oh i'm pretty sure teams loved to lose fleury massesheut, smith, karlsson, etc
- 2Real

they could have protected them, but they felt they the need to protect their more valuable players.

Everyone said their team was garbage, yet here they are.

they could have protected them, but they felt they the need to protect their more valuable players.

Everyone said their team was garbage, yet here they are.
- Streit2ThePoint

Flurey couldn't be protected unless the Pens signed him but the Pens didn't want him anymore.

If you could trade 14 and 19 to get into the top 8, would you?
- WhirlingDervish

Go back a bit on this page 10 & you’ll see my answer

Flurey couldn't be protected unless the Pens signed him but the Pens didn't want him anymore.
- SuperSchennBros

It was pretty clear before Vegas was even official that Fleury would be out of Pittsburgh.

Remember when Vegas drafted their team and all the posters here said "That there looks like a team that will lead the Western Conf. Finals 2-1, and possibly challenge for the cup this year" I member.

Remember when Vegas drafted their team and all the posters here said "That there looks like a team that will lead the Western Conf. Finals 2-1, and possibly challenge for the cup this year" I member.
- Fryman4

I always bolieved

I always bolieved
- YuenglingJagr

#metoo

Flurey couldn't be protected unless the Pens signed him but the Pens didn't want him anymore.
- SuperSchennBros

He had two years left on his contract so he didn't need to be "signed".

I always bolieved
- YuenglingJagr

I'm already putting money on Seattle

Morin for Weber?

they could have protected them, but they felt they the need to protect their more valuable players.

Everyone said their team was garbage, yet here they are.
- Streit2ThePoint

Just shows how garbage the rest of the league really was

Nope. We went over this a couple of months ago.
- Feanor

Hmm, didn't know that. Thank you.

Yes, players selected from teams that did not care to lose them.
- Streit2ThePoint

lol, that old gag

No, teams cared that they were losing good players.

Is it? It's not like they got to pick anyone's best players or legit superstars. This team is winning because they work and skate their tails off, they've to a man completely bought into their coach's system and they are getting great goaltending from an experienced, Cup winning goalie. Kudos to Gallant for getting this team to play so damned hard night in and night out, he's done a fantastic job.
- BiggE

Yes
But everyone should acknowledge that the expansion VGK had a much better head start than any other expansion team in history. The "this team is a group of unwanteds" is a bogus narrative that plays well to the uneducated but it is far from the truth.

Flurey couldn't be protected unless the Pens signed him but the Pens didn't want him anymore.
- SuperSchennBros

He was signed. The Pens could only protect one goalie, and they chose Murray over Fleury. In fact, they gave Vegas an extra pick to take Fleury.

lol, that old gag

No, teams cared that they were losing good players.
- Scoob

The Flyers will never recover from losing PEB.

The Flyers will never recover from losing PEB.
- jmatchett383

The PK sure could've used him.

-shrug-

The PK sure could've used him.

-shrug-
- Scoob

Could have skyrocketed them into the mid-20's

10 Things I Hate About You is an awesome movie. And I had a huge crush on Larisa Oleynik when it came out.

Could have skyrocketed them into the mid-20's
- jmatchett383

On the other hand it says a lot when he was the best available player lol

Thoughts on Serron Noel?
- arichardson22

I have him in the low 20s as of now. Not uninterested in him, but he's a gamble. I would prefer others at 19. But if some team wants to take that gamble, I do get it.

Serron Noel:

I’m not someone who goes gaga over big project forwards. I think deficiencies can be ignored or lazily called “rawness.” But I do see the upside and rawness of Noel where he’s worth a risk long-term.......at a certain point. One of the youngest in the draft too with his August b-day.

They don't get more toolsy than him at 6'5, 200+lbs and athletic as hell. As smooth a skater as Ratcliffe is, Noel is smoother and faster in stride. And what sticks out most is how much softer his hands are with the puck. A lot of big forwards struggle with puck feel. His ability to stickhandle himself out of trouble in tight, like a smaller forward, combined with his feet, is a scary skill-set. But he's a kid who can't bring it together consistently. I've seen shifts from him that are jaw-dropping. And way too many others where he borders on invisible.

His reads on/off puck have been fine in my closer viewings for Oshawa. He’ll hold onto pucks through traffic, but he generally is trying to make plays and work space and is pretty successful at it, and he's not a bad passer (more pass first even). He’s good with the give and go's, not cheating on breakouts and supporting in the d-zone, making switches, reading off his linemates on the cycle, understanding spacing. He may be invisible offensively at times, but he's not mentally checked out or anything or his positioning out of whack. He can just be too passive or reluctant. Shows up in the numbers.

Why? He's a perimeter player who doesn't use his size enough and often tries to finesse his way through. There's a lack of aggression or bite or even decisiveness on/off puck. He plays like someone who doesn't understand himself on the ice and how good he could be. I joke that if you combined Ratcliffe and Noel, you'd get a Blake Wheeler-esque player. I don't think Ratcliffe has Noel's hands, but Isaac knows his game and has a much higher floor. Isaac drives the holy hell out of the net with a very advanced net-front game ES/PP, shoots like there's no tomorrow, and plays with faaaar more intensity. Noel does not shoot enough. He’s shooting 26% on 22 goals at 5v5; 27% all-situations with 28 goals. He shoots at a lower rate than virtually every draft eligible forward in the OHL (1.7 shots/game)! Is that an indication of his shooting talent? Maybe, he doesn't have a bad shot, but I like volume, especially out of a player like him, though he's not a bad passer. It's a bit of a red flag. Noel plays net-front on the PP, bouncing between PP1/2, because he's big, but I don't think his net front game is good either. He's not a "size" pick; I am fascinated by what he could be in 5 years. I don't like the term boom/bust, but he fits the bill.​

Yes
But everyone should acknowledge that the expansion VGK had a much better head start than any other expansion team in history. The "this team is a group of unwanteds" is a bogus narrative that plays well to the uneducated but it is far from the truth.
- Scoob

It also helps that half the team is having career years. I don't know if all of those players will be the same next season, Karlsson shot at 23%, ffs.

Morin for Weber?
- 2Real

Holy hell not with that insane contract that will last longer than time itself.

I think I would just stay at 14/19, tbh, unless someone ridiculous falls.
- VladDrag

This x 100.

I think you can get close to just as good a player at 14/19, if you're good scouting (and the Flyers are) while doubling your chances. Who exactly is worth moving up for -- it has to be a fit too where that player has the potential to blossom? Unless it's top 5 or something, and those don't get traded. I want this staff to have 2 top 20 picks in a draft with some underrated players in that range.

It also helps that half the team is having career years. I don't know if all of those players will be the same next season, Karlsson shot at 23%, ffs.
- VladDrag

Sure - but that kind of lightning can hit any team. Flyers had some career or near-career year guys this year, too. Not enough and not enough of a supporting cast though.

Definite huge kudos to the management and coaching staff - they are getting the team to play 100% every night and it is paying off nicely. The players have worked hard and earned their spot in the conference finals. No fluke here. That said, should they win the Cup it won't be on the level of the '67 Flyers (or any of the other 5 teams that joined that season) or the '91 Sharks had they won the Cup in their inaugural years (despite how the NHL will market it should they win it all).