[CliffFletcher]

Vegas wasn't handed a Cup caliber team. They did end up with a much better team than expected (even expected by McPhee) because:

1) Some teams made bad decisions in order to protect certain players.
2) The Penguins had two top-flight goalies.
3) Vegas found chemistry, which is something almost impossible to deliberately formulate.
4) They have a very good coach.

Guaranteed Seattle will get the same expansion rules, and guaranteed they won't ice a team as good as the Golden Knights.

The funny thing about all this that McPhee was roundly criticized for abusing the generosity of the expansion rules by foregoing many of the best players available to him in exchange for picks and prospects. People said the league gave him the opportunity to ice a decent team, and he essentially tanked in order to build for the future.