Quoting: tormundgiantsbane
Yeah I hated the Pacioretty trade for Vegas, but I agree the Stone trade makes sense for them (and anyone). I guess I'm just more inclined to watch a team buikd through the draft - winning with homegrown talent is more satisfying plus you get anywhere from one to three years of ELCs when you draft and develop.
The Rangers made the mistake of trying to build through trades/free agency in the 2010s... they made it to an ECF and a SCF, but they didn't stand a chance of winning either time. It was really a combination of luck and easy opponents. I've been much happier with the Rangers since 2018 when they started their rebuild. I have more faith in this young, struggling team than I ever did a team led by an aging Gaborik, Richards, and Nash.
I think people love the idea of building a team from scratch, because it's more video-game-ish.
I mean, it's certainly fun to think about the idea of Vegas having Suzuki, Glass, Brannstrom and Hague (plus fringy prospect Jake Leschyshyn) just from the first two rounds of their original draft, plus the fact that if they hadn't moved 22OA in 2018 for Brassard (Pending UFA), and Reaves (I guess he's terrifying...) they'd also potentially have K'Andre Miller.
Just a quick glance at the trades that they've made, in addition to those 6, Veleno was also available when Detroit used Vegas's pick from the Tatar trade.
I do think that Vegas is a team that's built to contend for a while though, which is also pretty cool (But bad for my Ducks, who have to share a division with them...)