Meet the Knights

[ckg927]

The expansion draft is set to happen around 7:30pm our time.

It should be noted that the selections are in.

Use this thread to post the players as they're announced.

[ckg927]

Looks like the Sabres' William Carrier is going to be heading to Vegas.

Buffalo was one of the few teams that kept a tight lid on who was going to be selected.

[DetDannyWilliams]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">There we go <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VegasDraft?src=hash">#VegasDraft</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sabres?src=hash">#Sabres</a> <a href="https://t.co/gZ0c3bAZcJ">https://t.co/gZ0c3bAZcJ</a></p>&mdash; WGR 550 (@WGR550) <a href="https://twitter.com/WGR550/status/877667395237793792">June 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
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[ckg927]

Based on reports from The Score(via other sources, among them TSN's Bob McKenzie), here's how it looks to be shaping up:

NY Rangers: C Oscar Lindberg
Boston: D Colin Miller
Montreal: D Alexei Emelin
Florida: F Reilly Smith

Plus, Vegas gets F Jonathan Marchessault in a possible side deal as an incentive to pick up Smith's contract.

[ckg927]

From Washington: D Nate Schmidt.

[ckg927]

Ottawa looks to be losing D Marc Methot.

[ckg927]

Good God, Vegas is such a tease in revealing their picks...considering that the names are already out there...

[DetDannyWilliams]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">From the NHL Awards Show, Vegas acquires a 6th round pick from Buffalo and William Carrier in the Expansion Draft</p>&mdash; WGR 550 (@WGR550) <a href="https://twitter.com/WGR550/status/877686059223703552">June 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
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[ckg927]

Colorado: GK Calvin Pickard

[ckg927]

Detroit: F Tomas Nosek

- - - Updated - - -

L.A.: D Brayden McNabb(ex-Sabre)

[DetDannyWilliams]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BUF sends LV a 6th-round pick, believe that was not to take Linus Ullmark</p>&mdash; Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) <a href="https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/877686360517341184">June 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
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[OpIv37]

Good call by the dago.

[OpIv37]

I take that back. He's a moron. We lost Carrier and we are still stuck with Ennis, Bogosian and Moulson.

[YardRat]

Obviously they value Ullmark more than Carrier.

[OpIv37]

Obviously they value Ullmark more than Carrier.

Ok. Just don't understand why they value Ennis more than Carrier. They should have protected Carrier, traded the pick to keep Ullmark and let them take someone else.

[The Jokeman]

Ok. Just don't understand why they value Ennis more than Carrier. They should have protected Carrier, traded the pick to keep Ullmark and let them take someone else.
Maybe because Ennis is a proven NHL 20 goal scorer, sure we're paying him too much but if he ever gets healthy/re-acquires his touch he could be a valuable piece of the puzzle or end up netting us more than Carrier if we wanted to trade one of them. It's obvious that Las Vegas is going the youth route with most of their picks and making so many trades. To me Carrier might not be a top 6 player for another few seasons but still no guarantee.

[YardRat]

Ok. Just don't understand why they value Ennis more than Carrier. They should have protected Carrier, traded the pick to keep Ullmark and let them take someone else.

I would guess Vegas told Buffalo it's either Carrier or Ullmark because you won't be able to protect them both without exposing somebody else we'll take that you want to keep.

I wouldn't have protected Ennis either, doubt Vegas would have taken him unless the deal was sweetened a lot more than a sixth rounder.

[Dr. Lecter]

Ok. Just don't understand why they value Ennis more than Carrier. They should have protected Carrier, traded the pick to keep Ullmark and let them take someone else.

Because they didn't want to

McPhee said they were only interested in two players. So he would have taken Ullmark

The choice wasn't Carrier or Ennis. The Sabres didn't value Ennis more than Carrier. They valued Ullmark more than Carrier.

