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Vegas Golden Knights: Expansion Draft Florida Panthers

By Michael Joubran

LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 21: Jonathan Marchessault is selected by the Las Vegas Golden Knights during the 2017 NHL Awards and Expansion Draft at T-Mobile Arena on June 21, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 21: Jonathan Marchessault is selected by the Las Vegas Golden Knights during the 2017 NHL Awards and Expansion Draft at T-Mobile Arena on June 21, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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The Vegas Golden Knights are the newest NHL team. Over the next month I will take a look at why they took who they did from each NHL franchise.

The Vegas Golden Knights are the 31st NHL franchise. As an expansion team they were allowed to take one player (who was eligible to be drafted) from the other 30 NHL teams. Each team was able to protect either seven forwards, three defenceman and one goaltender or eight skaters and one goaltender. The full rules can be found here. The thirteenth team we are going to look at is the Florida Panthers.

Florida Panthers

The Panthers did not make the playoffs last season, but they had a couple of good options for the Knights. The Golden Knights could have gone down the future hall of famer path and draft Jaromir Jagr or Roberto Luongo.

Jagr is second all-time in points behind only Wayne Gretzky. If Vegas wanted a mentor for their team then Jagr would have been the way to go. His work ethic is outstanding and despite being 45, he is still able to play in the NHL. With that being said, Jagr was a UFA so it is not a shock that they decided not to take him. The actual shock is that Jagr is still a free agent with only a couple of more weeks before preseason starts. If I was Vegas, I would sign Jagr to a short-term deal in order for him to help the younger guys transition into the league.

Luongo is still a good goalie in the NHL, but his age has finally started to show. With him being 38 years old, it will not be long before he retires from the league. While he could have been a good backup for the team, his contract of $5,333,333 – $800,000 is retained by the Vancouver Canucks – until 2022 is not very interesting.

The Knights decided to draft Jonathan Marchessault, which I think was the best choice. On top of Marchessault, Vegas acquired Reilly Smith for a fourth round pick in the 2018 draft. Marchessault scored 30 goals last season and could help lead Vegas offence. Smith scored 15 goals, but had a down year last season, he could jump back up to 20 or more goals. Also, Marchessault has a season remaining on a $750,000 contract. Smith has five years remaining, making $5,000,000 per year.

What Other Options Did They Have?

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Two future hall of famers were available in Jagr and Luongo. On top of them being available, Vegas could have gone with Thomas Vanek or Jason Demers.

Vanek has had his ups and downs but he still knows how to put the puck in the net. He is still a very strong skater and could have been a good addition to Vegas’ lineup. He was a UFA though, meaning that he could have left the team for nothing if he wanted to. Considering he signed with the Vancouver Canucks, it was a smart decision to not draft him.

Demers would have been a solid choice for the Knights. He shoots right and could play in the top four. Considering their lack of right-handed defenceman, Demers could have been a good pick for the team. He is a good skater and makes smart defensive plays. However, with Marchessault available, Vegas could not pass on the opportunity to have a 30 goal scorer on their team.

Overview

Jagr and Luongo could have been great mentors for the Knights, but their ages do not fit with Vegas’ long-term plans. Also, Vanek and Demers could have been solid choices by Vegas, but in the end it was not meant to be. In my opinion, Marchessault was the best choice for the Knights. At the age of 26, he is in the prime of his career. On top of that, he has one more year on a very cheap $750,000 contract. I can see him being a part of the Golden Knights’ long-term plans. His offensive abilities are his best attribute but he is able to play on the penalty kill making him a very good two-way player.

Next: Shea Theodore Looking To Hit Stride

Overall, Marchessault is a great player and will be a key piece to Vegas’ core.

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