2021 NHL Draft: Needs and mock draft, part 4

 

With the deadline for protected players due today, as of the start of this writing, trades were made that will impact draft positions, as well as who goes where. I will get to that AFTER the entry draft, since more trades are likely. In the meantime, let's finish the look at team needs and mock draft. 

24. Toronto Maple Leafs 

Their first round pick belongs to Columbus as part of the Nick Foligno trade, and they only have three picks total this year, with nothing between rounds two and five. They're built to win now, but have nothing to show for it plus impending cap problems. Now, they take on Jared McCann's contract in the Hope's that depth will be less of a problem. 

Projected pick (Columbus): Matt Coronato, LW, Chicago (USHL)

Not a big player, Coronato put up good numbers on the Steel, and he's willing to go into the rough areas to score. He's already fairly established, so it will be interesting if he's maxed out on his development. 

Projected pick (Toronto): Jack Bar, D, Chicago (USHL)

Since Toronto picks late in the second round, they will need to go with someone that needs at least two years before they sign him. Getting a Harvard commit in Bar buys them at least three years for a player whose only major issue is turnovers.

25. Pittsburgh Penguins 

Their first round pick belongs to Minnesota as a result of the Jason Zucker trade, and like Toronto, they also have no picks between rounds two and five. Besides depth, the most pressing need for Pittsburgh will be center, as Crosby and Malkin can't play forever. They would be wise to move a contract or two, as their cap situation is not good.

Projected pick (Minnesota): Xavier Bourgault, RW, Shawinigan (QMJHL)

Very good at creating offense, his caveat appears to be that he needs the right players to succeed. If Kevin Fiala and Kirill Kaprizov both get signed long term, that bodes well for Bourgault, who has the mentality to weather the chaos around him.

Projected pick (Pittsburgh): Red Savage, C, US NTDP 

Along the lines of needing center depth, and in accordance with their draft position, the Penguins go with a safe pick in Red Savage, son of former Canadien Brian. He projects as a fringe second liner with Selke potential. 

26. Carolina Hurricanes 

Two things are on the Hurricanes agenda, and one will be easier to fill via free agency than the other. Dougie Hamilton may have priced himself out of Carolina, so an offensive defender would be nice. Jake Bean could be the first in line to answer that question. The other is in goal, and whether Alex Nedeljkovic is the starter next season. They may look internally to answer that question, but could look to free agency or trade.

Projected pick: Daniil Chayka, D, CSKA

The read on Chayka was complicated when the OHL season was shelved, thus robbing him of more time in Guelph. He went across the pond to Russia, where the reports were incomplete outside of he got to play against older competition on a strong CSKA squad. At worst, he's a shutdown defender. 

27. Colorado Avalanche 

Colorado still has a healthy prospect pool that will likely be used more to fill depth, but goal remains an issue, especially if Phillipp Grubauer leaves in free agency. They only have four picks in this year's draft, but won't need it as badly, since they do have a pick in each of the first three rounds, thanks to trading away Ryan Graves.

Projected pick: Zach Bolduc, C, Rimouski (QMJHL)

Bolduc got attention after last season thanks to Alexis Lafreniere. Without Lafreniere this season, Bolduc got off to a slow start. Once he got going, his skill set was on full display. More of a middle six center, he would make a potent Avalanche offense even better down the line.

28. New York Islanders 

Their first round pick belongs to New Jersey as a result of the Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac trade. Offense remains a thing, as their flaws were exposed by Tampa Bay in the playoffs. The good news is that their core is still young, and their system at least, is good for deep playoff runs. The key will be continuing to replenish the prospect system while remaining competitive. 

Projected pick (New Jersey): William Stromgren, LW, Modo

The Devils have guys ready to graduate to the NHL level, but are likely needing a few veterans to show the way. That means they can afford to draft a raw prospect here, which is what Stromgren is at this point. Two points of contention for him are skating and adding a few pounds to a 6'3" frame. He's got the potential to be a steal here.

Projected pick (NY Islanders): Bryce Montgomery, D, London (OHL)

There's always a need to acquire more defenseman, and with Robin Salo or Bode Wilde likely taking Nick Leddy's spot, that means someone new will need to be developed. Montgomery is big, and has some puck movement skills, but is raw and did not play at all this season. A restarting OHL season on a perennially competitive London squad will help shake off the rust.

29. Vegas Golden Knights 

Another year of coming up short has to weigh on the Golden Knights, and one of the culprits was the lack of a true top center. The problem is that it is more likely to be addressed via free agency or hope that a change in scenery makes Nolan Patrick that guy. Other than that, they are with cap issues, and that could take its toll on blue line depth if Alec Martinez is forced to walk.

Projected pick: Francesco Pinelli, C, Jesenice

Displaced to Slovenia from Kitchener, Pinelli raised his stock this season, becoming a player that could do everything well. The question is whether he's a Jack of all trades player or something more.

30. Montreal Canadiens

One of the best prospect systems figures to be even better, as they're armed with 11 draft picks, though they could use a couple of them to package in order to move a contract such as Jonathan Drouin. Center remains an eternal question, but it's less of a dire need, thanks to the continued development of Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Blue line help is also a possibility, with someone likely taking on a bigger role if Shea Weber heads to LTIR.

Projected pick: Samu Salminen, C, Jokerit Jr.

A strong season back in Finland put Salminen on the map, but it remains to be seen where his actual ceiling is going to end. He is a Denver University commit, so North America will have a better idea how his game will translate to the NHL level.

31. Tampa Bay Lightning 

They don't pick until the third round, as their first is property of Columbus in the David Savard trade and their second round pick is Montreal's as a result of moving up to the second round in last year's draft. They did get an extra pick for trading Barclay Goodrow, but will need to shed a few more contracts, likely Tyler Johnson, but Alex Killorn  and Yanni Gourde are also possibilities. As for needs? A backup goalie on the cheap and more prospects, preferably a top scorer. The latter seems impossible with where they're drafting, but they have found players outside the first round who became elite players (see: Kucherov, Nikita and Point, Brayden).

Projected pick (Columbus): Matthew Knies, LW, Tri-City (USHL)

More of a power forward who figures to hone his game at the University of Minnesota, Knies is at his best when he is around the net using his size to his advantage. Columbus could use another blue collar player if they choose to continue their identity as such, and Knies is perfect for that when he remembers to keep physical. 

Projected pick (Tampa Bay): Jackson Blake, RW, Eden Prairie 

The son of former 40 goal scorer Jason Blake will need time at North Dakota, but has potential to be good, and hockey sense and compete level are solid foundations to start.

I (Sort of) Watched This Game: Lake Tahoe Edition, Part One

 Even though the regularly scheduled outdoor games were scrapped this season, that doesn't mean there won't be any outdoor games. Two games are happening at Lake Tahoe, with Vegas and Colorado playing today, and Philadelphia and Boston playing tomorrow. That means another return of I Watched This Game. 

The first game sees the Colorado Avalanche take on the Vegas Golden Knights in a reverse retro game for both teams. Heavy favourites to win the Stanley Cup this year, it happens that they are also in the same reworked West Division and both had games postponed due to protocols. Colorado only resumed play last Sunday in a 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Golden Knights. That sets the stage for the first puck drop of the afternoon. 

Update: the second and third periods of the game play at 11 pm CST due to sun causing ice issues. I will post what I'm able to catch, so minimum, you're getting first period observations. 

