After 17 years, the NHL is once again having an expansion draft. The Vegas Golden Knights are getting ready to select their team and have a plentiful list of players to pick from.
It wasn't always that way when the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild both were in the expansion draft. The rules were more restrictive and with an expansion fee of $80 million at the time compared to the $500 million, it makes sense why the Golden Knights are given a little more leeway.
As a fun exercise, let's compare the two sides. The inaugural Blue Jackets roster and the mock roster for the Golden Knights should illustrate just how different the two teams are at their inception.
Forwards
Golden Knights:
The perceived weakness of this team will be with the forwards. Looking at the exposed players from other team's, most of the stand outs are on the back end or in net. Nonetheless, great players are still available to be selected. Players like James Neal, Ryan Strome and Jonathan Marchessault are able to be picked. These are legitimate top-six forwards that can disrupt a game.
They'll also have a bevy of young forwards to pick from that will allow them to grow internally as well.
Blue Jackets:
This would like be considered the strength of the inaugural Blue Jackets team. Players like Geoff Sanderson, Tyler Wright and Steve Heinze were great selections in the expansion draft but don't really compare to the high end ability that is in the 2017 version. Where the Blue Jackets found value was in European players looking for their shot in the league. David Vyborny and Espen Knutsen stuck around past the first year and were solid contributors in their time.
After the top five or so forwards on the team scoring drops drastically. Depth was a real issue and it couldn't be helped given the rules of the expansion draft.
Edge: Golden Knights
Defense
Golden Knights:
It has been reported that the Golden Knights are looking to select plenty of defensemen and deal from a position of power in the days ahead. The players that are exposed are young, skillful and offensively-gifted. Matt Dumba, Sami Vatanen and Marc Methot are all options here. These type of players (trades not withstanding) should be able to step in at the top of the Golden Knights defense and give them a powerful unit immediately.
Blue Jackets:
Names like Deron Quint, Lyle Odelein and Mattias Timander don't strike fear into your opponents but each had prior experience in the league. Odelein had been around the block before while Quint and Timander were the spring chickens. Jamie Pushor and Jamie Heward helped with some offensive output as well but none of them reached the offensive highs of any future Golden Knights.
Edge: Golden Knights
Goalie
Golden Knights:
Marc-Andre Fleury seems to be the consensus starter for this team but they'll have plenty of options. Antti Raanta, Michael Neuvirth, Petr Mrazek and Eddie Lack all could be selected. Mrazek and Lack have spotty records as starters, yet possess potential a new franchise craves. Raanta and Neuvrirth are career back ups that are looking for an opportunity. All could be good starters some day with Fleury being a slam dunk from a marketing and fan perspective.
Blue Jackets:
None of the goalies the Blue Jackets selected in the expansion draft would end up playing for the team. They brought in Marc Denis and Ron Tugnutt. Two completely different players. Tugnutt the wily veteran and Denis the youngster still learning the ropes. Tugnutt posted a .917 save percentage when the league average at the time was a .903. That is impossibly good and a main reason why the Blue Jackets weren't such a tire fire in their first year.
Edge: Golden Knights (slight edge)
Coaching and Front Office
Golden Knights:
George McPhee and Gerard Gallant are the main men in the Golden Knights picture.
McPhee was a key part of the Washington Capitals' teams we now know today being with the team for the better part of the 21st century, he knows what a winning team looks like. Building one from scratch may be a different story.
Gallant has coached for plenty of teams including the Blue Jackets and Panthers. His approach and work ethic has won over many around the league giving him a great opportunity in Vegas.
It is too early to rate or put any stock into other front office and coaching hires until the games are played. Their hiring of Ryan Craig as an assistant is compelling as well as bringing in Tom Poraszka, the former founder of General Fanager.
Blue Jackets:
General Manager Doug Maclean will always notoriously be linked with the Blue Jackets, even though he had a moderately successful campaign with the Florida Panthers. Going in, the red flags weren't as big as they are now surrounding him. Hindsight is now 20/20 but it was considered a solid hire at the time.
Similarly to Maclean, Dave King was considered a good hire. His previous tenure with the Calgary Flames led to multiple playoff appearances.
Edge: Golden Knights
Overall: Golden Knights
The Golden Knights and Blue Jackets obviously have plenty of differences. The adversities that each organization had to face to get in were completely different. Money is the main motivator there but it doesn't change the fact that regardless of the financial aspect, the players are now much better.
Many worried about dilution in the early-2000's and they may have had a point. Now the 11th best player on most teams is good enough that multiple NHL teams want to give up high draft picks to protect them. It is a different game in that respect.
The early Blue Jackets should be used as a cautionary tale as well. In multiple areas it looked like the team had shored up a weakness before it fell apart. The draft is no cakewalk either.
Blue Jacket fans are only seeing consistent winning now. A lot can change and the anarchy of the league won't always tip in their favor. It's a lesson fans of expansion franchises should take to heart.
