Vegas Golden Knights - The NHL's Newest Franchise

[BKarchitect]

This forum is kind of dead but I wanted to share my Vegas story...hopefully somebody reads it and finds it interesting

NOTE: SEE SECOND POST BELOW FOR DB, LOGOS AND SAVED GAME AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD

FYI - edited league structure and schedule for the NHL to accommodate 31 clubs and basically played through the 16-17 season with Vegas stocked with current free agents (ie Tanguay, Fleischman, Cowen, etc). Had them make no transactions and after the season I simulated an expansion draft. Created the selections at CapFriendly with their expansion draft program and then forced the other NHL teams to accept basically nothing for the chosen players in trades to "acquire" them. It's a really convoluted way to do it but there is no good way to get the realism I am aiming for. I even tried setting up future transfers in the pre-game config but that didn't work because all selected players in the expansion draft are either signed to deals past 2017 or are RFA's and the game will only future transfer UFA's-to-be.

But...all that hard work paid off with what should be a really, really fun career. Enjoy!

Vegas Golden Knights - Birth of a Franchise



Entering a new 31-team NHL alignment for the 2017-18 season, the Vegas Golden Knights are looking forward to their inaugural season in Sin City. While there will be a great many challenges in constructing a new franchise from scratch, in an area of the country where hockey is not exactly natural - there is also a lot of excitement and buzz for this new adventure.

Helming the construction is none other than all-time Swedish great Peter Forsberg, who steps in as general manager after health concerns forced initial GM George McPhee to step down early in 2017, before the team had even gotten off the ground. Forsberg was a shocking appointment - but adds a glamour factor to the whole process. Retired and living in his native Sweden, "Foppa" had gown a bit bored and had his agent throw his name out there as a guy who wanted to get into the management side at the NHL level after watching many of his contemporaries like Steve Yzerman and Joe Sakic get involved as GM's after being former stars...obviously to varying degrees of success. While a novice to management, Forsberg will have the experienced and steady hand of Kelly McCrimmon at his side as assistant general manager. McCrimmon brings a wealth of experience at all levels of hockey and will be key in developing the foundation for the Knights.

2017 NHL Expansion Draft

The Knights have not been dormant during the 2016-17 season; to the contrary, their staff and scouts have been very busy preparing for the NHL Expansion Draft. The draft took place from June 18-20 this season and the results were announced on June 21. Vegas had one selection from each of the previous 30-members of the NHL from an unprotected list submitted by each club. Here are the results.

Vegas Selections:

Anaheim: Josh Manson, defenseman
Arizona: Henrik Samuelsson, forward
Boston: Malcolm Subban, goalie
Buffalo: Marcus Foligno, forward
Calgary: Brett Kulak, defenseman
Carolina: Brock McGinn, forward
Chicago: Ville Pokka, defenseman
Colorado: Semyon Varlamov, goalie
Columbus: William Karlsson, forward
Dallas: Gemel Smith, forward
Detroit: Luke Glendening, forward
Edmonton: Laurent Brossoit, goalie
Florida: Alex Petrovic, defenseman
Los Angeles: Nic Dowd, forward
Minnesota: Marco Scandella, defenseman
Montreal: Tomas Plekanec, forward
Nashville: Craig Smith, forward
New Jersey: Jacob Josefson, forward
NY Islanders: Calvin de Haan, defenseman
NY Rangers: Antti Raanta, goalie
Ottawa: Bobby Ryan, forward
Philadelphia: Taylor Leier, forward
Pittsburgh: Derrick Pouliot, defenseman
San Jose: Matt Nieto, forward
St. Louis: Petteri Lindbohm, defenseman
Tampa Bay: Alex Killorn, forward
Toronto: Kerby Rychel, forward
Vancouver: Jannik Hansen, forward
Washington: Dmitry Orlov, defenseman
Winnipeg: Marko Dano, forward

Forsberg had this to say about the Expansion Draft results: "Look, what we are doing here is trying to build a team. A team encompasses all aspects of hockey both on the ice and in the locker room. Our goal was not to take the 30 biggest names or take a bunch of guys just to use as trade pieces. We want to construct a team with leadership, experience, depth, youth, speed, power - all of that. That's not to say we will have the perfect formula from the very beginning. But we feel confident with these 30 hockey players that we are well on our way."

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman provided the following analysis for the initial Knights' depth roster which is shown below:



On Goalies:

"The Knights look well stocked in goal. Varlamov was a great get. His contract isn't cheap but they had to clear to minimum cap floor anyways so it won't hurt this team at all. He's a guy used to get hammered by shots on a poor team (in Colorado) and does better the more rubber he sees. They will rely on him a lot."

"Raanta is a great pick and should be a legit #1 goalie now...his stock is rising in a huge way. But a little birdy has told me don't expect Raanta to be on the Vegas opening-night roster. Expect him back in blue - apparently the Rangers and Knights had a pre-arranged deal whereby the Knights would selected Raanta but then deal him back to the Rangers shortly after the draft for entry draft picks. Shrewd move by both clubs if true...Raanta could very well replace the aging King Henrik in the near future and an expansion team can never have enough entry draft picks."

"Brossoit and Subban are both very talented prospects - some teams don't have one AHL goalie of this caliber (of potential) so for Vegas to start off with two is impressive. Brossoit is more of the finished product while Subban has athletic genes. Don't be surprised to see either get NHL action this season in the desert."

On Defensemen:

"There was a rich selection of solid, solid defenders available in the draft and the Knights stocked up. No real top pairing guys of course but I think Vegas came away with a very solid group. Look for Orlov to be more involved offensively than he was in Washington - he's a real talent. Manson and de Haan are really steady eddy types which this new club will need. Solid defensively and don't make big mistakes. I think Manson in particular looks to have really good upside in this new environment where he doesn't have the depth of the Ducks' blueline to compete with."

"Scandella and Petrovic will provide toughness and they can play hockey as well. I felt like Scandella fell off a bit in the 16-17 season so a new start may do him good."

"Pouliot is a real wild-card...could be a smooth offensive talent for Vegas but could never lockdown a spot in Pittsburgh. This is his chance to shine. If he fails to though, look for the underrated Brett Kulak to continue to impress and carve out a nice NHL career for himself. Pokka and Linbohm are a couple of interesting prospects; Pokka has offensive upside as well whereas Lindbohm looks to be more of a safe stay-at-home type."

On Wingers:

"The biggest splash at the expansion draft may have been Vegas taking the bait on Ottawa leaving the perpetually streaky and disappointing Bobby Ryan unprotected. His contract is an albatross for most but Vegas can swallow it without much fuss. The former #2 overall pick is an enigma but only just turned 30 and perhaps he can revitalize his career leading the line for the Knights. That said - the real gem of the selections was Alex Killorn - who the Lightning simply had to leave unprotected due to a numbers game. Versatile, solid all-around and only 27 while signed on a nice long-term deal, Killorn now has a chance to blossom as a main threat."

