regarding Rubstov, I am still hoping his drop off this year is him pouting a bit about not playing pro this year. I know from his comments last year he said something to the effect of being ready for the Flyers or phantoms. obviously its not idea to have a player pout instead of dealing with the demotion by playing your ass off but that would be more preferred than him not being as good as we hoped.

I wonder where Vegas and Philly would be right now if you had swapped coaches in September.

regarding Rubstov, I am still hoping his drop off this year is him pouting a bit about not playing pro this year. I know from his comments last year he said something to the effect of being ready for the Flyers or phantoms. obviously its not idea to have a player pout instead of dealing with the demotion by playing your ass off but that would be more preferred than him not being as good as we hoped.
- nastyflyergirl

I hope that's not it because the Phantoms are loaded up front, and as a 19 year old he would have been a 4th line wing at best with Varone, Vecchione, Knight and Vorobyev as the top 4 centers.

Pronman's top 20 Draft Rankings are a bit interesting..
1. Rasmus Dahlin
2. Andrei Svechnikov
3. Filip Zadina
4. Jesperi Kotkaniemi
5. Quinn Hughes
6. Oliver Wahlstrom
7. Adam Boqvist
8. Dominik Bokk
9. Brady Tkachuk
10. Ryan Merkley
11. Joe Veleno
12. Rasmus Kupari
13. Grigori Denisenko
14. Jesse Ylonen
15. Vitali Kravtsov
16. Bode Wilde
17. Ruslan Iskhakov
18. Evan Bouchard
19. Kirill Marchenko
20. Noah Dobson

Others of interest
27. Joel Farabee
31. Isac Lundestrom
51. Jared McIsaac
69. Mattias Samuelsson
- ajw12

Again, without watching any of these players with any sort of regularity, I'd snatch Bouchard up at 14.

Again, without watching any of these players with any sort of regularity, I'd snatch Bouchard up at 14.
- jmatchett383

I would love to snatch him or Dobson up at 14

I wonder where Vegas and Philly would be right now if you had swapped coaches in September.
- Feanor

Obviously the Flyers would be in the Cup finals right now.

Obviously the Flyers would be in the Cup finals right now.
- Scoob

No way. They would have already won it.

Meanwhile, Vegas would be 0-82 and considering disbanding after one year. MAF would already have been run out of town by a band of ravenous Elvis impersonators, and William Karlsson would have scored zero goals playing on the 8th line.

Obviously the Flyers would be in the Cup finals right now.
- Scoob

I don't think Vegas make the playoffs with a coach like Hakstol in charge. The job Gallant has done with mainly spare parts can't be underestimated.

Bellemare is twice the player he was last season. Engelland had a career year at age 35.

I don't think Vegas make the playoffs with a coach like Hakstol in charge. The job Gallant has done with mainly spare parts can't be underestimated.

Bellemare is twice the player he was last season. Engelland had a career year at age 35.
- Feanor

I don't accept that narrative at all.
He has done a fantastic job coaching the team.

I've never seen Metallica. I heard they're coming back this summer, but if tickets are going to be $200 again, I just can't justify that with 2 kids, a house, and a car payment.
- jmatchett383

I saw them in 04. They put on a great show. I would imagine they still put on a great show. It's one of the concerts I would pay 200 bucks for

I don't accept that narrative at all.
He has done a fantastic job coaching the team.
- Scoob

Agree.

Gallant has done a great job but this expansion team was allowed to play by a different set of rules compared to others.

They were able to add guys that fit and are on reasonable deals and also purge teams that couldn't keep players for certain reasons or obtain picks not to take guys.

Pronman's top 20 Draft Rankings are a bit interesting..
1. Rasmus Dahlin
2. Andrei Svechnikov
3. Filip Zadina
4. Jesperi Kotkaniemi
5. Quinn Hughes
6. Oliver Wahlstrom
7. Adam Boqvist
8. Dominik Bokk
9. Brady Tkachuk
10. Ryan Merkley
11. Joe Veleno
12. Rasmus Kupari
13. Grigori Denisenko
14. Jesse Ylonen
15. Vitali Kravtsov
16. Bode Wilde
17. Ruslan Iskhakov
18. Evan Bouchard
19. Kirill Marchenko
20. Noah Dobson

Others of interest
27. Joel Farabee
31. Isac Lundestrom
51. Jared McIsaac
69. Mattias Samuelsson
- ajw12

Pronman usually has odd lists. If Dobson is on the board at 14, I grab him. I would also grab Farabee if he was there too.

I don't accept that narrative at all.
He has done a fantastic job coaching the team.
- Scoob

Majority of NHL teams that reach the Stanley Cup final have a Norris level type defenseman on their roster. Who is the Vegas defenseman that fits that bill?