[OpIv37]

Because they didn't want to

McPhee said they were only interested in two players. So he would have taken Ullmark

The choice wasn't Carrier or Ennis. The Sabres didn't value Ennis more than Carrier. They valued Ullmark more than Carrier.
So they got played. Not sure it was worth losing Carrier over a backup goalie, especially since they still need to buy out Bogosian, Ennis, Moulson, and/or gionta

[mightysimi]

They pick Chris Thorburn fromt the Jets. 4th line winger I don't mind losing but not sure what we had to give up to keep Enstrom.

[JATMtheJATM]

So they got played. Not sure it was worth losing Carrier over a backup goalie, especially since they still need to buy out Bogosian, Ennis, Moulson, and/or gionta

Gio is a UFA

[Mr. Pink]

The Knights have acquired some interesting players so far.

They should have a top line that rivals most of the rest of the NHL with Neal-Marchessault-Perron/Smith. There's a second line center that is very intriguing in Vadim Shipachyov who if he qualified for the Calder, I could see him easily being a finalist for it.

Defensively, I'm scratching my head a little though...too many left handed D men.

At Goalie, you know it's gonna be Fleury...I'm wondering what else Pittsburgh is giving up to ensure that the Knights took him. There's been rumors of it.

At the very least, they should be competitive and not the worst team in the league.

[OpIv37]

I have a bad feeling they'll be better than us.

If they were hell-bent on Ullmark or Carrier, expose both, force their hand and keep the 6th. Botterill got bullied by McPhee.

[DetDannyWilliams]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="ht" dir="ltr">Marc-Andre Fleury Pitt.</p>&mdash; Paul Hamilton (@pham1717) <a href="https://twitter.com/pham1717/status/877712128211288064">June 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">On Fleury pick Vegas gets 2020 2nd rd pick</p>&mdash; Paul Hamilton (@pham1717) <a href="https://twitter.com/pham1717/status/877712379567644674">June 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
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[Dr. Lecter]

So they got played. Not sure it was worth losing Carrier over a backup goalie, especially since they still need to buy out Bogosian, Ennis, Moulson, and/or gionta
Why Gionta?

He's a UFA.

And Carrier is a 3rd/4th line guy. About the worth of a back up goalie who could be a starter.

[Dr. Lecter]

I have a bad feeling they'll be better than us.

If they were hell-bent on Ullmark or Carrier, expose both, force their hand and keep the 6th. Botterill got bullied by McPhee.
Bullied? Over a 6th round pick?

For real?

My God.

[Dr. Lecter]

Look at what other teams gave up and players they lost and realize what the landscape was. It's not that difficult to not look at this in a vacuum

[Dr. Lecter]

Gio is a UFA

Shhhh...

he's on a roll. Facts aren't real important.

[OpIv37]

Bullied? Over a 6th round pick?

For real?

My God.
We gave up something we didn't have to give up so yeah.

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Why Gionta?

He's a UFA.

And Carrier is a 3rd/4th line guy. About the worth of a back up goalie who could be a starter.
He's a 3rd/4th line guy now but he has a lot of upside. He's likely going to end up a legit top 6.

[OpIv37]

Look at what other teams gave up and players they lost and realize what the landscape was. It's not that difficult to not look at this in a vacuum

This BS again? "Well it's ok cuz someone else was worse."' Come on, you're better than that.

[Dr. Lecter]

But they did because they wanted Ullmark more. A 6th round pick is hardly bullying.

And that's where we disagree. I don't see him as a top 6 guy. I think you're way over rating him. What has he done to show you he will be top 6?

If he is then I agree. I just don't see that in him.

[Dr. Lecter]

This BS again? "Well it's ok cuz someone else was worse."' Come on, you're better than that.

No. You're missing the point.

It's not BS when there is a market established. It's not about somebody else doing worse. It's about the reality of the situation and the cost of doing business.

The point is, whether you like it or not, there was another team involved. They can't force Vegas to take Bogosian. Or Moulson. McPhee said (on TV! and I saw it!) that they were only interested in two players (which was obviously Carrier and I think we all know the second was Ullmark). So the big deals weren't an option unless they gave up a high pick.