First period:

• The starting goalies are Philipp Grubauer and Marc-Andre Fleury. Given the sun being in full effect, it was a good thing Vegas didn't go with the metallic gold helmets.
• Three minutes into the game, Colorado shows off some excellent passing, highlighted by Nathan MacKinnon spotting Sam Girard at the point, followed by a laser that finds its way past Fleury to make it 1-0 Avalanche. 
• Mark Stone raised his stick a little too high on Mikko Rantanen, and because it drew blood, that means he must sit for four minutes. 
• Vegas forgot that they only needed four men on the ice, and they get busted with too many men on the ice, to be served by Keegan Kolesar. That means 5-on-3 hockey for the rest of the period, with at least 37 seconds carrying over if Colorado doesn't score.

At the end of the first period, Colorado leads 1-0. They dominated most of the first half offensively, but Vegas would get their chances in the middle of the period. The Stone penalty was unfortunate, but the too many men penalty is an inexcusable lapse in judgement. 

At this point, the 18-minute clock for intermission had not started, and by the time the announcement was made to resume play at 11 pm, over an hour had lapsed.

From this point, everything is gathered from both the box score and video highlights.

Second period

• Colorado does not convert the power play to begin the period...eight hours later.
• William Carrier clears the puck over the board about three minutes into the period. He's in the box for that.
• At 7:37, Alex Pietrangelo fires the puck from the blue line, and after a scramble, Alec Martinez finds the loose puck and puts it past Grubauer to tie it at one. Jonathan Marchessault also touched the puck, so he gets an assist, as well.
• 4-on-4 action happens for two minutes, as Chandler Stephenson and Tyson Jost both sit, Stephenson for cross checking and Jost for interference. 
• MacKinnon makes a great defensive play on Stone, and going from end to end, he snipes one past Fleury stick side, giving the Avalanche the lead once again.
• A series of penalties occurs to end the period, with Joonas Donskoi interfering with Fleury at 16:15, Alex Tuch interfering with Grubauer at 17:44, and Andre Burakovsky high sticking Pietrangelo at 18:09.

This was a back and forth period that saw both teams show what they can do.

Third period

• More penalties begin the period, as Nazem Kadri tripped Keegan Kolesar at 1:59, and Cale Makar delays the game at 2:37 with a clear over the boards.
• Off a faceoff in the Vegas zone, MacKinnon drops a pass to a waiting Devon Toews, who proceeds to rip a shot from the blue line that gets past Fleury, thanks to traffic in front. Rantanen also touched the puck prior to the shot, so he also gets an assist. 3-1 Avalanche. 
• Zach Whitecloud keeps the puck in the Avalanche zone, finds Tuch along the boards. Tuch makes a beautiful spin move from the corner to the front of the net and backhands one past Grubauer to get the Golden Knights within one at 14:25.
• The Avalanche hang on for the rest of the game, and take this one 3-2.

Even with the prolonged break, this was still everything as advertised. MacKinnon showed why he is one of the best players in the league right now, contributing to all three Avalanche goals in the game. Both teams will get to do this again Monday in Colorado.

NHL Mock Draft: picks 16-23

The NHL entry draft is officially one week away, and now, the final order is set, thanks to St. Louis winning the Stanley Cup. Though they won't have a first round pick, thanks to surrendering it to Buffalo in the Ryan O'Reilly trade, it does go to show that drafting wisely can reap its rewards, as Robert Thomas was a key contributor on the Cup-winning team.

16. Colorado Avalanche-Alex Turcotte, C, US NTDP (USHL)

This is another opportunity for the Avs to load up on forwards, and while Turcotte has had injury issues, he does boast some high-end talent. Where he ends up is unknown, since he played on the second line behind Jack Hughes, but putting up nearly two points a game is worth considering.

17. Vegas Golden Knights-Moritz Seider, D, Mannheim (Germany)

The only team to not have had a homegrown rookie on their NHL roster thus far, the Golden Knights are likely to continue that trend unless Cody Glass makes the roster. As it is, their blue line could use some refreshing, and they go with a physical specimen that could stand to benefit from better competition, but has the size and potential to one day succeed Deryk Engelland as the stay-at home type.

18. Dallas Stars-Egor Afanasyev, RW, Muskegon (USHL)

The lack of scoring depth was ultimately the Stars' undoing, and there isn't likely an immediate option to help that outside of free agency. Afanasyev has the tools to be a scoring power forward, but does need refinement, something that will happen in Windsor of the OHL next season.

19. Ottawa Senators (from Columbus)-Ryan Suzuki, C, Barrie (OHL)

A playmaker whose stock took a hit due to Barrie being in rebuilding mode, Suzuki is more of a playmaker at this point, but given the Senators' woeful center depth, combined with needing the help within a year or two, at the latest, Suzuki goes here instead of Alex Newhook.

20. New York Rangers (from Winnipeg)-Ville Heinola, D, Lukko (Finland)

Heinola has a similar skill set to Miro Heiskanen, but with less in the skating department at the moment. Given that the Rangers are fairly loaded with forward depth, it is possible that they choose to address defense here.

21. Pittsburgh Penguins-Ryan Johnson, D, Sioux Falls (USHL)

The Penguins need a puck mover in their system, as Kris Letang is not getting any younger, and his ability in his own end is eroding along with the rest of the team getting slower. Johnson will have time to develop and gain some weight, but his ability to start the offense from his own end is already pro-level.

22. Los Angeles Kings (from Toronto)-Alex Newhook, C, Victoria (BCHL)

Smart, two-way player that has quibbles with level of competition, Newhook is seen as a Tyson Jost clone, in that he has the ability to lead a team one day, but will need time to develop, something he can do at Boston College.

23. New York Islanders-Samuel Poulin, LW, Sherbrooke (QMJHL)

The Islanders are loaded just about everywhere in the pipeline, but they do lack a big body that can at worst, play on the third line right away. Poulin is the prototypical power forward that the team lacks, and given the Isles just re-signed both Brock Nelson and Jordan Eberle, they can take some time here and possibly just go with the best player available to them.

2019 NHL Playoffs: Western Conference Preview

The Western Conference was mostly a free-for-all, with many teams jockeying for position, especially in the Central Division. In the end, there was one clear cut favorite, and even they have question marks heading into the playoffs. Let's see who the participants are:

(1) Nashville Predators vs. (4) Dallas Stars

The Predators survived a tough Central Division where they, St. Louis, and Winnipeg all vied for the division crown on the last day of the season. They have the offensive firepower, but had their issues with consistency, particularly on the power play. The good news is that the offense found its spark late in the season, and appears to be hot at the right time. Defensively, the effort was in and out, with some of the blame being on whether or not the team may have gotten bored at times. As is the case with the offense, the defense came back at the right time, and that is good news for either Pekka Rinne and Juuse Saros, both of whom were the most consistent parts of the team.

The Stars had to make a bit of a spirited run to secure a spot as a wild card. They're still led by Tyler Seguin, Alex Radulov, and Jamie Benn up front, but the lack of scoring depth up front is concerning. It becomes more pronounced when players such as Valeri Nichushkin haven't played to expectations. Defensively, what was perceived as a weakness for the last few years is now at the very least passable. Yes, John Klingberg is still a liability in his own end, but his skill offensively combined with being paired with a guy like Marc Methot or Roman Polak helped stabilize the unit. It has helped that Miro Heiskanen has done well as a rookie on the blue line. Goaltending was really good, as Ben Bishop was great when healthy. Of course, that is the rub, as health continues to be a concern. Fortunately for Dallas, Anton Khudobin is a more than capable fill-in.

