NHL Expansion to Las Vegas

[abpk2903]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]The favorite thing for sports fans to do is moan and complain about anything and everything. I've heard every reason as to why the move to add a team in Vegas isn't going to work but I absolutely love it.  [/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Here is why:[/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]-The NHL has always been the red headed step child of the 4 "major" US sports leagues. This will get them the first chance to try a market that has probably been ready for a major sports franchise for 20+ years. If you didn't look at the gambling aspect of Las Vegas, why wouldn't they have several sports franchises already? They have 2.2 million people in their immediate market, they have one of the most state-of-the-art arena's in the world, they have the infastruture (hotels, airports, ect.) to make travel to and from the city already in place. I can guarantee this, if the hockey franchise has any inkling of success then within a decade this city will have at least 2 more major sports franchises.[/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]-For a sport that the talking heads on TV are telling you is struggling, they just got someone to pay a $500 million franchise fee. That tells you the thriving franchises in the sport (Penguins, Blackhawks, Rangers, Kings, Bruins, ect.) probably now hold market values north of $1 Billion.[/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]-The NFL popularity exploded when it embraced gambling. Fantasy football is an absolute phenomenon. The NFL started making teams give accurate injury reports (except for the Patriots) to allow Vegas to set lines more effectively. The NFL was a popular product before embracing gambling. Now the NFL is an obsession. People want to bet on things they can easily track. For those in Vegas, they can easily bet on the hockey game and then walk across the street and watch it.[/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Now, how does this effect the Penguins:[/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]NHL expansion draft rules came out yesterday. Penguins can protect 7 forwards, 3 defense, 1 goalie. Any players with a no-movement clause must be protected. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Players with no-movement clauses currently on the roster:[/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]-Sid[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]-Geno[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]-Letang[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]-Kessel[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]-Daley[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]-Hornqvist[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]-Fleury[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]-Dupuis[/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Obviously, Fleury is the intriguing one. He can limit the team's he is willing to be traded to a list of 12. If he really wanted to, he could list 12 teams that have no interest in acquiring him (either do not have the cap space or have a stable #1 goaltender in place).  [/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]If the Penguins can't trade him by 6/17/17, then they by rule must protect him from the draft and leave Murray unprotected. Long story short, the Penguins absolutely must move one of these franchise assets before this date or they risk letting them walk out the door. Most would agree that with Murray's age and contract he would be the best long term option for the Penguins but Fleury will be much more difficult to move. I assume Rutherford will figure something out and move one of these netminders.[/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Looking at the rest of the roster: Bonino, Dupper, Shultz, Lovejoy, Kunitz, and Cullen all have their current contract end before this expansion draft. So I'm going to leave them out of the discussion for now.[/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Who else should the Penguins protect? [/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Here is my thought:[/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Goalie: [/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Protect the one the Pens can't move. My guess is they will move Fleury and protect Murray.[/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Forwards: [/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Must protect: Sid, Geno, Kessel, Hornqvist [/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]I would also protect: Hagelin, Rust, Sheary (at this point)[/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Defensemen:[/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Must protect: Letang, Daley[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]I would also protect: this is the tough one but I would protect Maatta [/font]


[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif] [/font]

[Crimson's Ghost]

The other major leagues will definitely monitor this one closely. 

[theoneandonly]

Abpk, as usual I agree with most things you say. Especially regarding the other major sports expansion to Vegas. I was just in Vegas earlier this month and it definitely has everything going for it to be successful city for multiple franchises.  

Only thing I'd change in your list of protected player is replace Daley with Dumolin. Dumo is turning into a legitimate top pairing player and is only 24... 8 years younger than Daley. Outside of that I think you were pretty spot on. 

[abpk2903]

While I agree with you, Daley has a limited movement clause in his contract which will require the Penguins to protect him. It really makes for a difficult situation considering only one of Maatta, Dumoulion, and Pouliot can be protected.  The good news is, every team will have to make available a top 4 defenseman.

[theoneandonly]

Ah yeah I guess I missed that part of it... will be interesting to see how they (and others) maneuver pieces strategically to protect the most valuable players on their roster.

Outside of Letang Dumo is their most valuable defenseman and I think the gap between him and Olli is pretty wide. Maybe the Pens extend him and include a NTC thus protecting him as well.

Speaking of defensemen... how about the contract Keith Yandle just got... makes Letang look like a hell of a bargain at $7.25 mil/per compared to Yandles $6.35 mil/per. That is going to allow just about every other defensive FA (Lovejoy/Schultz) to ask for a lot more money than they probably deserve. The defense FA pool is rather shallow.

[konjo78]

I've been to vegas a lot the past few years. People fail to realize just how Populated Vegas is outside of the strip. Cities like henderson around it are actually quite large and can easily support a city. There are a lot of proud UNLV loyal fans out there who have been dying for something like this.

TBH i think this move is going to prompt the Raiders Move there. Either way i see this being a super successful move and hope they give 1 more expansion to Seattle, because they are dying for it too. Then maybe we can even out the "West" vs "East" Geographic situation.

[abpk2903]

I think this will make UFA signing period very interesting this year. I would think the middle pairing defensemen market will take a huge dip. As a GM, why would I try to bolster my defenseman depth when I know I can only protect 3 on this date next year?

Don't quote me on this but I believe all the limited or no-movement clauses in contracts from this point on will NOT pertain to the expansion draft. That prevents teams from reorchastrating deals to protect players. So if the Penguins resign Bonino (for example) with a no-move clause, it wouldn't be applicable to LV expansion. The only way he would be protected is if the Pens list him on the 7 forwards.

I am not sure what the rule would be for a team that has more that 3 defensemen or 7 forwards with limited movement clauses. 

I personally super excited to see how this next year plays out heading into expansion. 

[theoneandonly]

I guess I should take some time to educate myself on this expansion and the rulings regarding the protection of players... I'm pretty ignorant about the finer details. Probably why I keep throwing out ideas that aren't allowed or applicable. 

Oh well, I'm still on a high from June 12th... I'll come back down sooner or later. 

[peytonsaturday]

http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2016/6/22/1 ... 1460568271

[peytonsaturday]

I guess I should take some time to educate myself on this expansion and the rulings regarding the protection of players... I'm pretty ignorant about the finer details. Probably why I keep throwing out ideas that aren't allowed or applicable. 

Oh well, I'm still on a high from June 12th... I'll come back down sooner or later. 

http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2016/6/22/1 ... 1460568271