"Where is the goal-scoring going to come from? Ryan is streaky and Killorn has never been the main guy. So Craig Smith was a sneaky-good selection. He's no star but a proven goal-getter who had a slightly off year and was passed by guys like Arvidsson and Fiala in Nashville. Love the Dano selection as well. Winnipeg was going to lose somebody pretty young and talented and the Knights plucked Dano. Has shown surprising jam to his game to go along with above-average creativity. I think he can be a second-line type right away for Vegas. Hansen on the other hand - he's had some good season for Vancouver but I think he is more of a 3rd line type to be honest. Asking him to provide consistent scoring on this club might not work."

"The depth guys on wing aren't all that exciting but at least Vegas skewed young perhaps a couple of the younger selections can breakthrough. Foligno is overpaid but will provide some much needed physical presence. He will never be the point-producer his brother is. Nieto and Josefson are what they are, they should be checking line regulars at the NHL level. Not a fan of Henrik Samuelsson - just don't see any upside there. Same with Rychel, now on his third team in his short career. Brock McGinn could be a checking line guy if it all works out. Leier was a good pick - not a name guy or prospect but a well-seasoned younger player with good tools who is on an upward career trajectory."

On Centers:

"Not a lot on offer in the expansion draft in terms of centers so I think they made out OK. Montreal left Plekanec exposed; he's getting old and the returns were diminishing for the cost rapidly over the 16-17 season - but he'll be a leader and the #1 center on the Vegas team. He's not that guy anymore, not even close, but it's going to have to do for now. "Bill" Karlsson was an excellent choice - victim of numbers in Columbus, where he was mostly a checking-line player. He's got the skill to do more and will be asked to do a lot more for this Vegas club."

"Glendening is totally unglamorous but he's going to add a ton of heart and hard-work to the line-up as well as a great defensive presence. Really like the choices of Nic Dowd and Gemel Smith. Younger guys just starting their NHL careers...maybe not a ton of upside but guys who are getting better all the time. I think Dowd especially can do some things...he's got some playmaking ability in him."

"The things to remember with the group of centers is that you expect probably that a center will be the top pick for Vegas in the entry draft. If a guy like Patrick goes first to Colorado - you are still looking at potentially selecting a top, top center who could be NHL-ready in Nico Hischier with that pick. That's the best building block of all."

2017 NHL Entry Draft

Vegas enters the NHL Entry Draft with the #2 overall selection after the draft lottery. They made no additional transactions that affected their draft picks so they will make one selection in each of the seven rounds of the draft. Their picks are listed below along with some commentary by TSN's Bob McKenzie.



1st Round Pick - Nico Hischier, C, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL): "After the Avalanche made Nolan Patrick the #1 overall draft pick, this was the no-brainer move for Vegas. A franchise center is usually considered the most basic franchise building block and the Knights potentially got one with Hischier. Blazing speed, high-level IQ and playmaking, really good shot - Hischier is the complete package and an exciting player to build around. While he may not be quite as ready physically as Patrick is for the NHL - I still think he's a lock to be on the Knights' opening night roster."

2nd Round Pick - Eeli Tolvanen, LW, Sioux City Musketeers (USHL): "Wow...all there is to say about this pick. The Knights grabbed a lottery-level talent at the beginning of the second round. Tolvanen is a pure sniper who had 49 goals in 59 games in the USHL and who is headed to Boston College next season unless signed by the Knights, which is a distinct possibility. His shot is NHL-ready, no doubt about it. I can't pinpoint the exact cause for his slide on draft day - his skating is not great but he can find his spots so I don't see it holding him back in the NHL. Definitely a potential 30 goal guy at some point down the road."

3rd Round Pick - Nicholas Suzuki, C, Owen Sound Attack (OHL): "A bit undersized but a tenacious, determined player with plenty of offensive skill. See him as a potential middle-6, all-around player someday."

4th Round Pick - Michael DiPietro, G, Windsor Spitfires (OHL): "Very technically sound goalie with a great attitude. Has everything you look for in a young goalie, just needs to continue getting more experience and improving. He's definitely a potential NHL starter down-the-road but goalies are very hard to predict so it will be one step at a time for DiPietro."

5th Round Pick - Antoine Crete-Belzile, D, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL): Crete-Belzile is a smooth skater with good instincts and positioning. His numbers and body of work are a bit underwhelming and he has slipped in the eyes of some but still a solid selection in round 5."

6th Round Pick - Nate Knoepke, D, USNTDP (USHL): "Knoepke is headed to the University of Minnesota next season. He's not a flashy player by any means but he's solid and steady with a good head and very good physical frame. High floor, low ceiling type he could definitely be an NHL player someday."

7th Round Pick - Vladimir Tkachyov*, Admiral Vladivostok (KHL): "Total flier pick on an extremely talented player in his last eligible year who may never come to North America. Tkachyov of course is the former QMJHL star who put up an awesome season in the KHL for a younger player (19 goals, 36 points in 49 games). Dynamic and exciting - he's the type of player who can bring people out of their seats but questions still abound about how his overall game will translate to the NHL. The problem is two-fold: he's got a KHL contract through the 2017-18 season so he can't come over immediately and then the issue is would he sign with Vegas? If they can tempt him over - could be a home-run pick."

*Note - Forsberg and company will find out later that he doesn't want to sign for Vegas and they trade his rights, see below.

2017 Summer Silly Season

Vegas made a couple of minor but important moves to start the summer off:

1) Traded Antti Raanta back to the Rangers for 1st and 3rd round picks in next year's 2018 entry draft.
- Friedman had this one pegged although the price was surprisingly high. Those should be very late picks in each round but still...Forsberg should be thrilled with the value.

2) Traded the rights of Tkachyov to Colorado for the rights to St. Cloud State defender Jack Ahcan, who was their 6th round pick in the 2017 draft.
- It's basically a flip of late rounders that were just chosen in the draft. Tkachyov refused to sign for Vegas and said he would rather extend his KHL deal but Colorado got word that he would sign in Denver. Ahcan is a tiny but skilled defender who put up great freshman numbers (39 points in 46 games from the blueline) and also made the 2017 USA WJC team. If he could just grow another couple inches - he might really be something. As it is, he's probably a long-shot but one worth keeping an eye on.

In unrestricted free agency, Forsberg had this to say: "We feel like we've got our core pretty well set through the expansion draft but will look at certain targets in unrestricted free agency. We will be looking for players who can have a long-term role for this franchise and not just short-term plug-ins." Look for Vegas to target the likes of Kulikov, Tatar, Folin and maybe even reclamation projects like Yakupov. Of course, competition for younger UFAs will be stiff. Vegas also should be busy trying to stock depth with undrafted CHL and NCAA players and AHL vets. Overall it is an extremely weak year for free agents so don't expect the likes of Shattenkirk, Bishop and Thornton to be wearing Vegas uniforms. And as a new franchise, don't expect Forsberg and company to rock the boat by going after restricted free agents either.