Prediction: Predators in 6

(2) Winnipeg Jets vs. (3) St. Louis Blues

The Jets started out hot, but then faltered late to fall into the second spot in the Central Division. Injuries certainly played a role, as did Connor Hellebuyck coming back to Earth a little bit during the season. It will remain to be seen if Hellebuyck finds that extra gear in the playoffs or if Laurent Brossoit, if healthy, will have to try and save the day. Defensively, this was where injuries hit the hardest, as Dustin Byfuglien and Josh Morrissey both missed considerable time. Both are expected to be ready to go by the first game, which bodes well. Up front, the offensive power outage of Patrik Laine remains one of the season's biggest mysteries, as he failed to make a major impact this season. With a new contract looming and the playoffs approaching, this would be the perfect time for him to rediscover his scoring touch. The good news is that both Mark Schiefele and Blake Wheeler performed to expectations while Nikolaj Ehlers is also healthy after missing some time to injuries.

St. Louis looked like a heavily underachieving team in the middle of the season by the time they canned Mike Yeo as head coach and inserted Craig Berube to fill in. One smart move to go with Jordan Binnington as the starting goaltender later, the Blues almost went from out of the playoffs to division champs. They are the hottest team in the league right now, and Binnington is a major reason for that. A defensive unit that looked lost under Yeo suddenly played well, with Alex Pietrangelo finding a rhythm once he was taken off a pairing with Jay Bouwmeester, who himself played well enough to earn another year with the Blues next season. Offensively, Vladimir Tarasenko looked like he was going through the motions in the first half of the season before he found his scoring touch. Ryan O'Reilly and Brayden Schenn were the most consistent players on the team, and the sometimes maligned David Perron showed that he could go on a hot streak offensively if needed.

Prediction: Jets in 7

(1) Calgary Flames vs. (4) Colorado Avalanche

For a team that finished near the bottom offensively a season ago, the Calgary Flames finally played to their paper expectations. Yes, Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan led the way, but it was the likes of Elias Lindholm, Matthew Tkachuk, and Mark Giordano that also saw spikes in their production. Defensively, Giordano showed that he has something left even at 36 while Travis Hamonic, TJ Brodie, and Noah Hanifin all provide a very solid top four defensive unit. In goal, Mike Smith was good when healthy, but that was the thing that felled him again. The good news was that David Rittich took full advantage of the time and established himself as not only the goaltender of right now, but possibly the future. Still, neither has had a long track record of playoff performances, and this, along with James Neal, will be a deciding factor in whether they make a deep run this year.

Colorado once again, needed almost the entire season to make the playoffs, and this time, they also needed a 10 game winning streak to overtake both Arizona and Minnesota for that spot. Their goaltending was dreadful for the first half of the season, and it looked like they were wasting the production of both Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. Now, it appears that both Phillipp Grubauer and Semyon Varlamov are finding their games; it's all a matter of who truly has the hotter hand. Defensively, this unit is acceptable, as there is no superstar player. Tyson Barrie is essentially a forward cast as a defender, but Nikita Zadorov has become the physical player that the Avs haven't had since Adam Foote last patrolled the blue line. One player to possibly watch is Cale Makar, fresh off a breakthrough college run that saw him become a Hobey Baker finalist. Offensively, it is the MacKinnon and Rantanen show, as they are basically the whole show there. They still need some help, and it is unknown where that help up front will be.

Prediction: Flames in 6

(2) San Jose Sharks vs. (3) Vegas Golden Knights

The Sharks on paper, look like a team that should make a deep playoff run. However, they also didn't play as well as the unit that was assembled, as there were times when they played uninspired. Up front, Evander Kane was the most consistent player there while the likes of Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski all had their ups and downs. Tomas Hertl had a breakthrough year, and it is expected that he will continue that trend. Defensively, this was supposed to be a scary group, but only Brent Burns played to expectations. Erik Karlsson looked like he was still not the same player prior to surgery prior to last season and the rest of the unit just didn't do a lot. The normally excellent goaltending also had their troubles, as Martin Jones came back down a little while Aaron Dell wasn't the answer at times.

It had to end some time for the Vegas Golden Knights, as teams weren't taken by surprise this time around. Still, any team that has a healthy Marc-Andre Fleury and a capable Malcolm Subban should still scare you, both showed flashes of brilliance during the season, especially Fleury, who was undoubtedly the team's MVP this season. Defensively, this is still a no-name unit that plays solidly, a product of good coaching from Gerard Gallant. Offensively, they were supposed to get more from newcomers such as Max Pacioretty and Paul Stastny, but that didn't materialize as well as they hoped, which was why they went out and got Mark Stone.

Prediction: Sharks in 7

A Golden Encore?

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

2017-18 record: 51-24-7 (109 points)
Lost to Washington in Stanley Cup Final
Captain: TBA

Everything that the Vegas Golden Knights weren't supposed to do as an expansion team, they did. They weren't supposed to even make the Finals, let alone be competitive. The Vegas Golden Knights' first year could be classified as a total success despite falling three games short of the Stanley Cup. Now, what do they do for an encore? Do they avoid a sophmore slump? The Golden Knights did what they could to make sure those answers are in their favor.

Offensively, they were fourth, thanks to some overachieving from the likes of William Karlsson and Reilly Smith. To expect Karlsson to break the 40 goal mark again would be unrealistic, but if he can score 30 like his teammate Jonathan Marchessault, then the Golden Knights will be fine. They get some help, as Paul Stastny signed with them in the off-season and they gave up a decent haul to rescue Max Pacioretty from Montreal. Defensively, this was a far better group than what the sum of the parts would indicate. They'll be missing Nate Schmidt for about 30 games for a failed drug test, but they will have Shea Theodore for seven more years, and he may be the best defender by the end of this season. Their eighth place finish defensively was a reflection of a coaching staff that got players to buy into what they were selling, which in turn allowed them to survive an injury bug that forced them down to their fourth and fifth goaltenders on the depth chart at one point. Once again, health will be key, as Marc-Andre Fleury and Malcolm Subban will be expected to hold down the fort in the paint.

Prediction: 2nd in the Pacific Division

To expect a little drop-off from the Golden Knights is reasonable. The reason they may finish second won't be because they didn't improve their own roster, but because the Sharks did the same and now boast a more complete lineup. As we've seen last season however, everything on paper isn't going to end up that way in real life.

The Dismantling of the Canadiens

It was just four years ago that the Montreal Canadiens were on the doorstep of making the Stanley Cup Finals. Sure, it was because Carey Price had been carrying the team and they didn't have much else, but guys like PK Subban, Alex Galchenyuk, Brendan Gallagher, and Max Pacioretty weren't scrubs. Today, only Price and Gallagher remain, as the Canadiens continue their dismantling and further head into laughingstock territory. Today, the Canadiens traded Pacioretty to the Vegas Golden Knights and will get Nick Suzuki, Tomas Tatar, and a 2nd round pick in 2019 for their troubles. How did it come to this? What does the trade mean for both teams? Let's attempt to answer those questions.

