OT: VGK and Erik Karlsson - No. 1 Defenseman in NHL?

[XFactorRebel]

Possibly the best defenseman in the NHL today.

Vegas has a very good shot at landing him IMHO. I'd say it's down to Dallas and Vegas. This would be a HUGE piece for the next few years as long as we don't give up too much in draft picks and/or young development players (like Cody Glass - I believe us not trading Glass is why he wasn't a VGK in Feb after the trade deadline). I hope they don't trade Glass myself and find another way, kid is too good and will be a power player in a couple years.

Here are some reasons I think we have an edge over the rest

1) No state tax, we can offer millions LESS than any other team, and he will still take more money to the bank.
2) I believe we are 19-30M in capp space, one of the best in NHL today.
3) Ultimately, Erik wants off the Senators, he wants to win. They offered him $80M 8 year deal and he turned it down.

What are your thoughts?

 

[LuvMeSomeRebs]

Landing Karlsson would be huge for the Knights, but I'm hearing that the Lightning have entered the mix now too, however I'm also hearing that Dallas is very close, but Ottawa wants top prospect Miro Heiskanen and Dallas doesn't want to give him up.I

No offense VGK fans but I'm pulling for Tampa to get him. I'm a Sabres fan and our arch rival just got Tavares so I need Tampa to be extra good. The Sabres just drafted the best defensive prospect since Bobby Orr, but we're still a couple years away from competing.

 

[calvegas04]

We will most likely miss out on him as we would have to give up too much for him

 

[RebelScrub]

I think everyone bounces from VGK..

They been to the mountaintop. Time to make more money with other teams

 

[j. spilotro]

I think everyone bounces from VGK..

They been to the mountaintop. Time to make more money with other teams

Don’t know about that so much.

No state taxes is a huge plus here.

They seen wild support and became rock stars. Yeah, that only happens when you win big. But it the reaction had to be as eye popping to them as their season long performance was for the fans.

If I’m a player, similar money doesn’t make a difference. It would take a decent chunk better - and depending on the individual, a better personal “fit” to a city (lifestyle, homes/communities, weather, etc).

 

[Moscurry91]

The Sabres just drafted the best defensive prospect since Bobby Orr, but we're still a couple years away from competing.

Hyperbole much?
I think EK to Vegas is dead and I'm kind of glad because we would have basically mortgaged any future to get him. Would he have been the piece to bring the cup to Vegas? If so It would have been worth it, I guess. But that is an alternative universe.

 

[XFactorRebel]

Hyperbole much?
I think EK to Vegas is dead and I'm kind of glad because we would have basically mortgaged any future to get him. Would he have been the piece to bring the cup to Vegas? If so It would have been worth it, I guess. But that is an alternative universe.

I can see that too. Would we give up Glass and picks to obtain EK for the CHANCE at a cup quicker? In McPhee I will trust. He did build this years Stanley Cup champs as well. Can't deny it'd be exciting though.

 

[LuvMeSomeRebs]

Hyperbole much?
I think EK to Vegas is dead and I'm kind of glad because we would have basically mortgaged any future to get him. Would he have been the piece to bring the cup to Vegas? If so It would have been worth it, I guess. But that is an alternative universe.

Hey, that's something I've heard several times before the draft, at the draft, and after the draft. If you've watched Dahlin as close as I have or as close as the "scouts", you'd understand why they say that. Dude is legit. During the draft the "experts" on TSN said he was a combination of Nik Lidstrom and Erik Karlsson, again, not my words, theirs.

 

[Moscurry91]

Okay, but the 'Experts' are paid to dispense hyperbole. Comparing the kid to the GOAT is placing a large amount of undue pressure on him. He does, after all, play in Buffalo...

 

[LuvMeSomeRebs]

Nobody compared him to Bobby Orr, they just said he's the best defensive prospect, key word - prospect, since Orr. You'd just have to watch this kid play, he's only 18, but he plays the game like he's a highly skilled seasoned vet. The Sabres have struggled recently, but we now have 3 of the brightest young stars in the game, Dahlin (18), Casey Middlestadt (19), and Jack Eichel (21).

 

[XFactorRebel]

Nobody compared him to Bobby Orr, they just said he's the best defensive prospect, key word - prospect, since Orr. You'd just have to watch this kid play, he's only 18, but he plays the game like he's a highly skilled seasoned vet. The Sabres have struggled recently, but we now have 3 of the brightest young stars in the game, Dahlin (18), Casey Middlestadt (19), and Jack Eichel (21).

I also think (C) Glass is going to be a serious weapon for Vegas. Thus why every trade offer seems to get countered to include Glass, that HAS to tell us something.

 

[LuvMeSomeRebs]

The Knights have some really good young players like Glass and Nick Suzuki as well. Suzuki has been lighting it up in the OHL and he looked very good in pre-season last year.

 

[Moscurry91]

I'm not a huge believer in prospects. If Glass is the reason McPhee didn't trade for E Karlsson, then he had better be a highly impactful player. I mean, All-Star caliber player. Prospects are basically trade bait, based on potential only. Scoring a bunch in the OHL means very little. I want these kids to be great as much as anyone, but right now, they are basically developing on schedule. No more, no less.

 

[XFactorRebel]

I'm not a huge believer in prospects. If Glass is the reason McPhee didn't trade for E Karlsson, then he had better be a highly impactful player. I mean, All-Star caliber player. Prospects are basically trade bait, based on potential only. Scoring a bunch in the OHL means very little. I want these kids to be great as much as anyone, but right now, they are basically developing on schedule. No more, no less.

A lot are believing Cody is, in fact, that caliber player, showing at a VERY high level. Though I am not disagreeing with the prospect statement, my thought is, many believe EK would only be a few year deal, and then move on once he obtained his first cup, and we'd have lost Cody Glass in the process, possibly also Suzuki as mentioned above, we'd have paid a BIG price IMHO, it'd be 4 years with EK, be a top 2-3 team (IF he stays healthy and doesn't have a downturn), or keep our young guns, and be a top 5 team for a decade +. Keep in mind, this is coming from a guy (me) who has been drooling at even the CHANCE of landing Erik. Glass on the other hand, even if at only 60-75% of his proposed potential and what he currently shows, can be a top 10 1st line center for years to come. 1st overall draft for the WHL, the 6th for the NHL. He continues to show big improvement in camps consistantly. He is already consuming 1.7M$ in cap space currently, and I expect this to be a contract and a significant increase after this coming season or next.
The other thing I like, oh my God is he a crafty passer and so good at setting up opportunities. Something other than defense we sorely missed in the finals. The season before he was drafted by VGK, he had 32 goals and 62 assists (I believe) then 37 and 65 for 102 points the following, even in the WHL, that's big numbers, at least I think it is. Anyhoo, here's some video.





Get to know Cody while you're at it:

 

[XFactorRebel]

At the end of the day, time will tell and we shall see.