game is too hard to follow for your generic potato-faced fat mess and when the commentators on the national broadcasts are absolutely terrible.

All they're talking about is Vegas and the team rallying around the shooting and it's disgusting how much they're exploiting that event and disgusting how clear the NHL is writing this story and doing everything in their power to make sure it happens.

Those 500:1 odds are going to pay off for everyone who dropped a couple few million dollars on that line and the fact that it's a VEGAS team in VEGAS and the knowledge that there's a TON of money in fantasy sports and betting odds and anyone who doesn't think the NHL is at least a little corrupt at this point is a moron.
- BeadyEyedDouche

Then (frank) off and don’t watch. The only thing suspect is the intelligence of anyone thinking there is a fix or conspiracy here.

After the officiating last night it's clear gary wants his Knights in the final.

Nothing we can do.
- LordHumungous

Ohhh, so that’s why the Pens lost. He’s shifted his love.

Ohhh, so that’s why the Pens lost. He’s shifted his love.
- Rinosaur

Clearly Bettman ordered the refs to give the Jets 4 powerplays to the Knights 2 to help the knights win...

Clearly Bettman ordered the refs to give the Jets 4 powerplays to the Knights 2 to help the knights win...
- Iggysbff

Duh