First, how did it come to this? To understand how it got to this point, let's look back to the summer of 2016, when Subban was traded to Nashville for Shea Weber. Rumors circulated that Pacioretty and Subban didn't get along, and given that management didn't care for Subban, that was step one. Pacioretty, while he did play well in the 2016-17 regular season, disappeared in the playoffs that year. There was also the matter of Pacioretty's inability to play on a line with Galchenyuk, who also suffered from being moved around a lot by the coaching staff, thus leading to his move to Arizona this summer. As for Pacioretty, he needs a capable center to produce, and Montreal's long standing problem dating back to Saku Koivu's time has been finding a top line center. In short, the losing culture that has been fostered in the last year or so wore on Pacioretty, as did the swarm of locusts known as the Montreal sports media.

What does the trade mean for both teams? For Vegas, they realize that their window of opportunity is wide open, and signing Paul Stastny to a four year deal signifies that. Getting Pacioretty to potentially play alongside only helps their scoring. For some irony, Pacioretty is also going to play alongside a Subban in Vegas, as Malcolm is the backup goalie. Montreal actually did well in this trade, as they get a 20-goal scorer in Tomas Tatar, another good center prospect in Nick Suzuki, and a draft pick. Montreal will need to rebuild, and what they got for Pacioretty was nice...that is, if management, specifically General Manager Marc Bergevin, doesn't mess it up.

NHL Free Agency: Burning Money Edition

July 1 is known as a money burning day, as the first day of both NBA and NHL free-agency begins, as well as the New York Mets' tradition of giving long-gone Bobby Bonilla a million plus interest a year until 2035. So, how will the NHL make me laugh this time?

• The big shoe that needed to drop, did, as John Tavares announced that he would be taking the Toronto Maple Leafs' offer of seven years, and an annual amount of 11 million. It's a steep price for Toronto, and it still doesn't solve their defensive woes, but Tavares potentially shoves both Auston Matthews and Nazem Kadri down a slot, which improves their offensive output. The big concern would be what happens next offseason, when both Matthews and Mitch Marner are coming off their ELCs.
• The Maple Leafs' 11 million dollar gamble wasn't actually the worst move made. No, the worst happened this morning, as the Calgary Flames decided to throw five years and an annual cap hit of 5.75 million at James Neal. You might say that's better than what Washington threw at TJ Oshie, but even four years is excessive for a 30-goal scorer that is on the wrong side of 30, has major streaks of production and non-production, and may be headed for a steep decline ala Dany Heatley. The Flames also threw over 3 million to some guy named Derek Grant. Have fun with the RFA contracts of Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin.
• Los Angeles did the expected, and signed Ilya Kovalchuk to a three year deal. The hit carries a 6 million dollar price tag a year, and it had been announced that the Kings intended to make him the focal point of their offense. If you're paying him that much, he better be, and if he can still score 30 goals per year, it's not bad. So, where are the Kings screwed? The eight year extension that will be carrying an 11 million dollar hit that is going to Drew Doughty. The Kings learned nothing from the Dustin Brown and Marian Gaborik sagas. The Kings will be in Cap Hell even after Kovalchuk is gone thanks to the ridiculous contracts being handed out.
• Detroit likes to kick the can down the road, and signing both Jonathan Bernier and Thomas Vanek to deals, as well as re-signing Mike Green to a new two year deal is proof. On a contending team, these signings would actually be praised. However, Detroit is not even close to contending. I know there's the albatross contracts of Justin Abdelkader, Darren Helm, and Jonathan Ericsson, but there is no way they are a Jonathan Bernier away from playoff contention.
• Chicago actually didn't do badly with signing Cam Ward to one year, as he proved that he had something left, although that wasn't necessarily by choice in Carolina, as Scott Darling self-immolated. Brandon Manning is just a warm body on defense while I absolutely don't understand how Chris Kunitz will fit with the team.
• Vegas made moves, as they slightly overpaid for four years Paul Stastny and inexplicably threw 2.75 million a year for two years at Ryan Reaves.
• Pittsburgh signed Jack Johnson. The issue with Johnson isn't money, as about 3 million a year is sensible, but term, as five years is a little long. They also brought back Matt Cullen because I don't know.
• Boston signed Jaroslav Halak for two years and a 2.75 million annual deal. Halak had a bad year, but he should rebound somewhat, since Boston is a stronger defensive team and he won't have to be overextended, as he backs up Tuukka Rask. The Bruins also signed John Moore to the same 2.75 million a year hit, but for five years. I don't know if Moore is worth that much money-wise, but he's still relatively young, and you can do worse than him if you're a Boston team that figures to be led by Charlie MacAvoy and Brandon Carlo in the future.
• Buffalo moved on from the volatile Robin Lehner in favor of an older, but calmer Carter Hutton. Hutton is getting three years, and 2.75 million per year. The bigger news is that they traded Ryan O'Reilly to St. Louis and are getting back Patrik Berglund, Vladimir Sobotka, and two draft picks. The change was needed for both Buffalo and O'Reilly, which showed cracks late season. O'Reilly instantly gives St. Louis a second line center and takes the albatross contracts of both Berglund and Sobotka off the books.
• Speaking of the Blues, they gave David Perron four years and four million per year to make his return for a third time. Inconsistent as he is, it isn't a bad number, and he showed that he has something left. They also gave Tyler Bozak a three year, 5 million a year contract because I don't know. The money is too high for what will amount to a third line center, especially now that Brayden Schenn and O'Reilly will be in front of him. They also picked up a year rental of Chad Johnson for 1.75 million. Again, too high of a price, given his lack of production lately.
• Vancouver continues to want to tread water, as they handed out identical four year, 3 million per year contracts to Jay Beagle and Antoine Roussel. Two years and just under 2 million a year for Tim Schaller and three years and 3.36 million a year to Sven Baertschi were also handed out. None of those are Loui Eriksson bad, which is good, but only the Baertschi signing makes sense, as he can still deliver on some of his offensive upside. Roussel, Beagle, and Schaller do provide a defensive presence up front that had been sorely lacking since Ryan Kesler bolted town.
• If I began with the Maple Leafs, I have to end with the New York Islanders, the team Tavares is leaving behind. I don't think Tavares leaving is a death blow, as Mat Barzal looks like he will be the best player on the Islanders by this time next year, but it certainly hurts. Saying that, the Islanders signed Leo Komarov to four years and 3 million per year. The term may be a little long, and Komarov isn't going to provide major offense, but he will provide leadership and at a reasonable price, the Islanders will have room to move. They also re-signed Thomas Hickey for four years and 2.5 million. Thought to have been a bust after failing to crack the Kings roster in the time after he was drafted in 2007, he's turned out to be a respectable defender with the Islanders, and he was one of the few bright spots on a blue line that was awful last year. The big problem was signing Valtteri Filppula for 2.75 million. It's only one year, but the Islanders did not need Filppula, who clearly has nothing left at this stage of his career.

If I didn't mention your team, it's because there weren't any good or bad moves made. 

Stanley Cup Finals Preview

It has come down to this: two teams left and one Stanley Cup at stake. The series begins Monday, and now is the time to take a look at the two teams that will be competing for the ultimate prize.

