The expansion rules where fine just other teams where really dumb on what they did and Mcphee did a good job getting undervalued players and getting assets.
You mean the other teams as in the ones who already existed? As Vegas are the first teams to have the benefit of these rules. But if you mean teams where dumb in who they protected, there is only so much you can do considering how few players they could protect. That's sort of the point!
But of course, fair enough you think they where fine but the point is they where specifically changed to make the team instantly competitive, the league said as much, it was their reason for doing it. And yep, its fine that you are ok with that, many are! Maybe it's a sporting culture thing, as of course in the NHL there is no league structure, whereas many of us here are brought up with teams having to work their way up through a league structure. So there is something so fake to me about what happened with Vegas. Because they where able to draft top 4 defencemen and some top 6 forwards, due to the changed rules. The NHL basically picked a spot, and dropped a competitive team in there, it just didn't sit well with me, but like I say, that's just me. Added to the fact I am not impressed that Vegas where given a team, and I hate what Bettman did over the years with not helping teams in hockey hotbeds, while gleefully moving those teams or giving teams to places like Atlanta, Phoenix, Raleigh and Las Vegas.
But indeed credit where it's due to the GM, because being given such a ridiculous kick start doesn't mean it'll actually work. So he did do an excellent job as did the coach. But I wish Vegas nothing but shit luck going on and I hope they fold in a few years. The NHL needs retracting, not expanding.
Anyway, sod Vegas, they are done for the season.
Onto the conference semi finals, it's been a crazy playoffs so far. I shall be mostly cheering Columbus and Dallas in these next rounds cos of some Rangers connections