7/1/17 - Vegas announces the signing of Nico Hischier to a 3-year entry level contract. Hischier, 18, a Swiss native, was the #2 overall pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft and the first pick in Vegas Golden Knights franchise history. Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL retain his junior rights but Vegas GM Peter Forsberg has indicated that Hischier will be in the NHL next season.

7/6/17 - Vegas announces the signing of unrestricted free agent Tomas Tatar to a 6-year contract worth $3.86 million per season. Tatar, 26, had spent his entire career with the Detroit Red Wings. He is coming off a 2016/17 season where he had 17 goals and 30 points in 73 games. His career best effort to date was a 29 goal, 56 point season in 2014/15.

Friedman commentary: "Tatar is coming off his worst full season ever but is still only 26 and should get a prime role for what could be an offensively starved Vegas club. The term is rather long but the cap hit looks fine and the number should bounce back up even if he remains a rather streaky contributor."

7/6/17 - Vegas announces the signing of unrestricted free agent Dmitri Kulikov to a 7-year contract worth $3.9 million per season. Kulikov, 26, had 4 goals and 29 points in 82 games in his one and only season in Buffalo in 2016/17. He finished a -4 and had 42 penalty minutes.

Friedman commentary: "Wow, looks like Vegas might have some pulling power after all. Some appeal to those bright lights on the strip? Or the fact that Vegas is handing out really long-term offers? Kulikov was another highly-sought prize in free agency and like Tatar, only 26. I think he's more suited as a middle-pairing type but perhaps the Knights can create some chemistry out of a Russian top pair with Kulikov and Orlov. Starting to be a bit of a log-jam of bodies on the Vegas blueline - could they move one or two of their expansion draft choices? Stay tuned."

7/7/17 - Vegas announces the signing of unrestricted free agent Darcy Kuemper to a 5-year contract worth $2.65 million per season. Kuemper, 27, started 27 games for the Wild in 2016/17, going 8-12-6 with a 2.92 GAA. His overall record in 5 seasons is 29-33-13 with a 2.63 GAA.

Friedman commentary: "Kuemper is a solid goalie still on the younger side with great size. Once projected as a future starter, he was never really able to make that leap in Minnesota. His contract is fairly heft for a backup but gives the Knights some flexibility that they lost when the dealt Raanta back to the Rangers. He probably won't push Varlamov like Raanta would have but he'll be a solid backup option."

715/17 - Vegas trades defender Calvin de Haan to Winnipeg for a 2nd round selection and a 3rd round selection in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

Friedman commentary: "With Kulikov on board, this is the resulting action. de Haan should slot nicely on the left side of the Jets defensive along with Morrissey and Enstrom while the Knights gain two valuable draft picks."

7/21/17 - Vegas trades left winger Marcus Foligno to Nashville for a 3rd round selection in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft and a 3rd round selection in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

Friedman commentary: "With Tatar/Killorn/Dano set as the top 3 on the left for Vegas, Foligno became super-overpriced as a depth guy. Should fit nicely in Nashville though where they are lacking some depth on the left and also could use a physical presence that he provides."

8/16/17 - Vegas sign NCAA players Jordan Gross, defender, Notre Dame and Brady Ferguson, left winger, Robert Morris each to 2-year entry level contracts.

Friedman commentary: "Both Gross and Ferguson had completed their junior years and were undrafted players. Both were standouts last season in the NCAA. Gross is a flashy offensive defenseman with great puck skills and passing - he compiled an amazing 64 points in 50 games from the blueline for a powerhouse Notre Dame team in 2016/17. Ferguson is a gifted winger who also rang up big totals last year - 24 goals and 65 points in 49 games for Robert Morris."

8/18/17 - Vegas trades right winger Jannik Hansen to Los Angeles for a 4th round selection in the 2018 Entry Draft and a 4th round selection in the 209 NHL Entry Draft.

Friedman commentary: "Vegas continues to widdle down its expansion draft depth for futures. Great deal for LA who desperately need help on the right side and give up only two future mid-round picks to obtain it."

Vegas Golden Knights *Inagural Season* 2017-18 Preview

Vegas, to no surprise, has been predicted to finish 31st or dead last in the NHL in its inagural campaign by both TSN and Sportsnet.

Here is the opening day Vegas Golden Knights roster:



Here is the projected line-up for the franchise's first regular season NHL game, at home at T-Mobile Arena versus the Vancouver Canucks:



And here is the franchise depth chart to start the 2017/18 season:

[BKarchitect]

VEGAS-RELATED DOWNLOADS

Note 12/29: Updated Saved Games - One is now set to pre-expansion, the other is pre-draft (wih expansion already done). Also uploaded a new DB with Panarin's extension in place.

SAVED GAME - PRE EXPANSION VERSION

This version is saved on June 18, 2017. Vegas is still stocked with veteran unsigned (IRL) guys. To hold an "expansion draft", you'll need to add yourself as GM for other NHL teams to allow for trades of the veteran UFA's for the player you want to select in expansion. It's a bit of work but it works pretty well. You have 33 poopy unsigned guys on your team so you can pretty much do 1:1 trades...maybe the last trade is 3 for 1 to get you down to your 30 man expansion draft result. Since again, these pre-stocked Vegas players are mostly aging and are all going to be UFAs again in a couple weeks - I find the teams you trade them to just let them walk so there is no real impact on the game other than you being able to stock Vegas with an actual expansion draft roster.

Make sure to retire from the other teams as soon as you push the trades through. It will also scramble team GM's as they fill the vacancies after you take control and then retire but I don't find this has a great impact on anything.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/21fl7kk1m4onw ... N.sav?dl=0

SAVED GAME - PRE DRAFT VERSION

I've uploaded the save game for Vegas right before the 2017 Entry Draft at the link below. So Vegas will be stocked with the expansion draft results I setup in my story line and you can take control from there. You'll actually have the #1 overall pick in this save.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/b46zbq795tys0 ... T.sav?dl=0

LOGOS

You can either use my entire logo pack or selectively pick the Vegas logos out of the Huge, Large, Medium and Small folders in the NHL folder in the "clubs" logo folder. There's nothing fancy about my logos but I try to keep them up to date...newest logos include for HCB Ticino Rockets and EVZ Academy in the Swiss NLB (but since I have not updated NLB league structure yet - those clubs are in the second division/third tier for now). Please backup your existing logos folder or unrar this file somewhere else and pick and choose what to use.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/idwhg6dken6uu ... s.rar?dl=0

VEGAS DATABASE

Most people will probably want the actual database so here it is. It's my own database...I'm pretty proud of it and I update transactions nearly daily, put a lot of effort into things like future NCAA transactions and semi-realistic depth charts for major European teams and tweaking the colors of clubs and competitions (that also go hand-in-hand with the updated logo set) but it is NOT the official TBL database and my intent is not to compete with that. This DB does what I want it to for now. I have no desire to take requests or anything like that. To the contrary - feel free to take pieces and parts from it to use on your own.