Washington Capitals: The Capitals have had a lot of adversity and playoff demons to overcome to make their second Stanley Cup Finals in their illustrious history. Maybe this time, they will actually win a game in the Finals. Every success and failure begins with Alex Ovechkin, who has finally gotten the support he needs to make it to this point. Evgeny Kuznetsov has been one of the better players on the team, and Braden Holtby has turned back the clock to when he was competing for Vezina Trophies. Defensively, they have held up surprisingly well, with John Carlson leading the way and Brooks Orpik playing surprisingly decent. They've had to overcome a 2-0 series deficit to Columbus in the opening round, beat their long time nemesis in Pittsburgh, and stave off a potential new overlord in Tampa Bay, battling back from a 3-2 series deficit in the process. If Washington is going to win, the supporting cast needs to continue to show up so Ovechkin doesn't have to try to do it all on his own.

Vegas Golden Knights: The neophytes of the NHL have made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in their first year of existence, the first to do so since St. Louis in 1968. Marc-Andre Fleury still has some life left, and if he gets hurt, they have confidence in Malcolm Subban. The defense is still largely a no-name group who was led by Colin Miller. While they are mostly second and third pairing players, a potential breakout star is Shea Theodore, who has all the makings of a top pairing player with offensive skill. Up front, they have a genuine top line in Reilly Smith, Jonathan Marchessault, and William Karlsson, and depth up front is just as good, with David Perron the best option for scoring outside the top line. They seemingly have answered every question asked of them, and they intend to answer the bell once more.

Prediction: This one is a tough one to call. Both teams have responded well to their respective coaching, and any and all questions of how each would respond to adversity, both have answered well. Ovechkin would love to win a Stanley Cup in his 14th year while the Gerard Gallant, Marchessault, and Smith would like to give the Florida Panthers one final middle finger. There's also the Blues pain factor, as at least two players from either team will be winning a Stanley Cup, further driving the stake into the Blues fans' collective hearts. I've been waiting for the Capitals' lack of depth to finally do them in and/or Vegas' luck to finally run out. My jinxing powers in hockey run hot and cold, so it's unpredictable as to which way it's going to go. I'm going with Golden Knights in 7.

Revisiting the Golden Knights

Show of hands, who thought the Vegas Golden Knights would even make the playoffs prior to the season? You can put them down, you liar. 500 to 1 was the opening line for the odds they would make the Stanley Cup Finals before the season began, and here we are, they made the Finals in their first year, something that of the teams still in the NHL, only the Toronto Arenas (now Maple Leafs) and the St. Louis Blues achieved. So, who exactly are the Golden Knights? Well, to answer that, let's look at how the roster was constructed and the people responsible for putting the team together.

In goal, there is Marc-Andre Fleury and Malcolm Subban. Fleury was the big name of the team's expansion draft, and prior to the season, some thought he would face the same fate that Peter Sidorkiewicz would face when he was taken by Ottawa in their expansion draft in 1992. When healthy, Fleury proved that he still had something left and then some. Subban was destined to be a bust for the Boston Bruins, having never cracked the roster on a full-time basis. His pick up off waivers by the Golden Knights proved to be a smart move and one that would see them swap him for Calvin Pickard as a backup. Pickard is now in Toronto's system.

On defense, it's still a largely unknown group that is headed by Washington cast-off Nate Schmidt. Colin Miller, a pick from Boston, led all blueliners on the team in scoring while Shea Theodore, who was traded to Vegas so Anaheim could get Clayton Stoner's contract off their books, looks like a future star. Former Calgary defender Deryk Engelland proved to be the face of the team's leadership, as his ties to Las Vegas, from playing there previously in the ECHL to having a home there, all made it easy to call him the unofficial captain of the team. He also chipped in a respectable 23 points.

Up front, the offense is led by William Karlsson, a former Blue Jacket who was pegged to be a great penalty killer who occasionally chipped in offense. 43 goals later, and he blew expectations out of the water. Jonathan Marchessault was taken from Florida with the provision that Vegas also take Reilly Smith's contract as well. Turns out that Marchessault's 30-goal season in Florida wasn't a mirage, as he trailed Karlsson for the team scoring lead by three points (78 to 75) and Smith was fourth on the team in scoring with 60 points. Florida's crow eating isn't just confined to those two players, as you'll find out later. Other players that made their former teams look bad include David Perron, who was third in scoring on the team despite missing a few games to injury, and he made the Blues wish they had his production on the second line. Erik Haula was taken from Minnesota and Alex Tuch was thrown in on a trade because Minnesota wanted to protect their blue line. About that, Haula missed the 30-goal mark by one and finished fifth on the team in scoring, and Tuch looks like a solid player that the team can build upon, and both provide scoring that the Wild could have used.

 Bill Foley owns the team, and he figured out right away that to build a solid team, he needed good hockey people. For all the grief George McPhee got for the Filip Forsberg trade while in Washington, his time as General Manager wasn't bad. Foley gave him another shot. Kelly McCrimmon was plucked from the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL to provide more insight. Remember when I said that the crow eating for the Florida Panthers wasn't over? That Gerard Gallant guy that they told to piss off last season at the beginning of a long road trip and left him at the airport did a pretty good job for the Vegas Golden Knights this year.

Yes, the Vegas Golden Knights making the Stanley Cup Finals is nothing short of amazing, so much so that people are calling it rigged. Look back on your predictions before the season and then tell me if you really expected any of this to happen.

2017-18 NHL Conference Finals Preview

It is down to the final four, and anyone left has a chance. With the series beginning tonight, let's get to it.

(1) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (1) Washington Capitals

The Lightning have been fairly dominant, as they've dispatched the Devils and Bruins in five games each. Andrei Vasilevsky is proving to be the goaltender that the Lightning hoped for, their defense is coming out of its funk in time for the playoffs, and Nikita Kucherov is now the most dangerous offensive option. Steven Stamkos is still there, but he is now more of an X-factor, as teams seem to have forgotten about him.

The Capitals are a bit of a surprise, in that the goaltending was a major question mark coming into the playoffs. Braden Holtby entered the playoffs in game three against Columbus, and he's turned back the clock to his Vezina winning days. Defensively, they've been competent, and their offense has been carried by Alex Ovechkin and Niklas Backstrom.

Prediction: Capitals in 7

(1) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (2) Winnipeg Jets

Vegas has been fairly good in the playoffs, with Marc-Andre Fleury carrying the team on his back with stellar play in net. Their no-name defense has the best chemistry of any of the remaining teams, and a surprising offense led by William Karlsson is the impetus behind their success. A player to watch for to potentially break out this series is Jonathan Marchessault, who has the scoring ability.

The Jets have been great all season, though their question was whether they could keep it going in the playoffs. After a hard fought win against Nashville in seven, they've emphatically answered it with a resounding yes. Connor Hellebuyck appears to be this year's version of Matt Murray, with a playoff debut for the ages, their defense is coming together despite not having eye-popping numbers, and Mark Scheifele is becoming a superstar with his playoff run. The Jets are doing this without a great amount of help from Patrik Laine, and if he gets going, look out.

Prediction: Jets in 6

NHL Conference Semi-finals Preview

The next round of the NHL playoffs begin tomorrow, and as I type this, the seventh game of the Toronto-Boston series is wrapping up. By the time I get to the Tampa Bay series, it will probably be concluded, as Boston is up 6-4 as of this writing. For the rest of the series, it's time to go.

(1) Washington Capitals vs. (2) Pittsburgh Penguins

The Capitals had their struggles to begin the series against the Columbus series. Thanks to Alex Ovechkin putting the team on his back and Braden Holtby entering the series at game 3 and turning the clock back to last year's regular season, the Capitals are once again in the second round. Offense was never a problem in the series for them. However, they had some shaky moments defensively, and unless they can tighten things up there, it may be a short series. Holtby still has some issues, but he has looked his best all season, so he may be turning a corner.

