McPhee and Loathing in Las Vegas: The Expansion Draft

Who should the Bruins protect with their 3rd Defenseman slot?

  • Colin Miller (1M/year, RFA after next season)

    Votes: 59 85.5%
  • Kevan Miller (2.5M/year, 3 seasons left, then UFA)

    Votes: 10 14.5%
  • Adam McQuaid (2.75M/year, 2 seasons left, then UFA)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    69
  • Poll closed .

twothousandone

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He could also just select both players and trade one, or both. The Red Wings list is pretty damn awful. An old Kronwall, Mrazek and that's about it.
I think MAF's NMC is waived for the expansion draft only. Vegas can't move him elsewhere without his approval. I think.
 

cshea

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Everything I've read has Fleury staying in Vegas and will essentially become their first face of the franchise. Mrazek could be be flipped, if chosen.
 

Greg29fan

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Bob Mac says they're also taking James Neal but may trade him

and Methot from Ottawa (Pierre LeBrun)
 

cshea

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That's dumb. Hope for a McQuaid selection?

Our scribes are doing a good job sniffing out the Bruins selection.
 

PedroSpecialK

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Tough to imagine why nobody wants to give them any scoops...



Pictured: Joe Haggerty and Jimmy Murphy at NHL Awards
 

cshea

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Tomas Nosek (DET), JF Berube (NYI), Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (PHI) appear to be Vegas bound. No Mrazek claim.

Edit: Also Oscar Lindberg from NYR, not Raanta. Some goalie intrigue with them passing on Raanta and Mrazek.
 

MiracleOfO2704

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Nothing makes sense about the Detroit pick unless there was a deal. Abdelkader being protected over Nosek is a head scratcher.
Abdelkader's Michigan born, went to Michigan State, came up through the Red Wings system, and has been a loyal middle-6 forward for the team since day 1. It's the Kevan Miller situation on steroids.
 

cshea

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That and Kenny Holland lost his best fastball years ago.

Deryk Engelland is the pick from Calgary. UFA, don't know if he's staying or it's a throwaway pick. If it's the former, that probably shuts the door on McQuaid.
 

PedroSpecialK

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Well, it'll be fun seeing Toronto give up a 3rd rounder for him and facing him in their top four a half dozen times a season.
 

Salem's Lot

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Sweeney and Neely showing they still have no idea what they're doing. God is that moronic
Management is still valuing the wrong things. Even if you like Kevan more than Colin, get rid of the redundant player and at least clear a contract THEN trade Colin if you don't like him. And there's a good chance at 29 that that playoff series is the best that Kevan Miller is going to play.
 

TFP

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I mean it sucks to lose him, but he's a bottom pairing defenseman on this team. I'm not sure he'll provide that much more value than Kevan. The only reason I preferred keeping him to Kevan was that he had a unique skillset that was tough to find.

There was no way the Knights were taking McQuaid, unfortunately. If only they didn't have the Backes NMC...
 

BoSoxFink

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I mean it sucks to lose him, but he's a bottom pairing defenseman on this team. I'm not sure he'll provide that much more value than Kevan. The only reason I preferred keeping him to Kevan was that he had a unique skillset that was tough to find.

There was no way the Knights were taking McQuaid, unfortunately. If only they didn't have the Backes NMC...
He's only only 24 and d men develop later while Miller is already 29
 

TFP

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Let's not forget that Kevan can play a competent LD, which they need. I'm sure that factored into it too. Who knows, maybe Cassidy didn't like Colin or his teammates disliked him, maybe he's uncoachable and an asshole, there could be other things factoring into it that we don't know.

That said, I would have kept Colin too. I just don't think it's a ridiculous choice or an indication that they don't know what they're doing.
 

TFP

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He's only only 24 and d men develop later while Miller is already 29
Your point?

They have Carlo and McAvoy for the next 3-5 years. Colin Miller ain't going to be better than them no matter what.
 

BoSoxFink

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Your point?

They have Carlo and McAvoy for the next 3-5 years. Colin Miller ain't going to be better than them no matter what.
My point is I think Colin Miller will end up a far better player than Kevan ever was. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's my opinion. He's still developing
 

TFP

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Sure in 3 years maybe you're right. And maybe you're not, as you admit. But that doesn't help them next year, whereas I do think Kevan will be more valuable to them next year. But it's far from a sure thing and it's certainly a defensible decision. This isn't in "trading a 3rd for Rinaldo" territory.

Glad to see you've backed down from "moronic" to "maybe I might actually be wrong about this". And this coming from someone who agrees that they should have protected Colin.
 

TFP

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Glad to see you've moved from hating Kevan to thinking he's useful :)
This would be a different conversation last offseason. I've consistently said he played well this past year and changed my opinion of him.
 

cshea

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I found this amusing. Still can't figure out FLA's angle, they're losing both Marchessault and Smith.


Edit: McKenzie now saying he thinks FLA is trimming the budget. To move Smith's contract, they needed to include Marchessault.
 
Last edited:

lexrageorge

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I'd argue it was a case of Neely/Sweeney valuing the short term need over who may develop as the better player longer term. And they may have figured Colin Miller was going to start getting expensive in a year.

I'd still call the move sub-optimal, but hardly in the Rinaldo/Seguin/Hamilton/Joe Thornton territory either.
 

TFP

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I'd argue it was a case of Neely/Sweeney valuing the short term need over who may develop as the better player longer term. And they may have figured Colin Miller was going to start getting expensive in a year.

I'd still call the move sub-optimal, but hardly in the Rinaldo/Seguin/Hamilton/Joe Thornton territory either.
There an non-zero chance he goes the Kampfer/Bartkowksi/Hunwick/Warsofsky/Morrow route too of skilled defensemen who never really pan out. It's not 50/50, but it's not zero either.
 

burstnbloom

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This Colin Miller thing is so frustrating to me. You have three redundant assets for the right side of the bottom pair. They have different skill sets but all are vying for the same spot. One is 24, makes $1 mil and then is an rfa. One is 29, makes $2.5 mil for three years and the third is 30 and makes $2.75mil. You can argue that one is better than the other or is a better fit, whatever, but with th upcoming roster crunch and influx of young kids, roster flexibility and cap space are hugely important. Of the three assets, I would argue they protected the one that provides the least amount of flexibility and lost the one with the most trade value. They could easily move Colin to another team if they wanted to. Can they do that with Mcquaid and Kevan. I don't know but they are probably stuck with one of them, Kevan, most likely, playing their off side.

It isn't a big deal or the end of the world but it speaks to the rudderlessness of this front office and makes me feel like they don't have a plan.
 

The Mort Report

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I understand players change teams and all that "business" stuff but under no circumstance do I ever want to see Bergeron in another sweater