WCSF - Vegas Golden Knights (1) vs. Vancouver Canucks (5)

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by Tiger

Agreed. The league also didnt want a ####ty franchise for a decade either. But to say they were gifted a great team is false. They picked up players that were third liners or 4th d man and got a few gifts from the likes of Florida that had bad cap management. I don't normally agree with corsi but he is absolutely right every one thought this was a ####ty team and on top of that everyone thought they even screwed up the draft. I do not see how people can hate them for success, think, they took derek Engelland from us great guy but not a world beater, not a gift by any means

The irony about Vegas as a location is while it scares the crap out of all of the leagues due to the risk of players getting caught up in shady situations it is also a potentially huge franchise for introducing new fans into the sport, as such the league desperetly wants Vegas to have a competitive team

[Firebot]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Literally no one thought they were going to make the playoffs, let alone contend, with the players they selected at the expansion draft. If anyone says they did expect it, they are liars.

Even Vegas didn't. The strategy was to put themselves in a position to collect draft picks - hence the number of defensemen selected - and they accomplished that. The only reasons they ended up being good were, first of all, pro scouting (they acquired players that other teams had undervalued and had put in more limited roles) and GMs panicking about losing players and giving up too much to ensure that they could avoid what they thought was a worst case scenario. It wasn't a badly designed process, it was a masterful performance by McPhee and his staff.

This won't happen the same way again. The Seattle draft will no doubt produce a better team than what the old expansion drafts were like (they won't be the 1992 ducks or anything) but the rest of the league has learned its lesson and I suspect there will be much less wheeling and dealing with Francis about who he's selecting. In basically every case you were better off just losing the extra guy you couldn't protect.

Vegas shows what a good coach does. They signed on a proven coach that optimized every player's strengths versus forcing a system regardless of the makeup of the team. Team gets out of the gate poorly? Hire your rival and proven head coach DeBoar and they are now in the 2nd round, likely to make some heavy noise.

Flames signed Gulutzan. Vegas Knights signing Gulutzan their first year probably could have given the Senators a run for their money in futile expansion record. There's no way that William Karlsson scores 50 goals his first year with Gulutzan at the helm.

The coach really does make a difference which the Flames brass need to get in their head.

[Blaster86]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

The irony about Vegas as a location is while it scares the crap out of all of the leagues due to the risk of players getting caught up in shady situations it is also a potentially huge franchise for introducing new fans into the sport, as such the league desperetly wants Vegas to have a competitive team

The NHL knew two things going into Vegas. 1. They wanted the team to build a strong fan base early because; 2. They knew the NFL was coming and that the NBA likely wasn't going to be far behind.

I have no issues with Vegas coming in strong, even if it wasn't intentionally planned. They've built an amazing fanbase with the locals, so it's not like a Panthers or Coyotes that is relying on tourists and snow birds. People from Vegas finally feel like they have something that is meant for them in a town meant for pretty much everyone else. I think we'll see strong support even through the lean years now.

[hwy19man]

Game 1 preview links
https://scores.nbcsports.com/nhl/pre...home=58&vis=22
http://sportsstats.cbc.ca/hockey/nhl...preview_3.html
http://sportsstats.cbc.ca/hockey/nhl...summary_3.html

[3thirty]

Originally Posted by chummer

Fleury asked him to take it down, which he did.

After it was out there for almost a day. Damage and point was already out there and he can "save face" asking for it to come down. Look at him duck the questions about it after.

[JohnnyB]

Vegas looking deadly as ever.

[timbit]

1-0 Vegas Marssesault

Quinn Hughes had a hard time defending.

[dino7c]

Vegas all over them but what else is new for Vancouver...problem is Vegas also has a legit goalie

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

The Canucks looked very nervous in that period. There were three excellent looks at Lehner where they didn't even make him make a save, either overpassing or trying to pick corners.

[djsFlames]

Vegas is a different animal than St Louis.

[bigpete]

As I'm watching this I find myself cheering for the Canucks.

Weird, never thought I would say that.

[JohnnyB]

Gorgeous deflection!
Vegas is so fluid and constantly threatening on offence. It's going to take a hell of a competitor to put them out of the playoffs.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

Gorgeous deflection!
Vegas is so fluid and constantly threatening on offence. It's going to take a hell of a competitor to put them out of the playoffs.

They will get a good test next round

[3rd liner]

I am so sick of Vegas- especially Marchessault, Carrier and dirty POS Mcnabb. This Canucks team is likeable compared to a couple years back. Just think- they had Kassian AND Bieksa on the same team. Virtanen strikes me as a little d**ch* with little man complex, but that’s nothing compared to how hateable the nucks agitators have been. I don’t have to deal with any Vancouver fans so based on that I would like to see Vegas humbled.

[fire_starter]

Originally Posted by bigpete

As I'm watching this I find myself cheering for the Canucks.

Weird, never thought I would say that.

No thanks. I don't cheer for any other Canadian team other then the Flames.

But that's just me.

[dino7c]

I really don't like either team...the Canucks just aren't very good and I am sick of this narrative that they are. Markstrom has stole them some games and the Blues might as well of had me in net

[activeStick]

Really love the style that Vegas plays. Smart, quick players who make plays and play a big game. Incredible they've done this now under two different coaches. I remember many were saying the DeBoer hire would be a flop.

[JohnnyB]

Tuch is damn fast for a big guy. Where did he even come from?

The Vegas attack is overwhelming. This could potentially be a short series that will feel like an awfully long series to Vancouver if they don't get their #### together and level up soon.

[3rd liner]

Could the flames get a guy like Tuch? Big, physical , speed. He is like what we all hoped Janko would be.

[dino7c]

Pretty quiet from the resident Canuck fans tonight