Offense for Pittsburgh is on fire, as Sidney Crosby continued his dominance over Philadelphia. Their defense still has moments of lapses, but they did better this series. Matt Murray may be rounding into form once again, as he has each of the last two playoff seasons. Injuries to Evgeni Malkin and Carl Hagelin bear watching.

Prediction: Penguins in 6

(1) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (3) San Jose Sharks

The Golden Knights were very good defensively, as they only allowed three goals all series against Los Angeles. Marc-Andre Fleury looks like he's also turned back the clock, and with a solid no-name blue line in front of him, the defense looks formidable. Offensively, they had some issues, but they made the goals when they counted, and look like they are just scratching the surface.

San Jose nearly matched the Golden Knights on defense, only allowing four goals to Anaheim in a sweep. They also showed some fire offensively, as they put up an eight spot in a game 3 win and also won by three in the first game of the series. Martin Jones looks every bit of the goaltender that the Sharks were hoping to get when they traded for him in 2015, and Evander Kane is producing on the ice for them. Like Vegas, though, the Sharks were rarely tested, so this should be a fairly even series.

Prediction: Golden Knights in 6

(1) Nashville Predators vs. (2) Winnipeg Jets

The Predators had their struggles against Colorado to begin the series, but once game 4 started, their defense began to tighten up, only allowing four goals in the last three games, and the Predators closing up the issue of slow starts that plagued them in the first three games. Though their defensemen were shut down offensively, as they only managed one goal the entire series, their forwards more than made up for it, especially the Austin Watson-Nick Bonino-Colton Sissons line.

Winnipeg had an easier time with the Minnesota Wild apart from a game 3 hiccup. Connor Hellebuyck is coming off consecutive shutouts, their defense is rounding into form, and like the Predators, they can kill you in many ways offensively. What it may come down to is which home ice advantage will win out.

Prediction: Predators in 7

(1) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (2) Boston Bruins

Just as I get to this series, Boston emphatically closes it out.

The Lightning had little trouble in disposing a Devils team that simply didn't have the depth or playoff experience to stay with them. Andrei Vasilevsky is coming out of a late-season funk, their blue line is looking better, and their offense is so good that Steven Stamkos isn't even the second best option to score.

The Bruins had their issues with a Toronto team that was even in terms of ability. In the end, the Bruins outlasted the Leafs and will be coming into the series with some momentum. Tuukka Rask may have some issues, as he hasn't always been at his best, but the blue line in front of him is still capable. Offensively, this may be their most surprising aspect, as they have guys not named Brad Marchand that can kill you. David Pastrnak is becoming a stud, and they are getting production from guys like Torey Krug from the blue line.

Prediction: Boston in 7

2018 NHL Western Conference Playoffs Preview

Now, it's the Western Conference's turn to get the preview treatment.

(1) Nashville Predators vs. (4) Colorado Avalanche

For not having one player that can kill you, the Nashville Predators did incredibly well this season. In fact, they claimed a few regular season trophies out of it. Their offense is a pick-your-poison type, with no player scoring above 64 points (Filip Forsberg) and no player cracking 30 goals (Viktor Arvidsson had 29), but half the roster cracked double digits in goals and six players scored above 50 points. Factor in the fact that the forwards can go five to six lines deep, and you have to figure out which players to prepare for. Defensively, this team isn't just good in their own end, as they were the second best defense in the league, but they can also kill you on offense. PK Subban and Roman Josi scored above 50 points, they along with Mattias Ekholm scored double digits in goals, and had Ryan Ellis not missed the first half of the season to injury, he would have joined them in possibly both categories. In goal, Pekka Rinne had his best regular season yet, and now, if he goes down, the Predators can feel comfortable with Juuse Saros in net.

Colorado was the true comeback story of the year, going from under 50 points in a season to a playoff berth on the last day of their regular season. Much of that is Nathan MacKinnon posting MVP-type numbers, as well as coach Jared Bednar having a whole off-season to implement his system. Mikko Rantanen took a major step forward in his second season, and Gabriel Landeskog had a bounce back season, providing much needed leadership on the team. Forward depth remains an issue, especially if MacKinnon's line gets shut down. The blue line played better this season, and Tyson Barrie, like most of the Avs, had a better season. The key here is Erik Johnson, who always seems to be injured every year, and heading into this series, this is no exception. If he misses any amount of time, they're done here. In goal, when healthy, the duo of Semyon Varlamov and Jonathan Bernier can be very good. The problem, as with Johnson, is that it hasn't always been the case. Varlamov is likely missing this series, and Bernier also missed time in the regular season. Bernier also has a bad habit of letting in soft goals, so this series bears watching in that regard.

Prediction: Predators in 5

(2) Winnipeg Jets vs. (3) Minnesota Wild

The Jets are in the playoffs for the second time since moving to Winnipeg in 2011. Their offense and depth can rival the Predators, but where the Jets have the ability to excel is their ability to be more physical. This year, they may have figured out the fine line between being physical and going over the line, as being in the box had been their downfall. Despite not having Mark Scheifele for stretches of time to injuries, the Jets got major contributions from Blake Wheeler and Patrik Laine, the latter of whom scored over 40 goals despite spending some time on the third line. Defensively, this unit is still very good, though Dustin Byfuglien is getting a little older. Having the likes of Josh Morrissey and Jacob Trouba step up has been beneficial and portends promise for the unit's future. In goal, it was supposed to be Steve Mason, but constant injuries opened the door once again to Connor Hellebuyck, and he took full advantage, winning 44 games and answering the ever-going question in goal.

The Wild's offense goes through Eric Staal, who has has a renaissance since signing with them prior to last season. He has been their best forward, with Jason Zucker and a healthy Nino Niederreiter all providing secondary offense. That's going to be important because Zach Parise has suddenly developed the Joe Mauer syndrome, as in he can't stay healthy and his contract is becoming an albatross. The blue line was one of the better units in the league. However, that was before Ryan Suter went down to injury. Now, they have to hope that a returning Jared Spurgeon can fill some of the offensive void left by him and that the rest of the unit can come together. In goal, as Devan Dubnyk goes, so often go the Wild. He had a fairly good season, but he will need to elevate his game if the Wild hope to be more than just a one and done team.

Prediction: Jets in 6

(1) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (4) Los Angeles Kings

The Golden Knights surprised everyone out of the gate by taking the division lead. Despite injuries in goal and a late-season swoon, they were able to hold on to the Division title. Injuries are still a problem in goal, as Marc-Andre Fleury may still be dealing with the aftereffects of two concussions. Backup Malcolm Subban has also missed time to injuries. When healthy, though, this is an effective duo in goal. Defensively, their no-name group has played incredibly well, and Deryk Engelland has provided leadership from that group that has spread through the entire team. Up front, Jonathan Marchessault has been an offensive force, but the real surprise has been William Karlsson, who came out of nowhere to score over 40 goals. There is balance on the team, but did they use all of their mana too early?

The Kings are back, and health and resurgent seasons from key players is a big reason why. Jonathan Quick showed last season how important he was when he missed time to injury. A healthy Quick got them over the hump this season. On the blue line, Drew Doughty was his usual self, and depth here got better with the trade deadline acquisition of Dion Phaneuf. Up front, minus Jeff Carter missing time to injury, they got a major revival from Anze Kopitar and Dusting Brown played way better than in the past few seasons. Youth is served, with Adrian Kempe, Tanner Pearson, and Tyler Toffoli all playing pivotal roles.

