OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - What Happens In Vegas: A Golden Knights Story

dannibalcorpse · 04-07-2017, 12:07 AM

The league saw an incredible amunt of big name players call it a career this offseason, with the following players filing retirement papers this July 1st: Tyler Bozak(TOR), Matt Carle(VGK), Braydon Coburn(WAS), Patrick Eaves (STL), Marian Hossa(CHI), Niklas Kronwall(DET), Ben Lovejoy(CGY), Derek MacKenzie(VAN), Andrei Markov(TOR), Adam McQuaid(SEA), Marc Methot(SJ), Brooks Orpik(PIT), Joe Pavelski(SJ), Jason Pominville(MIN), Daniel Sedin(MTL), Henrik Sedin(VAN), Patrick Sharp(DAL), Jason Spezza(DAL), Clayton Stoner(SEA), Henrik Tallinder(PIT), Joe Thornton(SJ), Thomas Vanek(DAL), Justin Williams(CAR), Vernon Fiddler(NYR), Jordie Benn(DAL), Mike Cammalleri (NJD), Trevor Daley(ANA), Dan Girardi(EDM), and Scott Hartnell(SEA).

One of the most surprising retirements was that of Joe Pavelski, only 34 and coming off a season when he scored 33 goals and 79 points. He finishes his career with 370 goals and 432 assists, just cracking the 800 point barrier in the waning days of the season. The Sedin brothers also finished their careers at the same time, as many expected - although not many predicted Daniel would retire a Canadien instead of a Canuck. Daniel ends his career with 400 goals exactly, and 1,047 points; Henrik finished with 265 career goals and 1,097 total points. Joe Thornton finished a strong career with 417 goals and 1,051 assists in 1608 games with the Sharks and the Bruins, most likely cementing his slot in the Hall in the coming years. Meanwhile, injuries finally caught up with Jason Spezza, as the former 2nd overall pick hangs it up with 336 career goals and 902 total points. Marian Hossa finishes up an illustrious career at the age of 40, having scored 552 goals and 1,211 career points in addition to his SIX Stanley Cup rings. Lastly, Niklas Kronwall has thrown his last hit, as he retires after 950 games, all with the Red Wings, and 434 career points.

The coaching ranks saw some retirements, too. Joel Quenneville said it’s time to spend some time with his family after 960 career wins and four Stanley Cups. He’ll be replaced in Chicago by Mike Babcock, so many expect they’ll be no hiccups in that perennial contender. Another Cup-winning coach, Darryl Sutter, called it quits after 710 career wins and two Cups with the Kings. Los Angeles will turn to Gerard Gallant to help continue its rebuilding effort. Finally, at the complete opposite end of the spectrum, long-time assistant coach Charlie Huddy had announced this would be his last year behind the bench, regardless of what happened. Well, Paul Maurice got fired in Winnipeg and Huddy got to spend the last 9 games of his career as the main man, going 4-5. The Jets will hire former player and first-time coach Mike Keane to take over behind the bench next season.

Finally, in a surprising announcement, Pittsburgh GM John Paddock announced he would be stepping away from the job after only one season. The Penguins announced long-time head of scouting Randy Sexton would be stepping up to the GM’s chair immediately.

Once again, The Hockey News has put out its list of the top free agents by position, and we’re happy to share them with you here! All stats are for last year, and will be noted if they were not compiled in the NHL.

TOP 5 GOALIES
Sergei Bobrovsky, 30 (21-30-6, 3.36, .896)
Robin Lehner, 27 (36-21-6, 2.31, .926)
Mackenzie Blackwood, 22 (43-16-2, 2.36, .905)
Semyon Varlamov, 31 (22-18-5, 2.64, .914)
Antti Raanta, 30 (12-8-1, 2.61, .907)