Schedule Template

To that end - what you probably want most is the 31-team schedule template and alternate schedule template for the NHL. You can export them from this DB using archi's EHM 1 Editor and then import them into whatever database you use also using the editor. You'll also have to create a Vegas club and alter the NHL league structure if you want to implement them into your own DB or the TBL official DB.

A few notes for the DB itself:

- Well, first, duh - the game starts in 16/17 and Vegas I have stocked with prominent (mostly aging) guys who are not signed with anybody right now and have not officially retired to 1-year deals. Guys like Tanguay, Fleischmann, Cowen, etc. Legwand just retired so I removed him and retired him in the DB. I try to keep it updated. The point it to make Vegas irrelevant the first season, with no good trade bait and a guaranteed high draft pick in the 2017 draft.

- There is no official expansion draft mechanism. Sorry. I did my expansion draft all manually. After the 2016/17 season, I cleared up their roster of aging UFA's and forced other NHL teams to trade me one player each based on a roster created with the CapFriendly Expansion Draft Tool. See "P

- George McPhee and Kelly McCrimmon are set as Vegas GM and assistant GM respectively but no other staff set right now. If you select the add staff option upon start up, the game will fill the Vegas staff with random fake staff members.

- I have Vegas sharing Ontario with LA as an AHL farm team and sharing Utah with Anaheim as an ECHL farm team. Vegas has not yet announced their affiliate deals - they will almost surely be starting 2017/18 with a shared affiliation with some other NHL team.

- Montreal's AHL club is now the Laval Rockets as this will be happening for the 2017/18 season. I used the old Rockets logo for now since they have not released anything official.

- Ottawa's AHL club is now the Belleville Senators as this also will be happening for next season. I haven't updated the logo yet to the actual one they have released but it is essentially the Sens logo.

- Binghamton is probably going to get a relocated AHL team to replace the Baby Sens but nothing has been announced, will update when possible.

- The NHL league structure is the only one I modified. So Kunlun is in the game but they are in the VHL not KHL since I don't have those league schedules re-worked...I know people have been working on that along with the MHL so I suspect there will be some great updates for the Russian leagues coming soon from others. Swiss NLB not updated so Ticino and EVZ Academy are placed in tier 3 in Switzerland. Espoo United is in the game and in the Finnish Mestis but I had to kick one of the lesser rep Mestis clubs down to tier 3 in Finland since again, current league structure/schedule is for 12 not 13 clubs. Notre Dame is in the Big 10 Conference since that move will be happening next season. Arizona State I put in the NCHC but they don't have a conference at the moment. USNTDP is in the USHL and also has U18 and U17 affiliates that play in their "own" leagues since the USNTDP plays both in the USHL and randomly against others. Other Euro leagues have been cleaned up...like MOL Liga and Alps Hockey League but they of course are not playable right now.

Other than that - as far as bugs and crashes...I've had a few times after I save and close where the game crashes but nothing in-game as of yet. Let me know if you experience any difficulty.

Oh and this also...very important!

For some reason...I have the database.db file in the Vegas folder with the config files and all the old EHM 07 data files and that is the file I edit. But EHM won't let me start a game unless I also have the database.db file in the base "database" directory. For some reason it won't let me start a game with the DB unless that database.db is in both locations...in the Vegas db folder and in the base "database" folder that the Vegas folder is in. So every time I edit the db, I make a copy-paste in the base "database" folder as well. It doesn't effect anything that I can tell...and maybe you won't have to do it bu the archive file is setup so when you extract to the database folder, it will provide both files.

Download Vegas DB 1.2 here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kr5o88f6g3pzy ... 2.rar?dl=0

Updated transactions through 1/26/17 (Zack Smith extension, Setfan Noesen to Devils, etc)

Note: Current known bug after EHM 1.4 update - AHL and a few other leagues crash the database upon startup. The 31-team NHL will still work fine but selecting other leagues in your game may not work...will try to fix as more knowledge becomes available.

[BKarchitect]

Opening Night in Las Vegas!

A capacity crowd has gathered at T-Mobile Arena here in Las Vegas to witness history as the Vegas Golden Knights take to the ice for the first regular season NHL game in franchise history. The place is electric and the atmosphere is pure Las Vegas as the Vancouver Canucks are welcomed to town. Vancouver finished 9th in the Western Conference last season, narrowly missing the playoffs. They are led up front by center Bo Horvat and are anchored on defense by Chris Tanev and Alexander Edler. Rooke Thatcher Demko will be starting in goal for the Canucks.



First Period Action:

0:00 - The puck is dropped and Horvat wins the first faceoff in Vegas history against the Knights' Tomas Plekanec!

10:11 - The Knights' third line has been buzzing and they have the Cancuks hemmed into their own zone...Nieto with a shot! Save by Demko, rebound back out to Nieto and he shoots again...another save! A scrum in front of the net, puck squirts free and there's Nieto - he snaps a third shot in a row...it beats Demko! GOAAAAAAAAAAAL! First goal in Vegas franchise history comes from Matt Nieto with some hard work in front of the net, assists to Jacob Josefson and Marco Scandella! 1-0 good guys!

17:37 - With Karlsson in the penalty box, Vegas is trying to close out a PP chance for Vancouver. Joulevi feeds Stafford in the slot...goal. What a shot by Stafford. Game is tied 1-1, assists from Juolevi and Hutton. Darn, Vegas was 10 seconds away from closing out that PP chance.

Horn sounds to end first period.

Second Period Action:

26:26 - Manson in the box for a deserved penalty - he laid a viscous cross-check on Gaunce. Vanek attempts a backhander. Varlamov save! But big rebound, Vanek's on it and...goal. Vanek with an assist for Stecher. 2-1 Vancouver. Another PP tally.

28:01 - Knights' first line gains the zone...Hischier with speed, dish to Ryan on the right side...GOAAAAAAAAAAL! Sick shot by Bobby Ryan...just ate the young rookie goalie up with that bomb. Assists to Niiiiico Hischier and Marco Scandella! That lead didn't last long, Knights tie things back up 2-2!

29:45 - Killorn in the box now for clipping...he gets a full 5 minute major for a very blatant and dangerous clip. Vegas PK has look disorganized. Daniel Sedin with a shot...deflects off Manson and right to Horvat. Goal. No chance for Varlamov. Horvat had a clean look at goal after the deflection. Assists to Sedin and Hutton. 3-2 Canucks...another PP goal and still with a major penalty to kill. Vegas has to be smarter.

34:32 - Plekanec gets hooked by Stafford and it puts the Knights on the PP. Let's see if they can even things up. Pleks with a great shot! Oh...no! So close, looks like Tanev made a brilliant play to knock the puck down mid-air with his stick. That would have been a goal! Knights keep the puck in the Canucks zone...Pleks with another shot...hits Eriksson and falls to Bobby Ryan...shot...GOOOOOOAAAAAAAL! Ryan with his second of the game ties things up again. We are 3 apiece now in a thrilling back-and-forth match. Plekanec and Orlov with the helpers. Let's go Knights!