Prediction: I have to be honest, I struggled with this pick, as it can truly go either way. There is always the threat of the Kings pulling a deep playoff run out of their hat, and the Golden Knights's most recent game at Calgary is cause for alarm. However, I feel that Gerard Gallant will rally the Golden Knights as he has all season and say Golden Knights in 7.

(2) Anaheim Ducks vs. (3) San Jose Sharks

The Ducks have the most momentum of any team heading into the playoffs, and John Gibson was a major part of that. He played his best hockey down the stretch, and Ryan Miller filled in the gaps when Gibson needed some rest. However, as has been the case the last few playoff seasons, does the clock strike midnight for Gibson, who struggled and acquiesced to Frederik Andersen and Jonathan Bernier? The blue line is still very strong despite not having Sami Vatanen (traded for Adam Henrique) and Cam Fowler, who may be out for the series. Up front, injuries made life tough for the team early on, but now, they have good depth down the middle, and the team is closer to healthy than they've ever been this season.

The Sharks have done well up front despite losing Joe Thornton for a stretch of time. The big question here is whether Evander Kane can truly be a difference maker in his first playoff appearance. Defensively, this is Brent Burns' unit, as he leads here. Martin Jones and Aaron Dell are a solid unit in goal, but overall, nothing about this team truly sticks out. That could make them dangerous in the playoffs.

Prediction: Ducks in 6

Reaching the Deadline

With the NHL Trade Deadline approaching, teams are already making moves, and many of them made this season are already more impactful than last season's deadline, when very little happened in the way of blockbuster deals. Let's look at the deals made over the weekend and other potential players getting moved.

• The Pittsburgh Penguins announced that they were all in for a shot at a third Stanley Cup in a row when they were part of a three way trade. The basis of the trade is that they get Derick Brassard from Ottawa, Ottawa gets Ian Cole (more on him later) and Filip Gustavsson, and Vegas gets Ryan Reaves, with draft picks also being part of the equation. For Ottawa, they have signaled a rebuild, with the future of Erik Karlsson being an uncertainty past next season. Vegas gets fighter in Reaves who can also score on occasion while Pittsburgh gets the third line center that they had lacked since Nick Bonino defected to Nashville in the off-season.
• Remember Ian Cole? The Senators didn't hang on to him for long, as he was sent to Columbus for Nick Moutrey and a 2020 draft pick. Columbus gets more depth on the blue line, and they would later address the center depth, as in another three way deal, Nashville traded Pontus Aberg to Edmonton for Mark Letestu, and then flipped Letestu for a fourth round pick. Aberg gets a fresh start in Edmonton after he was squeezed out due to forward depth, which gets better with Mike Fisher coming back as of today.
• The New York Rangers are building for the future, sending Michael Grabner to New Jersey for Egor Rykov and a draft pick. Their biggest trade happened a few days later, as they sent Rick Nash to Boston. Ryan Spooner, Ryan Lindgren, Matt Beleskey, and a first round pick this year plus another draft pick were what they got in return. This was the trade the Rangers desperately needed, as Spooner can slot in as a top six forward while Lindgren is a solid prospect. The only hiccup, a necessary one to keep order in the salary cap, is Beleskey's albatross contract.
• Tomas Plekanec is leaving the only team he had ever known...and is heading to their biggest rival. That's right, he is going from Montreal to Toronto. All it cost was Kerby Rychel, Rinat Valiev, and Kyle Baun.
• Evander Kane, Alex Burrows, and Johnny Oduya are names that were either told to wait for trades or were placed on waivers, indicating that they could be on the move by the time the deadline passes in a few hours.

This year's trade deadline has been far busier than last year, when the only big name to get moved was Martin Hanzal. There will be at least a few moves made, many of them minor, but the ticker watching will happen.

Lifting the Curtain

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

Expansion team
Captain: TBA

Soon, the curtain will lift on the inaugural season of the Vegas Golden Knights, and like many a team in their first year before them, there will be struggles. However, there will be no shortage of excitement, as they are given the standard grace period for expansion teams. Yes, this will be one experiment to watch.

For being an expansion team, it isn't everyday that former 30-goal scorers are made available in the expansion draft, but that is exactly what happened for the Golden Knights, as Jonathan Marchessault scored 30 last year and James Neal has done it before in his career. Beyond that, it's largely a gamble that Vadim Shipachyov can translate his game from the KHL to the NHL while every other forward is either no better than the second line or is unproven. On defense, they have a lot of bodies, but very little in the way of an actual top pairing. Jason Garrison is the best of a fairly mediocre lot, but it could be Shea Theodore that could emerge as a top guy. Don't be surprised if Nate Schmidt solidifies himself as an everyday NHLer, as his playoff performance in Washington attracted the attention of current Golden Knights General Manager George McPhee. Beyond those three, depth isn't bad, but they're all interchangeable at this point. In goal, this is where they are set. Marc-Andre Fleury was the prize, and he will be out to show that he has something left after having to pass the torch to Matt Murray in Pittsburgh. Calvin Pickard is also getting a fresh start after playing behind an awful defense in Colorado the past couple of seasons. The special teams are an unknown at this point, but there is no question that goaltending is going to be important here.

Prediction: 7th in the Pacific Division

Despite having a big name or two, the Golden Knights are going to field what can be best described as a team of mismatched parts. The good news is that they have a plan and it showed in their Entry Draft strategy. That fruit may be borne in a few years, but it will scarcely help in the immediate future.

Fielding a Team

The Expansion Draft has come and gone, and now, each of the 31 teams will be ready to go on the ice. The Vegas Golden Knights spent close to the cap, with just $0.9 million left over after the draft and various trades. With that, let's look at each of the players taken from the existing 30 teams plus trades.

Clayton Stoner-Taken from Anaheim, the Golden Knights were enticed to take him when the Ducks agreed to also trade Shea Theodore to them. Theodore is more likely to make an impact than Stoner, whose contract comes off the books after next season.

Teemu Pulkkinen-AHL goal scorer who is on the clock to find his game in the NHL or be doomed to career AHL'er. The Golden Knights will be his fourth NHL team, after Detroit, Minnesota, and Arizona couldn't get much out of him.

Colin Miller-The Bruins needed to make room for Charlie McAvoy, and Miller's departure will do just that. As for the Golden Knights, a third line role appears likely, though if he can get his PPG closer to his rookie year, a second pairing role could be in his future.

William Carrier-Buffalo traded a draft pick to the Golden Knights as a likely guard against them taking Linus Ullmark. Carrier will be on his third NHL team, but will likely be given a bigger role.

Deryk Engelland-He was entering free agency, but the Golden Knights convinced him to sign a new deal, enabling them to bring him home. Adds grit and not much else.

Connor Brickley-The Hurricanes traded a fifth-round pick to entice the Golden Knights into picking Brickley, and they may not be done dealing.

Trevor Van Riemsdyk- Solid defensive option taken from Chicago, he too, could be on the move if the Golden Knights decide he isn't an answer on the blue line. He's on the move, as Carolina traded to get him.

Calvin Pickard-Every team needs a backup goalie, and Pickard will fit that description (more on who he's backing up). He wasn't ready for a full-time starting gig, but the Golden Knights will be a better team up front than his former home in Colorado.

