Vegas Golden Knights Get Feet Wet During NHL Awards Show & Expansion Draft

The NHL hosted their annual awards show last Wednesday night and during the awards show the Vegas Golden Knights also completed their expansion draft, and the roster is pretty solid heading into the franchise’s first NHL season coming up in October. While my “man crush everyday”, Patrice Bergeron, left the show with his fourth Selke Trophy for being the best two-way forward in the game (tying for the most ever given to one player), and rookie sensation and future of the NHL Connor McDavid left with Rookie of the Year honors and more, the Knights made some great selections from each team in the NHL. T-Mobile Arena should be rocking come puck drop, and it is well deserved. Let’s go over each pick the Knights took in the expansion draft (one player from each of the other 30 franchises in the league), the list will be broken down by position.

Goaltenders: Calvin Pickard – Colorado Avalanche. Jean-Francois Berube – New York Islanders. Marc-Andre Fleury – Pittsburgh Penguins. Obviously the big name here and the star of the entire franchise is former multiple Stanley Cup Champion, Marc-Andre Fleury. It was clear that Pittsburgh was ready to move on from Fleury given the fact Matt Murray was the main starter all year for Pittsburgh this past season, and from the fact Murray was chosen to start in the playoffs during the 2015-2016 season. Not a bad start for Vegas taking a former franchise goalie who has tons of playoff experience, be it they didn’t all end the way Fleury wanted to. Fleury’s time was up and this is a way to for him to get out of the Eastern Conference and allow himself to start fresh in the desert, being once again the face of a franchise, without Sidney Crosby’s hideous mustache stealing the spotlight. Calvin Pickard mainly served as a back-up to Varmalov in Colorado, but he has earned himself some starts over his short NHL career going 28-44-6 in 86 career games played. I expect Pickard to be the main back-up to Fleury given Berube’s experience is much shorter (6-4-3 in 21 games), despite the fact that they are the same age. Overall, Fleury is the ultimate win for Vegas going forward, given the fact they have a strong core of young forwards and defenseman mixed in with some experienced veterans at both sides, I could see Fleury getting close to 30 wins this season, depending on how well the Golden Knights play in front of him,

Defenseman: Luca Sbisa – Vancouver Canucks. Sbisa has made much of his career being a defensive defenseman, playing most recently with the Canucks but also playing in Philly earlier in his career. Sbisa is a good fit but not a stand-out type player Players with Sbisa’s skills can be found on most other rosters, so it is hard to say if he will be a regular in the line-up, regardless he could be a solid seventh defenseman.

Jon Merril – New Jersey Devils. I really like Merril’s game and he is still young and was sought out to be the the top defenseman on the Devils after Adam Larson was sent to Edmonton in exchange for Taylor Hall. Merril is a leader and a decent presence on the blue line, he won’t put up many points, but he is good for some crisp breakout passes and playing strong with a high hockey IQ in his own zone. Merril will be a starter I would assume, and will most likely be in a top four role.

Brayden McNabb – Los Angeles Kings. McNabb really established himself during the years on the Kings making a few Stanley Cup runs. He is a hard hitter, and is a big boy at 6’4”, but he only scored four points last season in 49 games played. He is still young, however, at 26 years old with nearly 240 games played under his belt. I expect McNabb do be in the line-up more often than not, depending on their younger defensive players ice times.

Jason Garrison – Tampa Bay Lightning. Love this pick. I was able to watch Garrison a bit when I spent some time studying at The University of Tampa. He is a big guy on the ice and he loves to throw his body around on other players and at shot attempts. Garrison is a team guy, so it is no wonder why his former Bolt teammate, Alex Killorn, gave him a nice little send-off post on Instagram last weekend. I think Vegas will like Garrison and he should be in a good role sucking up a lot of minutes on the penalty kill.

Deryk Engellan –  Calgary Flames. The Las Vegas resident himself can now skate in his own backyard (a little dusty though). Engelland signed a one year deal with Vegas most likely being more of a “tryout” year, but given the fact he has made his offseason home in Las Vegas over the years, he is a good teammate to go to for the other newcomers that were selected by Vegas. Engelland plays defense first, and will be in the line-up on a nightly basis, especially with trades that could be done sending the next to players on this list out of Vegas.

Colin Miller – Boston Bruins. Ugh. Don Sweeney let the wrong Miller go. Rather than putting Kevan Miller up for grabs, Sweeney opted with the younger and more potential upsided player in Colin Miller to be up for grabs. I don’t think Miller will remain a Golden Knight though, there have been talks that he could be sent to Toronto, it is just a matter of for what and when. I admire Miller’s cannon of a shot from the blue line, though his accuracy needs improvement. So does his defensive game a bit, but with his speed and smarts, this guy will be a winner for either franchise he plays for, Vegas or Toronto.

