{"id":3647,"date":"2016-11-27T23:55:57","date_gmt":"2016-11-28T04:55:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/?p=3647"},"modified":"2016-11-28T21:57:32","modified_gmt":"2016-11-29T02:57:32","slug":"nhl-free-agency-amateur-draft-issues-las-vegas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2016\/11\/27\/nhl-free-agency-amateur-draft-issues-las-vegas\/","title":{"rendered":"NHL Free Agency and Entry Draft Obstacles for Vegas"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>There is a lot of excitement around the <strong>NHL<\/strong> regarding expansion and the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/2016\/11\/22\/las-vegas-new-name\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Vegas Golden Knights<\/strong><\/a>. It will be the first professional sports team for <strong>Las Vegas<\/strong>. However, there are obstacles for Vegas regarding NHL free agency and the upcoming entry draft.<\/p>\n<h2>NHL Free Agency and Entry Draft Issues for Vegas<\/h2>\n<h3>2017 Free Agency Issues<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/2016\/11\/16\/2017-nhl-free-agent-class\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NHL free agency <\/a>is\u00a0a good opportunity for managers\u00a0to improve their clubs. This year&#8217;s class is no different. The pending UFA&#8217;s one would call elite that hit the market on July 1st are, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/b\/bishobe01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Ben Bishop<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/o\/oshietj01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>T.J. Oshie<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/r\/radulal01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Alexander Radulov<\/strong><\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/s\/shattke01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Kevin Shattenkirk<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>There has already been talk that both Oshie (<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/category\/capitals\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Washington Capitals<\/a>) and Radulov (<strong>Montreal Canadiens<\/strong>) could sign extensions with their clubs. The next tier of potential free agents include\u00a0veterans\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/o\/oduyajo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Johnny Oduya<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/s\/sharppa01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Patrick Sharp<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/w\/williju01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Justin Williams<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and <strong>Martin Hanzal<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>So how does this impact the incoming Vegas Golden Knights? The expansion draft rules for Las Vegas are as favorable as ever, but the Knights will need to do more work on their roster to be competitive in their inaugural season.<\/p>\n<h3>Filling out the Roster<\/h3>\n<p>That is where free agency can be a useful tool for Vegas. Even after selecting 30 players from the expansion draft, Vegas will most likely have a sizable amount of cap space to work with.<\/p>\n<p>This sounds great on paper but given the players currently available via free agency, Vegas general manager <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/m\/mcphege01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>George McPhee<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0will have a limited amount of choices, and stiff competition for players.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">PHT Morning Skate: Next summer\u2019s top 30 unrestricted free\u00a0agents <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/O1rj9iTYuh\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/O1rj9iTYuh<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NBCSportsHockey\/status\/802136784167665665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">November 25, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3>Entry Draft Issues<\/h3>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/2016\/11\/26\/2017-nhl-draft-november-rankings-top-five\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2017 NHL Amateur Draft<\/a> this June will be held at the <strong>United Center<\/strong> in <strong>Chicago<\/strong>. The Vegas franchise will have the third-best odds\u00a0in the draft lottery, this coming April. That means Vegas could pick anywhere between the first overall and the sixth overall in the first round. In rounds two through seven the Golden Knights own the third pick in each round.<\/p>\n<p>How much stock does Las Vegas general manager McPhee put in building his franchise through the entry draft? These were McPhee&#8217;s comments over the summer when he appeared on the <a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/vegashockeypodcast\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Vegas Hockey Podcast<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;Expansion will give us a foundation for the organization. The elite players, the difference makers, will come in the entry draft. That&#8217;s the lifeblood of any organization. If you want to win the Cup you have to be drafting well.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>McPhee&#8217;s philosophy on building his team is a sound one. He\u00a0talked about Las Vegas using\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/2016\/11\/06\/las-vegas-wheel-deal-nhl-defensemen\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">expansion draft selections<\/a> and turning some of them into valuable draft picks. However, the early returns of the 2017 entry draft do not grade on the same level as the past two drafts. This will not impact the 2017-18 Golden Knights but rather have an impact on the franchise during their first few years.