It came down to a current back up goalie (who some feel can be a starter) in an organization that has limited goalie depth or a guy who most people feel has a ceiling as a 3rd/4th line guy when the team does have other guys on that level in the organization (Foligno, Bailey, Fasching). If the NHL rules were better on college players and Peterson was coming here, I would say let Ullmark walk. But that isn't the case and nothing the Sabres can do will stop him from testing free agenct.

You're looking at this way too superficially. It's not just a matter of keeping Ennis and letting Carrier go. They had limited options.

[JATMtheJATM]

I have a bad feeling they'll be better than us.

If they were hell-bent on Ullmark or Carrier, expose both, force their hand and keep the 6th. Botterill got bullied by McPhee.

The reality is they didn't want to lose ullmark, who could still develop into a starting goalie. Carrier they could afford to lose

[OpIv37]

Yeah, last year when Carrier got promoted to the top line, I said I didn't see why. Everyone tried to convince me how good he was. I eventually came around. Now that he's gone, everyone is acting like he's no big deal....

[Ginger Vitis]

Ive never said Carrier was a top 6 guy.... Nor do I think Bailey or Baptiste or Fashcing will be Top 6 guys... Only Alex Nylander is... OPIV would have been flipping out if the Sabres lost Ullmark

[JATMtheJATM]

Yeah, last year when Carrier got promoted to the top line, I said I didn't see why. Everyone tried to convince me how good he was. I eventually came around. Now that he's gone, everyone is acting like he's no big deal....

It's not that it's no big deal. It's that other teams lost even more and this loss sucks. But it could be much worse

[OpIv37]

Ive never said Carrier was a top 6 guy.... Nor do I think Bailey or Baptiste or Fashcing will be Top 6 guys... Only Alex Nylander is... OPIV would have been flipping out if the Sabres lost Ullmark

Sorry- you don't get to base an argument on your assumption of how I would have reacted in a hypothetical scenario that you invented.

[Dr. Lecter]

Sorry- you don't get to base an argument on your assumption of how I would have reacted in a hypothetical scenario that you invented.

But you get to base yours on "Everybody loved Carrier!"?

[OpIv37]

But you get to base yours on "Everybody loved Carrier!"?

Everyone did. I'm trying to find the threads but the search feature is returning too many results and I don't have time to sift through them right now.

[Dr. Lecter]

Everyone did. I'm trying to find the threads but the search feature is returning too many results and I don't have time to sift through them right now.
I just searched for "Carrier" in posts.

Really didn't see much.

But yeah - everyone thought he was the next Cam Neely. Sure.

"I know the evidence exists, I just can't find it" - That's a Trumpism and half.

[OpIv37]

I just searched for "Carrier" in posts.

Really didn't see much.

But yeah - everyone thought he was the next Cam Neely. Sure.

"I know the evidence exists, I just can't find it" - That's a Trumpism and half.
The evidence exists. I just can't find it right now. Sorry I didn't bookmark all the Carrier threads in anticipation of everyone flip-flopping.

[Dr. Lecter]

Or, maybe, a few people liked him and you are now exaggerating it say everybody loved him because it helps make your point.

[JATMtheJATM]

The evidence exists. I just can't find it right now. Sorry I didn't bookmark all the Carrier threads in anticipation of everyone flip-flopping.

Carrier is fine. He's gonna be a good player. I'd rather keep ullmark though

[Night Train]

Ullmark may be our Number 1 goalie within a year.

I understand the move and teams cannot force bad contract players on Vegas. Denial over the situation ?

Vegas eyed 2 players in a unique circumstance and the Sabres protected their choice in a very cheap move.

The bad contracts are a completely separate issue.

[coastal]

Murray would have gone big and made headlines... that era is over.

a sound hockey decision was made.

nothing more.

nothing less.