Marc Methot – Ottawa Senators. Another big defenseman who delivered many of hits during his playoff run with Ottawa this past season. Methot is a veteran at 32 years old and I’m sure loves the post-game ice baths after blocking tons of shots and laying out even more opponents. However, Methot is being traded to the Dallas Stars (Vegas informed him) per TSN. It may be a good move for the Knights, considering the slew of younger defenseman they have between the expansion draft and the entry draft. Regardless, Methot will fit well in Dallas.

David Schlemko – San Jose Sharks. Schlemko was taken by the Knights in the expansion draft but is now on the Montreal Canadiens. Therefore, Schlemko has no real meaning to the Vegas roster. He has playoff experience which will benefit Montreal.

Griffin Reinhart – Edmonton Oilers. The former number four overall pick in 2012 will earn his shot to become a regular player in the Vegas roster. Reinhart is only 23 years old and is a big man standing tall at 6’4”. He didn’t play much for Edmonton this past season and was only inserted into the line-up for one playoff game, but this could be a good opportunity for Reinhart to establish himself as an NHL player.

Alexi Emelin – Montreal Canadiens. I can’t stand this weasel. He is a cry baby, a diver, and in my mind, is a really overrated player. Of course he played in Montreal, just look at his name (his last name is pronounced “Yem-e-lin”). In 380 career games Emelin has only put up 72 points and rocks a dismal -18 +/-. Perhaps Emelin is slotted into the lineup early on, but I bet his childish antics catch up to him in Vegas.

Clayton Stoner – Anaheim Ducks. Stoner is another defensive defenseman who got his career going in Minnesota. He lacks the offensive skill that some of the other defenseman on the Vegas roster have, but he is a decent penalty killer. I don’t expect Stoner to start over the likes of Garrison, Merril, McNabb, or maybe even Sbisa for that matter, but that is up to the coach.

Trevor van Riemsdyk – Chicago Blackhawks. Another pick that is now on a different team after being selected by the Knights. Brother of James van Riemsdyk, Trevor took a bit longer to get his NHL career started, but earned his stripes during his first full season with the Blackhawks in 2015-16. Van Riemsdyk is now a member of the Carolina Hurricanes and should fit well alongside Justin Faulk and Noah Hanifin.

Nate Schmidt – Washington Capitals. Playing alongside guys like John Carlson, Kevin Shattenkirk, and other high end talented defenseman for the choke artist team of the Washington Capitals, Schmidt may have not received the recognition he deserved. In 60 games this past season he put up 17 points (3 G, 14 A) and had a +/- of 22. In his 200 game NHL career at just 25 years old, Schmidt has a career +/- of 36. I see Schmidt getting in the mix of the six defenseman, and could be in the starting lineup on opening night.

And finally, the forwards.

Teemu Pulkkinen – Arizona Coyotes. This young 24 year old Finnish lad has only 83 NHL games under his belt, posting a 13+9=22 in his early career with the Yotes. I don’t watch much Coyotes hockey but the Fins have a history for producing fast, hard skating, and offensively gifted players, so possibly this kid pans out to be a young stud.

William Carrier – Buffalo Sabres. Another youngster on this Vegas roster in Carrier. He is only 22 years old and played in 41 games this year for the Sabres. I imagine Carrier will get most of his playing time in the AHL but could be a mid-season call up if he produces in the minors.

Cody Eakin – Dallas Stars. How can anyone hate this pick? Eakin is a tough dude with a nose for the net, a good power forward like his old man was back in the 1970’s. Eakin earned first line minutes with Dallas when Tyler Seguin got injured and he produced, despite having more of a lack luster performance this past season (60 games, 3 G, 9 A). The 26 year old has a new opportunity to make his name a known commodity in the NHL, and I expect him to be in a top six forward role.

Tomas Nosek – Detroit Red Wings. With only 17 games played in the NHL over the past two seasons, the 24 year old, 6’3”, Czech Republic native will need to work hard in training camp to crack the Vegas roster. Given Detroit’s background in drafting excellent European players (Pavel Datsyuk the most obvious) the Golden Knights could have a good signing on their hands in Nosek. But as mentioned, he needs to earn it and prove it during the early months of the hockey season.

Jonathan Marchessault – Florida Panthers. Marchessault hit the 30 goal mark for the first time in his four year NHL career this past season in Florida. You can thank former champ and Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy for pushing Marchsessault to make it to the NHL, given the fact Roy would publicly call him out during interviews when he coached him in the QMJHL. Marchessault seems to me as a good fit for Vegas. He plays a fast game, just as the Western Conference does, and should continue to put the puck in the net playing as a second or third line forward, while also getting some cracks on the power play. Let’s see if the 5’9” 26 year old center can reach the 30 goal mark again this season.

Connor Brickley – Carolina Hurricanes. Son of Boston Bruins color commentator and former NHLer, Andy Brickley, Connor has hockey in his blood and got his first shot to play on the big stage this past season with the Panthers. Even though he only played in 23 games and only tallied five total points (1G, 4A) Brickley has an opportunity in front of him to be a consistent fourth line player for Vegas. As for many young players on this roster, the grind during the pre-preseason, and the preseason will either pay dividends or will make Brickley yet again, another body on the AHL squad.