<\/p>\n<h3>Comparing to Previous Years<\/h3>\n<p>Comparing the top two picks in 2015 and 2016 to this upcoming class and there is a noticeable difference. There is a lot to be excited about the two current top prospects in 2017, <strong>Nolan Patrick<\/strong> (center) and <strong>Timothy Liljegran<\/strong> (defense), but they are not on the same level as the top two of the last two years. In 2015 the top two selections were <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/m\/mcdavco01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Connor McDavid<\/strong><\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/e\/eicheja01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Jack Eichel<\/strong><\/a>. In 2016 the top two duo was <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/m\/matthau01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Auston Matthews<\/strong><\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/l\/lainepa01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Patrik Laine<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Building a Team<\/h3>\n<p>What does this mean for Vegas? Unlike the bottom two teams of the last couple of years, the Golden Knights will not be landing an all-but-guaranteed superstar in the upcoming draft. This is true even if they win the lottery and pick first overall. Another concern is the depth of this year&#8217;s draft when compared to that of recent years.<\/p>\n<p>The depth in the first rounds of 2015 and 2016 was quite impressive. Rounds two through five received strong\u00a0reviews from many NHL teams and draft experts.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">A new month means it is time for the November edition of the 2017 NHL Draft prospect rankings. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/8e73XBVUJc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/8e73XBVUJc<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JeffMarek?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@JeffMarek<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/UHSHrAk2Vk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/UHSHrAk2Vk<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Sportsnet\/status\/793840480672964608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">November 2, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>When you consider the\u00a0talented prospects taken in the first round of the last two years, it is quite overwhelming. In 2015 there were:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/h\/hanifno01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Noah Hanifin<\/strong><\/a> (5th overall), <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/w\/werenza01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Zach Werenski<\/strong><\/a> (8th), <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/r\/rantami01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Mikko Rantanen<\/strong><\/a> (10th), <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/c\/crousla01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Lawson Crouse<\/strong><\/a> (11th), <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/b\/barzama01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Mathew Barzal<\/strong><\/a> (16th), <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/c\/connoky01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Kyle Connor<\/strong><\/a> (17th), and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/k\/konectr01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Travis Koenecny<\/strong><\/a> (24th) to name a few.<\/p>\n<p>In 2016 the first round delivered\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/t\/tkachma01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Matthew Tkachuk<\/strong><\/a> (6th), <strong>Clayton Keller<\/strong> (7th), <strong>Mikhail Sergachev<\/strong> (9th),\u00a0<strong>Tyson Jost<\/strong> (10th), <strong>Jake Bean<\/strong> (13th), <strong>Charlie McAvoy<\/strong> (14th) and <strong>Kiefer Bellows<\/strong> (19th) to name a few.<\/p>\n<h3>Draft Depth<\/h3>\n<p>The 2017 draft is not on the same level as the two previous draft classes. It&#8217;s more likely Vegas lands a top six forward or a top four\u00a0defensemen with their first round pick than a surefire franchise\u00a0player.<\/p>\n<p>In the past couple years, many draft projections have raved about the depth and quality of the players. Not just the depth of the first round but players chosen in rounds two, three, four and five.<\/p>\n<p>This kind of depth would have been ideal for Vegas first entry draft. While there are players to be found in rounds two through five in 2017, there appears to be fewer draft nuggets in these rounds as there has been the last two years. Building a franchise starting in 2017 is a much more difficult task than if Vegas entered the league in either 2015 or 2016.<\/p>\n<h3>Bottom Line<\/h3>\n<p>Bottom line, the current analysis does not have the 2017 grading as well as the past two drafts in terms of the top of the draft;\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/2016\/11\/26\/2017-nhl-draft-november-rankings-6-10\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the depth of the first-round<\/a>;\u00a0as well as the selections in rounds two and beyond.<\/p>\n<p>Vegas has a lot to be excited about. However,\u00a0the upcoming UFA class and the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/2016\/11\/27\/2017-nhl-draft-november-rankings-11-15\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2017 Draft <\/a>make things harder for the Golden Knights. They\u00a0will have to find a way to make the most of it to build a team that can compete during their first few years.<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo:<\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/458050442\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 66.666667% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0;\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/458050442?et=BZKKG9bDTiNHWGsl5nzd7A&amp;viewMoreLink=off&amp;sig=se2ewrABaZ-atV7W6QxuoqqDIT7gvaOwjUjwpC54l-s=&amp;caption=true\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p style=\"margin: 0;\">\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NHL Free Agency: The upcoming NHL UFA class and the 2017 Draft gives the incoming Vegas Golden Knights some issues to deal with their inaugural season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":270,"featured_media":3712,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[807,2],"tags":[919,1744,684,37,38,662],"class_list":["post-3647","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-vegas-golden-knights","category-featured","tag-2017-nhl-draft","tag-expansion-draft","tag-george-mcphee","tag-hockey","tag-nhl","tag-nhl-free-agency"],"modified_by":"Ben Kerr","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3647","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/270"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3647"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3647\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3712"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3647"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3647"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3647"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}