If your team is looking for a goalie, like the Golden Knights are in the market for, there are plenty of options out there. Sergei Bobrovsky is coming off a down year, but at 30 years old, he plans to show 2018-19 was just a fluke. Reliable starters like Semyon Varlamov and Robin Lehner are also available - Lehner is a surprise, considering he’s coming off a year where he led the league in save percentage. If you’re looking for a bargain, you can do worse than rolling the dice on Antti Raanta - he was a backup in the regular season in Nashville but backstopped the Predators to within a game of the Stanley Cup after the team waived Mikko Koskinen. And those looking for a sleeper might want to check out Mackenzie Blackwood, let go by the Devils after being blocked at the NHL level by Cory Schneider. Blackwood put up phenomenal numbers in the AHL and is worthy of a look for any team looking to rebuild. Aging starters like Brian Elliott, Ryan Miller, and Craig Anderson are also options in goal this offseason, making goalie the deepest free agent position.

TOP 5 DEFENSEMEN
Tyler Myers, 29 (82 GP, 11-28-39)
Thomas Chabot, 22 (6 GP, 0-0-0)
Jay Bouwmeester, 35 (57 GP, 4-18-22)
Niklas Hjalmarsson, 32 (61 GP, 3-20-23)
Mitch Vande Sompel, 22 (67 GP, 7-55-62[ECHL])

A weak class for defensemen, Tyler Myers is probably going to walk away with a huge contract. Myers turned in his typically solid season with the Jets and is rumored to be in the market for a 6 year deal with at least a $5M AAV. The rest of the free agent d-corps is headlined by older veterans with limited upside, like Bouwmeester and Hjalmarsson, and unproven young players who haven’t tapped their potential like Chabot and Vande Sompel. Vande Sompel is among the most intriguing, as he’s been blocked from advancing by a strong group of defense prospects in the Islanders organization.

TOP 5 LEFT WINGS
Jeff Skinner, 27 (76 GP, 31-41-72)
Max Pacioretty, 30 (82 GP, 32-36-68)
Anders Lee, 28 (78 GP, 23-22-45)
Carl Hagelin, 30 (75 GP, 18-28-46)
Ilya Kovalchuk, 36 (60 GP, 28-31-59[KHL])

Left wing is the deepest position on the market, with legitimate stars like Jeff Skinner and Max Pacioretty available. The second tier has solid players like Hagelin and Anders Lee, who will most likely have to wait for the bigger names to sign before seeing what they can get in a negotiation. The wild card name is Ilya Kovalchuk - after running out his contract in KHL, Commissioner Gary Bettman ruled that he could return to the Devils, if New Jersey wanted. New Jersey renounced their rights to the 36 year old, and he will be available as an option for a team looking for the final piece.

TOP 5 CENTERS
Austin Czarnik, 26 (82 GP, 5-12-17)
Adam Henrique, 29 (70 GP, 10-20-30)
Nick Shore, 26 (65 GP, 7-15-22)
Filip Ahl, 22 (74 GP, 28-37-65[AHL])
Viktor Komarov, 25 (40 GP, 12-29-41[KHL])

Center might be the weakest group of free agents; Adam Henrique and Nick Shore are solid two-way centers, but not the kind of signing that riles up the fanbase. Czarnik shows up again after a decent year in Calgary, hoping for a longer term contract. Ahl is an intriguing younger prospect with some upside, while Komarov has show some interest in coming stateside after a successful run in the KHL.

TOP 5 RIGHT WINGS
Kevin Hayes, 27 (82 GP, 31-45-76)
Jordan Eberle, 29 (75 GP, 24-25-49)
Gustav Nyquist, 29 (82 GP, 15-37-52)
T.J. Oshie, 32 (79 GP, 25-34-59)
Wayne Simmonds, 30 (58 GP, 16-9-25)

Right wing is another position of strength this offseason - some very established names find themselves on the free market. Hayes might be the most exciting name out there, for his combination of size and youth (not to mention the fact that he was nearly a point per game player last year). Eberle & Nyquist are the same age but offer differing skill sets - Eberle is more of a goal scorer, while Nyquist showed good playmaking skills. Oshie is the oldest on the market, and questions abide about how he can perform without the help of Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin. Wayne Simmonds will bring a strong physical presence wherever he goes as he looks to bounce back from an injury-shortened 2018-19.