Chris Thorburn – Winnipeg Jets. You can always tell when Thorburn is on the ice, due to his long brown hair blowing in the breeze as he skates. The 6’3” 34 year old grinder has 750 games under his NHL belt and should be seen on the fourth line for most of this season. Obviously, his offensive game isn’t there, but perhaps he can remind the Vegas fans that Boxing and MMA aren’t the only sports that allow fighting in Las Vegas.

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare – Philadelphia Flyers. As only the ninth French-born player to play in the NHL, Bellemare has only played in three NHL seasons (all with the Flyers) but has been a consistent presence in the lineup playing 81,74, and 82 games respectively in each season. The 32 year old Frenchie has just 34 points over the 237 career games (17 G, 17 A), but he never takes a shift off and isn’t afraid to mix it up on the ice. Bellemare could be yet another fourth, maybe third liner, but needs to get his offensive game going if he wants his NHL career to continue.

James Neal – Nashville Predators. I hate this guy. He’s arrogant, a prick, and a dirty player. You may he remember him kneeing Bruins forward, Brad Marchand, during the 2013 playoffs when he played for Pittsburgh. Neal reached 81 points in the 2011-12 campaign (40 G, 40 A) but that was also thanks to the help of playing alongside Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Neal played his last two seasons in Nashville, earning 99 points in 152 games and was able to get to the Stanley Cup Finals against his former team. Neal brings experience, skill, and a cocky ego to Vegas, but he is a good fit for them, most likely being a top six forward.

Brendan Leipsic – Toronto Maple Leafs. The 5’10” 23 year old got his feet wet with the Leafs this past season, playing in six games and notching three points in the process. It makes sense he didn’t get as much of a shot to play in Toronto with the slew of young talent they have (Matthews, Marner, Nylander), but perhaps Leipsic can use his speed and soft hands to gain the coaches attention in Vegas.

David Perron – St. Louis Blues. A veteran guy who’s skills have fallen to the wayside in recent years. While Perron was never really much of a scorer throughout his career, as he played more of a power-forward role being physical and killing penalties, Perron is still a leader and a voice in the locker room to listen to. I imagine Perron will not only want to improve his game but will want to help a lot of the younger guys improve theirs as well. Perron will and should be in the starting lineup, probably playing a bottom six role with some penalty kill minutes mixed in as well, overall I like the fit, it was time for Perron to get away from St. Louis. A fresh start yet again.

Oscar Lindberg – New York Rangers. The 25 year old Swede made his debut for the Rangers in 2014-2015 but played 65 games in his rookie campaign the following year scoring 13 goals along with collecting 15 assists. I admire Lindberg’s game, he has speed, good hands, and can finish on his shot opportunities. Lindberg really caught the eye of the Rangers fans as well as other fans around the NHL. Even though he won’t be playing with guys like Rick Nash and Derek Stepan, like he did in New York, he should fit in the Vegas lineup as a top nine forward.

Erik Haula – Minnesota Wild. Another great pick up for the Vegas Golden Knights grabbing the former Minnesota Wild left winger. In his four seasons in the NHL, Haula has 89 points (42 G, 47 A) in 266 games. I like Haula’s tenacity on the ice, he isn’t a grinder per say but his +/- of 33 over his career proves he is a solid two-way forward. You should expect to see Haula play on opening night and it will be fun to see how well he gels with his new team.

William Karlsson – Columbus Blue Jackets. Karlsson has been known as a bottom six two-way forward throughout his 4 years in the NHL. He is a great penalty killer with some offensive skill and loves to intercept passes from his opponents. Over the past two seasons Karlsson has played in 81 games each for the Jackets and has only had 16 penalty minutes slapped on him, proving he makes smart discipline plays on the ice. Karlsson should be a regular given his consistency the past two years and should be a top penalty killer for forwards, another good sign for Vegas.

Some trade acquisitions…

The Vegas Golden Knights have been busy making trades as well, and much more news should come out about more trades when free agency begins on July 1st. Some key names the Knights have gotten so far are David Clarkson from Columbus (who was given a ridiculous contract by Ottawa years ago and has since regressed in his game) and Mikhail Grabovski, he was a bust for the Islanders over the past two seasons and hasn’t seen the 60 point mark once in his career despite scoring 29 times and 28 times in 2010-2011 and 2011-2012. Another pick up which I think will go well for Vegas is Reilly Smith, from the Florida Panthers. Smith stood out in the 2015-2016 scoring 25 goals in his fifth NHL season but took a step back this past season with only 15 ginos. Regardless, Smith has good hands and can snipe when he needs to so look for him to be in that starting lineup as well. Much has gone on in the recent weeks in the NHL but the fun is just getting started. I can’t wait for the free agency frenzy. Overall, I give the Vegas Golden Knights a B for their roster, they aren’t great, but they definitely aren’t bad, they are a solid. So get ready Vegas, hockey season is right around the corner.

Written by Nick Gendreau