The big story around the Golden Knights should solely be about their 7-1 start (or their Halloween party), but instead, the Vadim Shipachyov saga has, in some ways, eclipsed even this record-breaking beginning.
The NHL’s biggest early-season success, 7-1 LV, gave Vadim Shipachyov’s reps permission to look around for a trade. Just hasn’t been a fit
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) October 25, 2017
Whether Shipachyov reports remains to be seen. He's scheduled to be a flight to CHI tonight. If he doesn't report, likely to be suspended.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) October 26, 2017
Bottom line for VGK management/coaches, quite aside from roster squeeze, is Shipachyov has been outplayed by players currently on roster.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) October 26, 2017
VGK preference would be for Shipachyov to report to CHI (AHL) and use that experience to transition to North American game...
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) October 26, 2017
...but VGK also realizes, given his age and experience, player not may interested in doing that. Hence, permission for agent to look around.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) October 26, 2017
This morning at practice, we tried to get further clarity about these reports, but Head Coach Gerard Gallant wasn't talking:
HockeyBuzz: Did Shipachyov fly to Chicago?Gerard Gallant: He's not here right now. That's a question for George.
Sinbin.Vegas: You said Erik Haula would obviously be in the line-up when he comes back. Would the case be the same [for] Shipachyov [if he] was on the roster?
GG: He's not here. He's not with our team right now. He's assigned to Chicago. Talk to Rocky Thompson. He's not with me right now.
HB: Can you point to one reason why Shipachyov has not been a fit here? The North American rink? His more deliberate playing style with your more-paced coaching style?
GG: He's assigned to Chicago. He's assigned to Chicago. I don't want to talk about players who aren't here.
In fairness to Gallant, these are "George questions," but McPhee refused comment.
McPhee did speak about Shipachyov's demotion on the Golden Knights' official podcast. Gary Lawless asked the GM about getting Shipachyov on track in the AHL:
We hope so. That's what we're trying to do. He's gotta play. We have people who are performing better than he is. That's the way this business goes. You play them ahead of him. We're not ever going to play somebody over somebody else because he makes more money or has a guaranteed contract or anything like that. If you're being honest with your team, you play who deserves to play and that's it.
This was McPhee's only comment on the KHL star in his appearance.
This afternoon, McPhee went on TSN 1050 and elaborated further:
McPhee: If we're in the hunt, we're going to stay in the hunt
— OverDrive 1050 (@OverDrive1050) October 26, 2017
#OverDrive https://t.co/8dl344rTtX
Well, it hasn't worked out yet. It may. It's just taken him a little longer to assimilate, to adjust to the North American way of playing. It's a smaller rink, it's a faster game, and his pace of play hasn't picked up yet. We're trying to be patient.He hasn't reported yet, but he may. [His people] asked in the interim, "Would you mind if I talked to other teams?" I said I don't mind. So that's where we are. I'm not ruling anything in or out.
Eric Engels says Shipachyov will report, but...
Vadim Shipachyov will report to AHL while his agent continues to seek a trade out of Vegas #Sportsnet
— Eric Engels (@EricEngels) October 26, 2017
Besides another day of "Where's Vadim?," Gallant did suggest that Dansk should get the start tomorrow. He wouldn't tip his hand about Erik Haula's return. Gallant also shed light about Luca Sbisa's surprise appearance on the power play against Chicago:
Gallant also noted addition of Sbisa on power play against CHI was late 3rd pd w/ lead move, just happened to become a goal
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 26, 2017
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