Horn sounds to end the second period.

Third Period Action:

45:38 - Ugh, Canucks back on the power play...Orlov sits for a trip. I don't know about that call, Stafford went down awfully easy. Knights PK has been a complete mess. Bartschi with a shot...blocked by Kulikov! Wow, that's going to leave a mark...Kulikov right back up...what toughness by the Russian defender. Horvat with a shot! Goal. Looks like Varly had a piece of it but the puck still got by him. Hutton and Bartschi with the assists. The 4th power play marker of the night for Vancouver as the Vegas penalty killers are just out-of-sorts.

56:13 - Vegas has been buzzing about but have nothing to show for it this period. Oh no...Eriksson with a breakway for Vancouver, he's clear on goal, he goes inside-outside...and...goal. He squeezed that one by Varlamov on a great individual effort. All Eriksson there. 6-4 Canucks. That may be game folks.

Time winding down...looks like Vancouver to hold on but the crowd gets up and is standing and cheering the effort by their Vegas Golden Knights! They got their money's worth in a high-scoring, entertaining game and Vegas certainly played hard and at times looked dangerous. It will go down as a loss but other than the PK, there's a lot to be happy about.

Horn sounds to end the game.

Game Recap:

[BKarchitect]

A First Victory!

The Golden Knights hosted the Dallas Stars in their second ever game Saturday night and came away with the first win in franchise history in front of a packed hometown crowd! A back-and-forth game was tied 2-2 after regulation and went to a shootout where Varlamov was brilliant for the Knights and captain Tomas Plekanec beat Kari Lehtonen in the 8th round of the shootout to secure the historic triumph!

[BKarchitect]

Knights Slay the Kings!

In an absolutely epic match at home against a team who could become the Knights' most hated medieval nemesis, goals were flowing as freely as blood did back in that era. A whopping 7 goals were scored combined in the first period alone. The Kings blazed out to a 3-0 lead after 6 minutes of play before the Knights quickly pulled two back to make the score 3-2 after just 8 minutes! The Kings would go on to lead after the first period 4-3.

After that? All Knights baby! The Knights would strike 3 times in the second period and add another in the third to make it 5 unanswered goals after being down 4-2. The King is dead! Six different Knights scored with Kerby Rychel, inserted into the lineup for the first time this season, grabbing 2 goals.

These Knights have been pure fun to watch this year and have lived up to the entertainment reputation of the city they call home!

[BKarchitect]

post out of chronological order

[BKarchitect]

Vegas Update 2017/18 Season - After Game 8

Let's take a look at Vegas team progress after the first 8 games of their existence. I will do periodic updates about every 8 games in addition to highlighting certain games as I have done above.

So after 8 games in the books, Vegas sits at 4-4-0 with 8 points. They have scored 26 goals and allowed 27 goals. They appear to be starting things off as a distinctly average 0.500 type team which is, for an expansion franchise, a terrific start.

Currently middle of the pack in the Pacific:



And clinging to the 8th seed in the Western Conference in the way, way too early playoff standings:



Here's a look at player stats:



Some items of note:

- Orlov is shining in his new, expanded role as #1 defender. The defender is leading the team in points, tied for first in average rating and leading in minutes played per game. He's been a real horse - setting up the offense and maintaining a positive influence defensively.

- Tomas Tatar leads the team in goals with 4 and also in shots on goal and has tied Orlov for top rating but the Knights have been getting a group effort in terms of scoring with 16 players having already chipped in just 8 games into the season.

- Derrick Pouliot is making the most of his last, best chance. The talented puck mover is averaging big minutes and really driving the offense.

- Marko Dano is only playing 12 minutes per game and his 3 points doesn't stand out but he's been a really effective third line player as his rating attests to.

- Alex Petrovic has been benched most of the season in favor of Brett Kulak. While Kulak lack's Petrovic's experience and toughness - he's a much better puck mover and Vegas instantly looked better when he was inserted into the lineup after the first game, in which Petrovic struggled.

- Alex Killorn, despite good ice time, has thus far failed to live up to expectations as a breakout star. He has seen rookie Nico Hischier inserted ahead of him on the top line and top power play unit at left wing. Hischier has responded well - still adapting and not setting the world on fire but performing admirably for such a young rookie.

- UFA signing Dmitry Kulikov has also seemingly struggled in terms of rating but he's been the defensive counterbalance to Orlov and defensive standouts are rarely fairly judged - so as long as he and Orlov continue to soak up big minutes as an effective top pairing, it's hard to complain too much.

- In net, Varlamov has struggled as the Knights give up heavy shots total defensively. Darcy Kuemper has been very effective in 2 starts, Vegas winning both, and we might look for the workload to shift a little more equally in the future if Kuemper can maintain his effectiveness.

[BKarchitect]

For the Thrill of It!

The Knights continue their magical ways at home with an epic come from behind victory over the powerful St. Louis Blues at T-Mobile Arena. Down 3-1 in the second and down 3-2 with only 10 seconds left in regulation, center Nic Dowd lifted a puck past Jake Allen to tie the game at the buzzer! A little over 3 minutes into OT, William "Bill" Karlsson found himself alone on a break-away chance against Allen and buried it for the victory as the fans at T-Mobile went nuts!

[BKarchitect]

Vegas Update 2017/18 Season - After Game 16

After 16 games, Vegas sits at 10-6-0 with 20 points. They have scored 50 goals and allowed 42 goals. The Knights have really hit a good patch, winning 3 straight and going 6-2 in their last 8 games.

Currently still middle of the pack in the Pacific:



But the Pacific appears really tough this year and only 3 teams in the West have collected more points to this point:



Here's a look at player stats:



Some items of note:

- Wow...the Vegas 3rd line is really starting to dominate. We told you last update that Dano was playing really well despite not collecting a huge amount of points. Well, he's got 5 goals and 10 points in his last 8 games and his linemates Craig Smith and Nic Dowd have also been on a tear. The trio now are 1-2-3 in Vegas scoring and Dano has an astounding 7.75 rating.

- Tatar meanwhile has 0 goals in his last 8 games, again highlighting the streaky nature of his game. However, Alex Killorn is starting to pick up the slack while Bobby Ryan is tied with Dano in team lead in goals with 6 tallies. In the same vein as Tatar, Orlov has only 1 point in his last 8 games after leading the team in scoring earlier in the season.

- Bill Karlsson has been sneaky good with 9 points and a +7 while Pouliot continues to shine with a blueline-leading 9 points and a 7.56 rating.

- After a sluggish start, Varlamov has been lights out lately but the story is still Kuemper, who, in 6 starts, is still undefeated with a 6-0 record and 1.98 GAA.

- After scoring the first goal in franchise history - Matt Nieto has played 47 regulation periods without a second goal.

[BKarchitect]

Kings & Knights...Much Watch Hockey!