Other than James Neal what forward on this roster has a history of being a legit goal scorer? How many players on their roster have 100 career goals prior to this season?

With a few exceptions, this Knights team was built with players other teams didn't want.

I saw them in 04. They put on a great show. I would imagine they still put on a great show. It's one of the concerts I would pay 200 bucks for
- VladDrag

I couldn't pay that unless I saw a set list prior to the show. If they're gonna play the majority of their set from the black album/Load/Reload/Death Magnetic/St. Anger, then I'll pass. Even the new album, as refreshing as it was, doesn't have more than 2 songs that I'd like to see live. Now, of the set list was 80% from the first 4 albums, then we're talking.

Majority of NHL teams that reach the Stanley Cup final have a Norris level type defenseman on their roster. Who is the Vegas defenseman that fits that bill?
- PLindbergh31

Ones similar to what the Penguins had the past 2 years, especially last year.

Other than James Neal what forward on this roster has a history of being a legit goal scorer? How many players on their roster have 100 career goals prior to this season?
- PLindbergh31

Other than Neal, they had Marchessault, Perron, and Reilly Smith (bounce back year). But aside from Marchessault and Karlsson, it's been more of a scoring by committee party.

With a few exceptions, this Knights team was built with players other teams didn't want.
- PLindbergh31

Mostly agreed, although I'd say "players other teams didn't mind losing" as opposed "players other teams didn't want."

regarding Rubstov, I am still hoping his drop off this year is him pouting a bit about not playing pro this year. I know from his comments last year he said something to the effect of being ready for the Flyers or phantoms. obviously its not idea to have a player pout instead of dealing with the demotion by playing your ass off but that would be more preferred than him not being as good as we hoped.
- nastyflyergirl

My concern after watching both games was that he doesn't play with any sense of Urgency. I wouldn't say he's always floating but she sure doesn't ever explode for the puck either.

He's got tools but I question the drive.

Mostly agreed, although I'd say "players other teams didn't mind losing" as opposed "players other teams didn't want."
- jmatchett383

It's even deeper than that. Many teams had to make some tough decisions. Any statement that it is a bunch of players other teams didn't want, is asinine.

I want to know the guy who knew that Karlsson was capable of scoring 40+ goals before this season?

I wonder where Vegas and Philly would be right now if you had swapped coaches in September.
- Feanor

I wonder how good of an NHL player I might have been if I had better hands, could skate better, and was bigger?

My concern after watching both games was that he doesn't play with any sense of Urgency. I wouldn't say he's always floating but she sure doesn't ever explode for the puck either.

He's got tools but I question the drive.
- juiced

I wonder if he's one of those players that needs to be playing with other, talented players.

I guess I'm not familiar enough with the role he is playing in juniors and who he is playing with.

I wonder if he's one of those players that needs to be playing with other, talented players.

I guess I'm not familiar enough with the role he is playing in juniors and who he is playing with.
- johndewar

Maybe, but for me it seemed like compete level. like the "no way you are beating me to that puck" attitude didnt show itself.

My concern after watching both games was that he doesn't play with any sense of Urgency. I wouldn't say he's always floating but she sure doesn't ever explode for the puck either.

He's got tools but I question the drive.
- juiced

Hagg also had questions about his drive a year or two after being drafted. He turned out ok.

Hagg also had questions about his drive a year or two after being drafted. He turned out ok.
- arichardson22

That's kinda who I had in mind, as well.

I wonder where Vegas and Philly would be right now if you had swapped coaches in September.
- Feanor

Marchessault would have been benched for Ryan Reaves.

#HeavyVeteranPresence

Ones similar to what the Penguins had the past 2 years, especially last year.



Other than Neal, they had Marchessault, Perron, and Reilly Smith (bounce back year). But aside from Marchessault and Karlsson, it's been more of a scoring by committee party.



Mostly agreed, although I'd say "players other teams didn't mind losing" as opposed "players other teams didn't want."
- jmatchett383

Pittsburgh defense core over the last two years is comparable. But of course the Penguins have Crosby and Malkin to cover up a lot of defensive issues.

Marchessault, Perron, Smith and Karlsson are all nice players, but prior to this year they have never been top line performers.

The Knights were at the bottom of the list when it comes to Stanley Cup odds. The Vegas sports books usually are spot on. The point is no one saw this coming. What they are doing is nothing short of miraculous. To go 12-3 thus far against the Kings, Sharks, and Jets is absurd. And I just checked they are 4-0 combined against TB and Washington.

Marchessault would have been benched for Ryan Reaves.

#HeavyVeteranPresence
- Tomahawk

Hey Reaves scored the GWG in his home town yesterday. That has to be an amazing feeling. He said his family members were all rooting for the Jets.