The Golden Knights Model, But Legitimate--Is This Us?

[SpikeDDS]

Back when the Vegas Golden Knights first came into the league, the draft lottery was so tilted in their favor that they went to the Stanley Cup Finals that year (only to lose). But I remember wanting them to lose, because they were basically GIVEN a team. They didn't have to work at all to build a team other than select from a field of significantly more talent than bottom feeder teams (like us) had. They were basically provided a team.

 

At the time, the players they were given weren't considered top-tier players other than James Neal and Marc-Andre Fleury. But it was a collection of middle-line talent, and four lines of it. They didn't have that one weak fourth line. ALL of their lines were relatively strong, and they had a very successful goalie between the pipes. And even thought they didn't win a Cup until this year, they were competitors with the blaring exception of the previous season, when they missed the playoffs for the only time in their history. One year before winning the Cup!

 

I'm looking at our lineup, and with all of the outside help that Yzerman has brought in, I see a similar kind of pattern. But instead of being given this team, Yzerman went out and built it legitimately, first gathering resources--which took FOREVER!--and then when the time was right, unleashing a series of pickups that followed that Vegas pattern. JT Compher, not that he is a bad player, but no one thinks top-line when his name is said. Klim Kostin. In his prime, David Perron would be considered top-line elite, but he's less than that now.

 

Yes, Alex Debrincat was a very fortuitous opportunity, and it certainly has done what he was hoping he would--and then some--so far. That one kind of fell in our lap, because Debrincat wanted to play here. But the deal was that we HAD the resources to be able to pull off the pickup.

 

And now we are seeing the timely ascendancy (FINALLY!) of Michael Rasmussen and Joe Veleno, Veleno being the more pleasant surprise of the two. Whereas he had never played at a level more deserving than for 4th-line minutes, now he's one of a collection of several guys who can legitimately be called middle line centers.

 

And that pretty much finishes removing the "weak 4th line" that we have had for 6-7 years. It was being kind to say that we could roll three lines at times. Just look at the starting roster from back in 2019, when Yzerman first came back! You look at that lineup and just shake your head. Oh, we didn't at the time...to be kind, or hopeful. or optimistically ignorant...but we barely had a legit top line (Athanasiou/Larkin/Mantha). Now, our second and third lines are better than that one was. Better on BOTH sides of the puck.

 

THIS is how you build a post-cap team if you don't get lucky with the draft, and Yzerman isn't even through painting his masterpiece. We get guys like Berggren, Edvinsson, Danielson, Lombardi, Hanas, and hopefully Kasper going and up here, you're getting close to that team that can consistently compete for a long time.

 

It's early. We're only 4 games in. Can't get too crazy too quickly, but it is getting harder and harder to resist the optimism. I haven't been this optimistic in at least a decade. Red Wing hockey is getting fun again!

[Brewin Flames]

Not a bad outlook to have....

 

That and Cossa in waiting.

[yave1964]

3 hours ago, SpikeDDS said:

Back when the Vegas Golden Knights first came into the league, the draft lottery was so tilted in their favor that they went to the Stanley Cup Finals that year (only to lose). But I remember wanting them to lose, because they were basically GIVEN a team. They didn't have to work at all to build a team other than select from a field of significantly more talent than bottom feeder teams (like us) had. They were basically provided a team.

 

At the time, the players they were given weren't considered top-tier players other than James Neal and Marc-Andre Fleury. But it was a collection of middle-line talent, and four lines of it. They didn't have that one weak fourth line. ALL of their lines were relatively strong, and they had a very successful goalie between the pipes. And even thought they didn't win a Cup until this year, they were competitors with the blaring exception of the previous season, when they missed the playoffs for the only time in their history. One year before winning the Cup!

 

I'm looking at our lineup, and with all of the outside help that Yzerman has brought in, I see a similar kind of pattern. But instead of being given this team, Yzerman went out and built it legitimately, first gathering resources--which took FOREVER!--and then when the time was right, unleashing a series of pickups that followed that Vegas pattern. JT Compher, not that he is a bad player, but no one thinks top-line when his name is said. Klim Kostin. In his prime, David Perron would be considered top-line elite, but he's less than that now.

 

Yes, Alex Debrincat was a very fortuitous opportunity, and it certainly has done what he was hoping he would--and then some--so far. That one kind of fell in our lap, because Debrincat wanted to play here. But the deal was that we HAD the resources to be able to pull off the pickup.

 

And now we are seeing the timely ascendancy (FINALLY!) of Michael Rasmussen and Joe Veleno, Veleno being the more pleasant surprise of the two. Whereas he had never played at a level more deserving than for 4th-line minutes, now he's one of a collection of several guys who can legitimately be called middle line centers.

 

And that pretty much finishes removing the "weak 4th line" that we have had for 6-7 years. It was being kind to say that we could roll three lines at times. Just look at the starting roster from back in 2019, when Yzerman first came back! You look at that lineup and just shake your head. Oh, we didn't at the time...to be kind, or hopeful. or optimistically ignorant...but we barely had a legit top line (Athanasiou/Larkin/Mantha). Now, our second and third lines are better than that one was. Better on BOTH sides of the puck.

 

THIS is how you build a post-cap team if you don't get lucky with the draft, and Yzerman isn't even through painting his masterpiece. We get guys like Berggren, Edvinsson, Danielson, Lombardi, Hanas, and hopefully Kasper going and up here, you're getting close to that team that can consistently compete for a long time.

 

It's early. We're only 4 games in. Can't get too crazy too quickly, but it is getting harder and harder to resist the optimism. I haven't been this optimistic in at least a decade. Red Wing hockey is getting fun again!

What I like more than anything is the ferocious forecheck and backcheck. Computer joins Copp and Larkin as solid defensive middle men, while kostin and the other new wingers play the same style. I have been utterly blow away by Debrincat coming back on defense, I always pictured him as a one dimensional player so far simply not true. And Holl is playing steady on the back end, Ghost has a rep as an offensive damn with deficiencies but he has a non stop motor. Just thrilled with how we are grinding other teams down.