William Karlsson-The Blue Jackets threw in their first round pick to ensure that the Golden Knights would take him. Karlsson figures to challenge for a spot on the second line, as...

Cody Eakin-Barring anything out of the blue, Eakin enters the season as the Golden Knights' first line center. A very good second liner, this is his chance to shine with a bigger role now that he isn't behind Tyler Seguin and Jason Spezza.

Tomas Nosek-Likely headed for the AHL, Nosek couldn't crack a rather thin Detroit lineup.

Griffin Reinhart-Reinhart has yet to fulfill his potential, and now that the Golden Knights are his third team since being drafted in 2012, he is on the clock to prove that he is not a bust.

Jon Marchessault-A 30-goal scorer, the Panthers threw in Reilly Smith to ensure that the Panthers would not lose either Roberto Luongo or Jason Demers.

Brayden McNabb-The Kings didn't lose when McNabb was taken, but given that they're still saddled with the contracts of Dustin Brown and Marian Gaborik, they were hoping for a lot more, especially since they're officially in salary cap hell.

Erik Haula-The Wild threw in Alex Tuch and an assurance from the Golden Knights that Haula would be signed to a new deal if they took him. At worst, he's a solid fourth line player.

Alexei Emelin-Physical presence, was likely picked as part of a later trade, which will be discussed then.

James Neal-Nashville didn't want to lose him, but given their lack of center depth plus Neal agreeing to waive his NMC, it had to happen. Vegas gets a player good for 30 goals, but also with just one year left on his contract.

Jon Merrill-Second pairing defender duty is likely awaiting Merrill, who may very well be paired with a defensively responsible player that the Golden Knights picked up, which will be mentioned later.

JF Berube-Most likely headed to the AHL, he was picked because the Islanders threw in Mikhail Grabovski and a first round pick this year.

Oscar Lindberg-Solid center who will likely see third-line duty and possibly more if he outplays William Karlsson.

Marc Methot-Defensively responsible, his likely defense partner could be Jon Merrill.

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare-Likely AHL bound, he can fill in on an NHL roster if injuries impact the team, and he provides grit and leadership in the locker room.

Marc-Andre Fleury-The face of the franchise, he needed a fresh start now that Matt Murray is firmly entrenched as the Penguins' starter. Still, Fleury has a few good years left and can be a sure thing on what is most likely few sure things on the Golden Knights.

David Schlemko-The likely condition of the Golden Knights taking Emelin, Schlemko is headed to Montreal.

David Perron-Offensively gifted, but consistency forever remained an issue in his NHL career thus far.

Jason Garrison-Considerable money freed up for the Lightning, they also threw in negotiating rights to Nikita Gusev, and given that the Golden Knights not only have a solid top pairing guy, but also a lure for Gusev in his former SKA teammate Vadim Shipachyov, they made out pretty well here.

Brendan Leipsic-The forgotten man in the Maple Leafs' youth movement, he gets a fresh start, but is now on his third team. Expect him to challenge for a spot on the NHL roster.

Luca Sbisa-Possible that he could be paired with Jason Garrison, but also possible he plays third pairing minutes, too. Much maligned in Vancouver, he's far better in his own end.

Nate Schmidt-Defender with promise, he will see more time in the NHL, as he isn't behind the likes of John Carlson and Karl Alzner.

Chris Thorburn-Fourth line duty awaits this physical presence. The Golden Knights also acquired the Jets' first round pick this year and gave up the first round pick originally owned by Columbus in return.

The Golden Knights now own the 6th, 13th, and 15th overall picks in this year's draft. The question is whether they decide to move two of the three or all three in an effort to get either the first or second overall pick.

2017 NHL Mock Draft: Picks 1-8

With the NHL Draft being next week, it's that time again for me to come up with a mock draft. Today, it will be picks 1-8, and given that there's not as much depth as in years past, it will also be predictions sure to go wrong.

1. New Jersey Devils- Nolan Patrick, C, Brandon (WHL)

New Jersey needs major help down the middle, and they have their pick of Patrick and Nico Hischier. Despite an injury-riddled season, Patrick is the most ready to step into the NHL right now. If the worst he can be is another Jonathan Toews, the Devils will gladly take it.

2. Philadelphia Flyers- Nico Hischier, C, Halifax (QMJHL)

The more dynamic of the two, Hischier would be at worst, a year away because of his need to put on a little more weight. He would add to an already good offense that can always use another center to slot behind Claude Giroux.

3. Dallas Stars- Gabe Vilardi, C, Windsor (OHL)

Skating concerns aside, Vilardi checks off every other box, and with Jason Spezza nearing 35, it would be a good idea to start thinking about getting a center to slot behind Tyler Seguin. At worst, he's a year away, at best, he could step in right away.

4. Colorado Avalanche- Cale Makar, D, Brooks (AJHL)

Colorado needs defensemen...badly. Getting a puck possession player up front in Tyson Jost was a start, but now, they need help on a long neglected blue line. Miro Heiskanen is the safer pick, but Colorado may wish to swing for the fences, and that is what Makar's potential is right now.Smaller player, but plays bigger than his size.

5. Vancouver Canucks- Casey Mittlestadt, C, Eden Prairie (USHS)

Split time between Eden Prairie High and Green Bay of the USHL, Mittlestadt carries great offensive potential. A year away, since he's a Minnesota commit, he could down the line, form a dynamic duo with Brock Boeser once he makes the NHL.

6. Vegas Golden Knights- Cody Glass, C, Portland (WHL)

Because nothing will be known about the Golden Knights' roster until Wednesday, they can go in any direction. Glass could at his best, be the face of a franchise that provides offense in spades.

7. Arizona Coyotes- Elias Pettersson, C, Timra (Sweden 2)

The Coyotes really need more of a veteran presence, especially if Shane Doan decides to retire. However, looking further into the future, Pettersson would be a dynamic center that has top line potential...if he can put on some weight. A couple seasons in Sweden's top league will help.

8. Buffalo Sabres- Miro Heiskanen, D, HIFK (Finland)

The last time the Sabres drafted a defenseman in the first round, they did pretty well, as Rasmus Ristolainen is their top guy now. The problem is that there's virtually little else on the blue line, and the pipeline in that section is not too great. Heiskanen at worst, would be a solid two-way player with better offensive upside than Ristolainen.

Please Refrain from Golden Shower Jokes

For all the time that the Las Vegas team that will be starting play in 2017, there was a lot of hype and misdirection far as what the name of the team was going to be, given owner Bill Foley's penchant for fake copyrights. Last night, the suspense ended when the team announced that they will be known as...

The Vegas Golden Knights.

I don't know about you, but that's not very inspiring. Between Foley's insistence on having the Knights somewhere in the team name to not having the Las in Las Vegas in the name, there was some sharp criticism to be found. Mine will largely stick to what was presented, as the logo isn't going to jump out at you in any manner. It's almost as though they copied the Atlanta United FC template for logos:

As you can see for comparison purposes, neither looks inspired in either design or color scheme. The Las Vegas team's color scheme is steel, gold, black, and red, though the red isn't found in the primary logo. Not exactly intimidating on the ice unless you plan on boring the opposing team to death, though I will wait to see what they trot out for uniforms. If steel and gold aren't their primary sweater colors, it will have been an even bigger wasted opportunity.