04-07-2017, 12:07 AM	#25
dannibalcorpse Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 168	The league saw an incredible amunt of big name players call it a career this offseason, with the following players filing retirement papers this July 1st: Tyler Bozak(TOR), Matt Carle(VGK), Braydon Coburn(WAS), Patrick Eaves (STL), Marian Hossa(CHI), Niklas Kronwall(DET), Ben Lovejoy(CGY), Derek MacKenzie(VAN), Andrei Markov(TOR), Adam McQuaid(SEA), Marc Methot(SJ), Brooks Orpik(PIT), Joe Pavelski(SJ), Jason Pominville(MIN), Daniel Sedin(MTL), Henrik Sedin(VAN), Patrick Sharp(DAL), Jason Spezza(DAL), Clayton Stoner(SEA), Henrik Tallinder(PIT), Joe Thornton(SJ), Thomas Vanek(DAL), Justin Williams(CAR), Vernon Fiddler(NYR), Jordie Benn(DAL), Mike Cammalleri (NJD), Trevor Daley(ANA), Dan Girardi(EDM), and Scott Hartnell(SEA). One of the most surprising retirements was that of Joe Pavelski, only 34 and coming off a season when he scored 33 goals and 79 points. He finishes his career with 370 goals and 432 assists, just cracking the 800 point barrier in the waning days of the season. The Sedin brothers also finished their careers at the same time, as many expected - although not many predicted Daniel would retire a Canadien instead of a Canuck. Daniel ends his career with 400 goals exactly, and 1,047 points; Henrik finished with 265 career goals and 1,097 total points. Joe Thornton finished a strong career with 417 goals and 1,051 assists in 1608 games with the Sharks and the Bruins, most likely cementing his slot in the Hall in the coming years. Meanwhile, injuries finally caught up with Jason Spezza, as the former 2nd overall pick hangs it up with 336 career goals and 902 total points. Marian Hossa finishes up an illustrious career at the age of 40, having scored 552 goals and 1,211 career points in addition to his SIX Stanley Cup rings. Lastly, Niklas Kronwall has thrown his last hit, as he retires after 950 games, all with the Red Wings, and 434 career points. The coaching ranks saw some retirements, too. Joel Quenneville said it’s time to spend some time with his family after 960 career wins and four Stanley Cups. He’ll be replaced in Chicago by Mike Babcock, so many expect they’ll be no hiccups in that perennial contender. Another Cup-winning coach, Darryl Sutter, called it quits after 710 career wins and two Cups with the Kings. Los Angeles will turn to Gerard Gallant to help continue its rebuilding effort. Finally, at the complete opposite end of the spectrum, long-time assistant coach Charlie Huddy had announced this would be his last year behind the bench, regardless of what happened. Well, Paul Maurice got fired in Winnipeg and Huddy got to spend the last 9 games of his career as the main man, going 4-5. The Jets will hire former player and first-time coach Mike Keane to take over behind the bench next season. Finally, in a surprising announcement, Pittsburgh GM John Paddock announced he would be stepping away from the job after only one season. The Penguins announced long-time head of scouting Randy Sexton would be stepping up to the GM’s chair immediately. Once again, The Hockey News has put out its list of the top free agents by position, and we’re happy to share them with you here! All stats are for last year, and will be noted if they were not compiled in the NHL. TOP 5 GOALIES Sergei Bobrovsky, 30 (21-30-6, 3.36, .896) Robin Lehner, 27 (36-21-6, 2.31, .926) Mackenzie Blackwood, 22 (43-16-2, 2.36, .905) Semyon Varlamov, 31 (22-18-5, 2.64, .914) Antti Raanta, 30 (12-8-1, 2.61, .907) If your team is looking for a goalie, like the Golden Knights are in the market for, there are plenty of options out there. Sergei Bobrovsky is coming off a down year, but at 30 years old, he plans to show 2018-19 was just a fluke. Reliable starters like Semyon Varlamov and Robin Lehner are also available - Lehner is a surprise, considering he’s coming off a year where he led the league in save percentage. If you’re looking for a bargain, you can do worse than rolling the dice on Antti Raanta - he was a backup in the regular season in Nashville but backstopped the Predators to within a game of the Stanley Cup after the team waived Mikko Koskinen. And those looking for a sleeper might want to check out Mackenzie Blackwood, let go by the Devils after being blocked at the NHL level by Cory Schneider. Blackwood put up phenomenal numbers in the AHL and is worthy of a look for any team looking to rebuild. Aging starters like Brian Elliott, Ryan Miller, and Craig Anderson are also options in goal this offseason, making goalie the deepest free agent position. TOP 5 DEFENSEMEN Tyler Myers, 29 (82 GP, 11-28-39) Thomas Chabot, 22 (6 GP, 0-0-0) Jay Bouwmeester, 35 (57 GP, 4-18-22) Niklas Hjalmarsson, 32 (61 GP, 3-20-23) Mitch Vande Sompel, 22 (67 GP, 7-55-62[ECHL]) A weak class for defensemen, Tyler Myers is probably going to walk away with a huge contract. Myers turned in his typically solid season with the Jets and is rumored to be in the market for a 6 year deal with at least a $5M AAV. The rest of the free agent d-corps is headlined by older veterans with limited upside, like Bouwmeester and Hjalmarsson, and unproven young players who haven’t tapped their potential like Chabot and Vande Sompel. Vande Sompel is among the most intriguing, as he’s been blocked from advancing by a strong group of defense prospects in the Islanders organization. TOP 5 LEFT WINGS Jeff Skinner, 27 (76 GP, 31-41-72) Max Pacioretty, 30 (82 GP, 32-36-68) Anders Lee, 28 (78 GP, 23-22-45) Carl Hagelin, 30 (75 GP, 18-28-46) Ilya Kovalchuk, 36 (60 GP, 28-31-59[KHL]) Left wing is the deepest position on the market, with legitimate stars like Jeff Skinner and Max Pacioretty available. The second tier has solid players like Hagelin and Anders Lee, who will most likely have to wait for the bigger names to sign before seeing what they can get in a negotiation. The wild card name is Ilya Kovalchuk - after running out his contract in KHL, Commissioner Gary Bettman ruled that he could return to the Devils, if New Jersey wanted. New Jersey renounced their rights to the 36 year old, and he will be available as an option for a team looking for the final piece. TOP 5 CENTERS Austin Czarnik, 26 (82 GP, 5-12-17) Adam Henrique, 29 (70 GP, 10-20-30) Nick Shore, 26 (65 GP, 7-15-22) Filip Ahl, 22 (74 GP, 28-37-65[AHL]) Viktor Komarov, 25 (40 GP, 12-29-41[KHL]) Center might be the weakest group of free agents; Adam Henrique and Nick Shore are solid two-way centers, but not the kind of signing that riles up the fanbase. Czarnik shows up again after a decent year in Calgary, hoping for a longer term contract. Ahl is an intriguing younger prospect with some upside, while Komarov has show some interest in coming stateside after a successful run in the KHL. TOP 5 RIGHT WINGS Kevin Hayes, 27 (82 GP, 31-45-76) Jordan Eberle, 29 (75 GP, 24-25-49) Gustav Nyquist, 29 (82 GP, 15-37-52) T.J. Oshie, 32 (79 GP, 25-34-59) Wayne Simmonds, 30 (58 GP, 16-9-25) Right wing is another position of strength this offseason - some very established names find themselves on the free market. Hayes might be the most exciting name out there, for his combination of size and youth (not to mention the fact that he was nearly a point per game player last year). Eberle & Nyquist are the same age but offer differing skill sets - Eberle is more of a goal scorer, while Nyquist showed good playmaking skills. Oshie is the oldest on the market, and questions abide about how he can perform without the help of Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin. Wayne Simmonds will bring a strong physical presence wherever he goes as he looks to bounce back from an injury-shortened 2018-19.