The Kings and Knights put on another epic and entertaining clash for fans Friday night at Staples Center in LA. The game entered the 3rd period knotted at 2 apiece. Tanner Pearson gave the Kings the lead at the 4:16 mark of the period but just 26 seconds later, Tomas Tatar tied things at 3. Marko Dano then gave the Knights the lead with less than 8 minutes left...but 23 seconds later, Pearson struck again. The game would eventually go to a shootout where captain Tomas Plekanec gave the Knights another victory over their rivals.

[BKarchitect]

Vegas Update 2017/18 Season - After Game 24

Now 24 games deep into the season, Vegas continues to defy the odds but have also now faced their first stumbles of the season, enduring a 4-game winless stretch while losing their #1 defender Orlov for a week. The Knights now sit at 12-8-4 with 28 points. They have scored 71 goals and allowed 65 goals.

Still holding on to 4th in the Pacific bu the point difference between 1st and 5th is only 4 so the pressure is on everybody:



Likewise, in the Western Conference overall standings, parity reigns:



Here's a look at player stats:



Some items of note:

- The Knights continue to get contributions from all three top lines. When one is cold, another seems to get hot. Nobody is on pace for a huge scoring season but 10 players are producing at a 40+ point pace. In this past set of games, the third line cooled down but the top 2 picked it back up.

- Time to shine a light on rookie sensation Nico Hischier. He now leads Vegas in scoring with 17 points in 24 games and also leads all NHL rookies in scoring at the moment.

- Bobby Ryan has now taken over the team lead in goals with 9. Dano and Tatar have 8 each while Killorn has now chipped in 7.

- Another recap, another shout out to defenseman Derrick Pouliot who continues to shine. 16 points in 24 games with a +8 while averaging 21:03 a night and a team-leading 7.75 rating. He has really blossomed since leaving Pittsburgh and arriving on the Strip.

- Varlamov is really finding a groove after a rough start to the year. His GAA is now 2.82 and he's finally gotten his save % back to 0.900. Kuemper is now 8-0 with a 1.97 GAA.

- Bill Karlsson is now pointless in 9 games. The team will be expecting a bit more from him overall but for now the scoring by committee is hiding the cold streaks of some players.

[BKarchitect]

***Breaking news***

Dowd suffers partially-torn ACL

Knights center Nic Dowd has been diagnosed with a partially-torn ACL and underwent surgery Saturday. Dowd sustained the injury in the Knights' 4-0 win over the Wild on Thursday. Dowd, 27, has 6 goals and 12 points in 24 games this season as Vegas' third line center and is second on the team at +12 - although he has had only 1 point in his last 8 games. Dowd has been placed on long-term injured reserve.

Brock McGinn has been called up from Fresno to fill his roster spot with Jacob Josefson and Luke Glendening perhaps competing to fill the third line center role. Another possibility will be Nico Hischier moving to his natural center position from left wing to give the club more center options.

[BKarchitect]

Struck by Lightning

The Knights suffered their worst loss in franchise history at Tampa Bay on Sunday evening. With Nic Dowd hurt, the newly assembled top line of Nico Hischier centering Bobby Ryan and Alex Killorn got Vegas started well enough when Ryan struck 2 minutes in to give Vegas the 1-0 lead. From there is was all Tampa as the impressive Lightning attack simply overwhelmed Vegas. Tyler Johnson and Jonathan Drouin each scored twice, Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov added one each and Victor Hedman had 4 assists (with Drouin also completing a four point night) as all the big guns were clicking for the Lightning.

The loss also put a screeching halt to Darcy Kuemper's undefeated run and raised his GAA from 1.97 to 2.41 in a single night.

[BKarchitect]

Vegas Update 2017/18 Season - After Game 32

A dismal last few weeks for Vegas as the Knights collect only 2 wins in their last 8 games and now at 14-13-5 with 33 points. They have scored 90 goals and allowed 95 goals, marking the first time all year, outside of game one, that their goals against has outweighed their goals for.

Not surprisingly, the club have fallen down the Pacific Division pecking order:



And if they don't turn things around soon, a playoff spot will quickly slip from view:



Here's a look at player stats:



Some items of note:

- The Knights new top line of Killorn-Hischier-Ryan looks like a good thing. Ryan in particular has been heating up with 5 goals in his last 8 games.

- Pouliot.

- Craig Smith has 13 points in his first 16 games. He has 3 points in his last 16 games. The loss of Dowd to injury has not helped; Dano got promoted to an all Czech-Slovak second line with Plekanec and Tatar but Smith has languished next to the equally slumping Karlsson on the third line.

- The bloom is off Kuemper who has put in a couple stinkers subbing for Varlamov lately. Any chance he had at creating a starting goalie controversy seems to have passed.

[BKarchitect]

***Breaking news***

The Vegas Golden Knights have completed a trade with the Nashville Predators.

Going to Nashville are right wing Craig Smith, defenseman Alex Petrovic and right wing Henrik Samuelsson.

Headed back to the Strip are right wing Calle Jarnkrok, right wing Austin Watson, defender Anthony Bitetto, center Vladislav Kamenev and a 2nd round pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

Smith, 28, had 5 goals and 19 points in 33 games for Vegas and heads back to the club from which the Knights' plucked him in the expansion draft. Petrovic, 25, was pointless in 3 appearances for Vegas while Samuelsson, 23, was playing for Vegas' AHL affiliate Fresno.

Jarnkrok, 26, had 2 goals and 6 points in 31 games for Nashville. Bitetto, 27, had 5 points in 17 appearances on the Predators' blueline. Watson, 25 and Kamenev, 21 had spent the season thus far playing in the AHL with Milwaukee.

The following is analysis from Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman:

"I think this is a solid deal for both sides. Smith and Petrovic have more proven resumes and will help the Predators compete this year. Each is a clear upgrade over the player going back to Vegas - Jarnkrok and Bitetto. Smith will slot back in at second line right wing in Nashville and probably feel right at home and look for Petrovic to be the #5 defender in the Predators' depth chart defensively, adding size and toughness."

"The upshot for Vegas is gaining some depth and extra assets. Smith had been struggling recently to score so while Jarnkrok's scoring record is far less impressive - he might see a boost with more ice time on Vegas. And since Petrovic frankly wasn't playing very often, Bitetto should be perfectly suitable in the #7 defenseman role. Kamenev is a solid prospect with some upside while Watson is a meat-and-potatoes type grinder. The Knights have not been happy with their 4th line contributions so this may give them some additional options to tinker with. Perhaps most valuable for the Knights is getting an additional 2nd round pick in the next draft. They also shed a bit of salary."

[BKarchitect]

***Breaking news***

The Vegas Golden Knights have completed a trade with the St. Louis Blues.

Going to St. Louis are left wing Jacob Josefson and center Luke Glendening.

Headed Las Vegas are center Tommy Wingels and the rights to center Tanner Kaspick, currently playing for the Brandon Wheat Kings in the WHL.

Glendening, 28, had 2 assists and no goals in 26 games for the Knights serving as the 4th line center and a penalty killing specialist. Josefson, 26, had 2 points and no goals in 10 games as an extra forward.

