Team: 2019-20 Vegas Golden Knights

Initial Creation Date: Jun. 3, 2019

Published: Jun. 5, 2019

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

Overview of the team before moves: Cap Hell. Solid team, but no money to pay for it. The team can compete with this core though, so most of the changes can be depth players.
EXPLANATION OF MOVES:
Haula is the most obvious player to move. He lost his spot on the 3rd line to Eakin, but could still thrive in that role in a new environment. The Avs have ample cap space, even after re-signing key players such as Kerfoot and Rantanen. Haula will give them a bit more depth down the middle or can shift to wing as well. Nieto only has 1 year left on his contract but is a cheaper depth option for what will be a reconstructed 4th line. Glass will get the opportunity to make the team on the 4th line in a defensive role. I'll have to pay someone to take an overpaid Reaves off my hands. Obviously no contender will have the cap space, but a rebuilder will. I've chosen the Redwings in this case, but any rebuilder will do and I am willing to move down a few rounds in the draft to remain a contender. Karlsson has proved he can handle a top 6 role, but he did regress a tad, so his raise isn't going to increase as much as it could have had he been nearly point/game again. Gusev is talented and produced mightily in the KHL, so I've essentially given him a decent bridge deal to see how his game translates. Despite a career year, Eakin has to be moved out for a cheaper third line center, unless Fleury is going to play every game. Any team interested in Eakin will likely be employing him as a 4th line center or maybe 3rd liner for more defensive teams. I think Eakin will be a good fit with the Isles, as they emphasize defense and puck battles in their bottom 6 group and will likely be moving on from Filppula. Ho-Sang is a RFA this summer and doesn't seem to be in the Isles' plans. A change of scenery could do him some good, and he'll have the chance to make an impact on the NHL roster as a depth player. Speaking of Filppula, he'll have a chance to win once again in a bottom 6 role. Vegas likes to have real defensive centers who can skate well and Filppula, even at 35, fits the bill pretty well. His experience could also help put Vegas over the top and he has shown he can perform on the top lines when one of the top centers gets hurt. My next objective is to acquire a backup goaltender. I'm targeting Brossoit from Winnipeg, as Comrie seems poised to take the backup spot after a good year in the AHL. Zykov will go the other way to give the Jets a cheap depth option at forward, as they are quickly running into cap issues themselves with several key young players coming off their ELCs in the next season or two, including Laine, Connor, and Niku. Next up, Heed will be signed to serve as the team's 7th defenseman. Heed should be one of the more reliable depth defenseman after posting a plus 9 in 40 games last year with the Sharks and also provides a much needed right hander on the back end. I'm also going to add some depth players on two-way deals. I'll simply list these players and their positions. Forwards: Agozzino, Nolan, Tangradi. Defense: Bartkowski, Oleksy, Reinhart. Dansk will serve as the third goalie should there be an injury to Flower or Brossoit.

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