For St. Louis, Wingels, 28, had compiled no gals and 6 assists in 34 games and was an unsightly -19. Kaspick, 19, is captain for the Brandon Wheat Kings where he has 21 points in 35 games.

The following is analysis from Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman:

"Well, you're talking about an exchange of three 4th line type players who have a combined 0 goals in a combined 70 games so let's be real - the impact of this trade will probably be pretty minimal. While Wingels is probably the best of the three overall (versus Glendening and Josefson), he's also having the poorest season with a really bad -19."

"Kaspick is an interesting prospect for Vegas...he projects as a low-floor, low-ceiling type checking line player at the professional level. He's got good leadership and teamwork qualities, works hard and is a demonic forechecker with just enough talent to chip in a few goals. "

[BKarchitect]

Vegas Update 2017/18 Season - After Game 41 - Halfway Home!

After a lousy November and first half of December, the Knights have seemingly pulled themselves out of that tailspin with 4 wins on the trot and 6 wins in their last 8 games. They head to the halfway point and into 2017 with a respectable 20-15-6 record, with 121 goals for and 119 goals against.

The Pacific continues to be a dog fight...Vegas has given themselves some breathing space in 5th place but will need to track down the like of LA and Calgary if they are to make a playoff push:



And the Western Conference at the halfway point:



Here's a look at player stats:



Some items of note:

- Halfway through and Bobby Ryan, Marko Dano and Nico Hischier half established themselves as the offensive leaders of the team. Ryan is on pace for a very productive 30 goal, 60 point season while Dano is just a hair off that pace and Hischier is on track for well over 50 points as a rookie.

- Killorn and Tatar are tied for third on the club with 12 goals each and should each pass the 20 goal mark this year with ease although both continue to be streaky in that department.

- Pouliot continues to lead the defensive core offensively with Orlov and Kulikov doing the heavy lifting. Brett Kulak has been a bit of a revelation - he's got 16 points and is a +8.

- The lower lines have started to chip-in offensively and have been much more effective since younger players like Kerby Rychel and Brock McGinn have been getting more opportunities. McGinn has chipped in 5 points in 17 games since getting called up while Rychel has been a pest with a surprising touch around the net since getting promoted to the third line - he now has 10 goals with 5 coming in his last 9 games.

- Calle Jarnkrok has been amazingly effective since being acquired from Nashville. He's got 4 points in 8 games as a Knight and is a whopping +9 in those 8 games as he, Rychel and Karlsson have turned the third line into an asset once again.

- Varlamov and Kuemper have been just good enough in goal. Varlamov has been pretty steady for most of the year, if not spectacular as the main man. Kuemper had that amazing start, then went ice cold but has turned it around with some good performances as of late and his 9-3-1 record is still impressive.

[BKarchitect]

***Breaking news***

The ISS has just released their mid-term rankings for the upcoming 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

Rasmus Dahlin, the much talked about Swedish defender for Frolunda in the SEL has been ranked #1 according to the ISS with dynamic Russian winger Andrei Svechnikov, currently with Muskegon of the USHL right behind him at #2. Dahlin and Svechnikov have been at the forefront of this deep class for a couple years now and are seen as can't-miss prospects.

Coming in at #3 on the list is talented Russian playmaking center Alexander Khovanov, already a regular with Ak Bars in the KHL. Super goalie prospect Jakub Skarek, already twice a WJC participant for the Czech Republic and the starting goalie for Jihlava in the Czech WSM Liga (second league) comes in at #4 with Canadian center Joseph Veleno from Saint John in the QMJHL at #5. Veleno has been in the public eye for years and has 43 points in 37 games this season.

Another QMJHL center, Benoit-Olivier Groulx of Halifax checks in at #6 on the ISS list. Dynamic Canadian defender Ryan Merkley from the OHL's Guelph Storm is #7. Slovakian sniper Milos Roman, who has 12 goals in 22 games for the KHL's Slovan Bratislava is #8 while Czech winger Filip Zadina, now playing for Kladno in the Czech Republic is #9. Rounding out the top 10 is Swedish center Isac Lundestrom who plays for Lulea of the SHL.

The top ranked Americans are all from the USNTDP - defender Quinton Hughes (Michigan commit) is #12. Fellow defender Bode Wilde (Harvard commit) is #15. After being extremely hyped earlier in their careers, forwards Jake Wise (BU commit) and Oliver Wahlstrom (Harvard commit) look unlikely to be able to challenge for the very top of the draft but they come it at a very solid #17 and #19 respectively on the ISS list.

With Veleno and Groulx out of the QMJHL and Merkley from the OHL in the top 10, the top WHL prospect is seen as Spokane's defender Ty Smith, who checks in at #13.

In an exceptionally weak year for Finns, the only player from Finland in the top 100 is Assat center Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who comes in at #30. That leaves more Swiss players in the top 100 (Philip Kurashev at #36 and Nando Eggenberger at #66) than there are Finnish players.

Full top 31 below:

[BKarchitect]

***Breaking news***

Lightning suffer huge blow as Kucherov suffers torn ACL

Superstar Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov has been lost for the season and faces at least 8 months on the shelf after under-going surgery to repair a torn ACL. Kucherov had 25 goals and 48 points in 43 games so far this season, ranking him 4th in the NHL in goals and 3rd in the entire league in points.

With Stamkos (45 points) and Drouin (43 points) still leading the way, the Lightning will still have a formidable attack but will need more secondary scoring from the likes of Tyler Johnson (20 points in 43 games) and Ondrej Palat (17 points in 38 games) as they try to keep pace with the Rangers and Maple Leafs atop the Eastern Conference.

[BKarchitect]

Vegas Update 2017/18 Season - After Game 49

The Knights played fairly well to start the new year but got only 2 wins to show for it. Vegas is now 22-19-8 with 144 goals for and 143 goals against.

The Knights remain in 5th place in the Pacific:



And just outside the playoff picture:



Here's a look at player stats:



Some items of note:

- Hischier and Ryan continue to pace the club offensively but Dano has hit a cold streak.

- Wingels debuted for the Knights on the 4th line, collecting 1 assist and posting an impressive +4 in 3 games.

[BKarchitect]

***Breaking news***

Interest in Bobby Ryan growing?

Various sources are reporting that teams have been contacting Vegas GM on the availability of winger Bobby Ryan. Ryan, 30, is having a resurgent season as a key cog for the expansion Vegas Golden Knights. The power winger has 19 goals and 37 points in 51 games. Among the teams that appear to be interested are the San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks and Ryan's former team, the Ottawa Senators.

It remains to be seen whether the Knights will consider moving Ryan as they surprisingly sit just outside the playoff picture in the West and a playoff run in their maiden campaign would be a monumental feat. In addition, any team considering a deal for Ryan must take on his hefty contract.

[BKarchitect]

Vegas Update 2017/18 Season - After Game 57

Vegas had a productive second half of January, going 5-3-0, to remain firmly in the playoff picture discussion. Overall, the Knights sit at 27-22-8 with 165 goals for and 162 goals against.

No change in the Knights' standing in the Pacific - they continue to try and make up ground on rivals LA for 4th.



In the West, they sit at a 3-way tie for 8th with 62 points with LA having the tie-breaker and 1 game in-hand. Vegas has 2 games in-hand on Chicago.



Here's a look at player stats:



Some items of note:

- Ryan has 5 goals in his last 8 games and now leads the team in both goals (23) and points (42). This will further inflame trade rumors suggesting Vegas will consider moving their star for future assets in order to build sustainable long-term success.

- Alex Killorn continues to benefit from synergy with linemates Ryan and Nico Hischier and after a slow first half of the season, he's really stepping up with 11 points in his last 16 games - the type of production the Knights were expecting all along.

- On the opposite side, Derrick Pouliot has only 4 points his last 16 games and has cooled off considerably since his red-hot start. He remains a vital cog to the Knights' offense and transition game however.

- After Ryan's 23 goals, there is a 4-way tie for 2nd place in team goal scoring between Hischier, Killorn, Dano and Tatar. If Ryan is indeed dealt this month at or before the deadline, it will take a committee to replace his goals.

[BKarchitect]

2018 WJC

A little out of chronological order but a quick recap of the 2018 WJC!

Group Stage:
- Canada won Group A with a flawless 4-0 record. The Czech Republic came in a solid second with Finland a disappointing 3rd place. Germany edged Latvia to avoid the Relegation Playoff.
- Sweden edged the USA to take 1st in Group B. Surprising Switzerland edged disappointing Russia for 3rd while Norway landed in the Relegation Playoff.

Relegation:
- Latvia crushed Norway to avoid relegation while Norway got relegated to Division 1.

Quarterfinals:
- Canada crushed Russia 6-0. 2017 #1 overall pick, Nolan Patrick (Colorado) starred with 2 goals and 3 points. Taylor Raddysh (Tampa Bay) added a goal and assist and Ian Scott (Montreal) posted a 22-save shutout. Cody Glass (Toronto), Tyson Jost (Colorado) and Gabriel Vilardi (Detroit) also added goals.
- In a big surprise, gritty Finland dumped heavily favored USA out with a 2-1 win with 2018-eligible Niklas Nordgren grabbing the game-winner with under 3 minutes to play. Finnish goalie Niilo Halonen turned away 25 of 26 USA shots. The Americans goal came from Joey Anderson (New Jersey) on a sweet feed from Kieffer Bellows (NY Islanders).
- Sweden beat Germany 3-1 but were made to work for it. Lias Andersson (Vancovuer) and Rickard Hugg (San Jose) each had a goal and an assist while Filip Gustavsson (Pittsburgh) was sharp in net against a surprisingly effective German attack. 2018 uber-prospect defender Rasmus Dahlin also added a goal for Sweden. Denis Miller scored Germany's loan tally.
- In the most exciting game of the quarterfinals, Switzerland edged the Czechs 3-2 in overtime, with Marco Miranda the hero for the Swiss. Axel Simic and 16 year-old Davos prospect Corsin Luthi also netted for Switzerland. The Czechs got goals from Ondrej Najman (Calgary) and Daniel Kurovsky.

Semifinals:
- Canada improved to 6-0 in the tournament with an 8-2 route of Finland. Jost and Robert Thomas (Toronto) added 2 goals each, Patrick had a 3 point night and goals also came from Vilardi, Mason Shaw (Dallas) and Austen Keating (Washington). Kristian Vesalainen (New Jersey) had actually given Finland a 1-0 lead and would later add a 2nd goal but in the end it was not nearly enough.
- Sweden beat the Swiss 4-1 in the other semifinal. The young Swiss started off brightly with a goal from another 16 year-old on their team, Fabrizio Buhler but after that it was all Sweden with 2 goals from Jesper Boqvist (Arizona) and tallies from Axel Jonsson Fjallby (Washington) and Tim Soderlund (Tampa Bay). Lias Andersson added 2 assists.

Finals:
- Canada entered the finals against Sweden as the overwhelming favorites with an undefeated record. In the first period, Fabian Zetterlund (Edmonton) struck for Sweden and Keating scored for Canada. Linus Lindstrom (Calgary) gave Sweden the edge in the second period. Filip Gustavsson and his stout defensive led by Dahlin then shut the door on powerful Canada and 16 year-old prodigy Noel Gunler, not eligible until the 2020 draft, added the icing on the cake as Sweden took the title 3-1.

Vegas Prospect in the 2018 WJC:
- Vegas had two prospects participating in the WJC. Eeli Tolvanen was expected to be both one of Finland's and the entire WJC's brightest stars but was a big disappointment, scoring only 1 goal and 0 assists in 4 games. Nate Knoepke represented the USA and although he went scoreless in 5 games, he was stout defensively with a +4 and was very solid on the third pairing and penalty killing unit.

[BKarchitect]

***Breaking news***

The Vegas Golden Knights have completed a trade with the Phialdephia Flyers.

Going to Philadelphia is goaltender Semyon Varlamov.

Headed Las Vegas is right winger Pascal Laberge.

Varlamov, 29, has been the starting goalie for Vegas, going 16-18-7 in 41 starts while posting a 2.63 GAA and 0.914 save percentage.

Laberge, still just 19, had been the Flyers 4th rated prospect and was the 36th overall selection in the 2016 draft .

The following is analysis from Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman:

"Forsberg is taking a risk here, although the value was good. Vegas is aimed squarely at a playoff spot and a big reason why is Varlamov who has been stellar that last couple of months. Dealing him for future talent and trying to make the playoffs is like trying to eat your cake and have it to. Look for this to hurt the Knights' chance at the post-season"

"The Flyers are wrestling for position in the Eastern Conference playoff picture and GM Jeff Gorton has not been happy with the performances of Steve Mason (0.893 save%) and Michael Neuvirth (0.900 save%) so Varlamov will bolster the goaltending position. Look for Mason or Neuvirth to be dealt as a consequence of this deal"

"Laberge is a talented prospect who projects as a tenacious, all-around middle six type winger. He could challenge for a spot on the Vegas roster as soon as next season. Darcy Kuemper will take over the starting goaltending position for Vegas where he has a terrific record as backup while either Laurent Brossoit or Malcolm Subban will be promoted as backup."

[BKarchitect]

***Breaking news***

The Vegas Golden Knights have completed a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning

Going to Tampa Bay is defender Petteri Lindbohm.

Headed Las Vegas is defender Libor Hajek.

Lindbohm, 24, has been playing for the Fresno Falcons in the AHL.

Hajek, 20, is playing for Saskatoon Blades in the WHL.

The following is analysis from Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman:

"Essentially this deal boils down to Tampa Bay acquiring an older prospect who is more ready to contribute for a younger one with more upside headed to Vegas. Lindbohm could provide immediate depth for the Lightning along the blueline while Hajek is likely a few years out from seriously making an impact at the NHL level."