Anatomy of a Champion - the 2018-19 Vegas Aces Wild
Apr 8, 2019 2:34:42 GMT -5
Moscow Red Army, Vegas Aces Wild, and 1 more like this
Post by Asbjørn Nygård on Apr 8, 2019 2:34:42 GMT -5
ANATOMY OF A CHAMPION
by Asbjørn Nygård
The VegasGolden Knights Aces Wild have won the 2018-19 Dynasty Hockey League (DHL) Championship. This is the first title for the team that was an original expansion team having taken over for the defunct Toronto Toros in Year Two and renaming the team the Gravol Datsyuk.
Owner/GM Tony Ashbee would immediately turn the team around going from 11th place in 2011 to a fourth place finish in 2012 followed by a Whalers Conference title in 2013. That success proved hard to continue though as the Datsyuk lost their magic in 2014 and plummeted to a ninth place finish.
The team was relocated the following offseason and the Vegas Aces Wild were born. The gamble paid immediate dividends as Tony guided his team to a second place finish losing a heartbreaking tie in the championship to three-time Wuest Memorial Trophy winner Adam “I Run This League…No, I Mean I RUN This League” Luker. The following season, in 2016, Vegas finished in sixth place and in 2017 he dropped to seventh.
This season, though, Vegas shot his shot and came up with a bullseye. The regular season was a breeze as he went an amazing 18-1-3 with the only loss coming to the Nebraska Buffalo in Week 20. So how did his roster get built? Let’s take a look at each player on his roster and how he acquired them – a new segment we’re calling “Anatomy of a Champion”. We’ll go through each position listing the players in order of their contribution to the Vegas Aces Wild championship season.
Forwards:
1. Steven Stamkos – Trade with St. Roch Hawks in December, 2018
Taking advantage of an owner that was an early season seller Tony was able to be the first vulture on the corpse and as a result he got the best meat. Stamkos played in 47 games for Vegas and scored 62 points, was a +7 and had 131 shots. This was a big trade for Tony and it made him strong not only this season but for years to come as Stamkos is signed for two more years at the bargain price of $38.
2. Connor McDavid – Trade with Penzance Pirates in December, 2018
On the same day he acquired Stamkos Tony also acquired McDavid. This was an unprecedented haul of talent that undoubtedly set the course for him to win the title. He gave up a lot to get them (total of two 1st round picks, two 2nd round picks, three 3rd round picks, four prospects and cash in future years) but it was clearly worth it as he still has Stamkos and McDavid next year…and the year after that…for a total of just $46 and $50, respectively. McDavid had a ridiculous 67 points in just 44 games for Vegas and will be a core piece of his title defense next season.
3. Tyler Seguin – Free Agent in 2016
This was the second of two huge free agent signings Tony made (see below) and it came the same year he lucked out and got the 1st overall pick (see below). Seguin has been great every year for Vegas and this year was no different as he led the team with 334 shots to go along with 33 goals and 80 points. Despite being called out by Jim Lites Seguin has been great for Tony for three years now and he still has him for another two seasons.
4. Leon Draisaitl – Trade with, ironically enough, Morweena Reimnoceri in August, 2015
Setting the table for himself years in advance Tony was able to get Draisaitl from Morweena in exchange for two 1st round picks and a stud defensive prospect. It was a steep price to pay but one that clearly paid dividends. Draisaitl led the team with 50 goals and 105 points this season and cost Vegas just $5 against the cap - easily the biggest bang for the buck in the league this season. As is the case with each of the players listed so far Tony retains Draisaitl for another two years at the bargain price of $8 and $12, respectively.
5. Mark Scheifele – Trade with Quebec Bulldogs in August, 2018
Before the season began Tony had already begun the blockbusters by getting Schiefele AND a draft pick AND $5 in cap space in exchange for two prospects and a draft pick. Schiefele is a free agent this summer but served his purpose with 84 points in 82 games and leaves Vegas a champion.
6. Alexander Radulov – Trade with Morweena Reimnoceri in August, 2017
This was a big trade at the time as Radulov, Matt Duchene, Valentin Zykov (see below) and three draft picks made their way to Vegas in exchange for Phil Kessel, Oscar Klefbom, Pavel Zacha, Tomas Hertl, $15 and a draft pick. Radulov is a UFA this summer but, like Scheifele, leaves Vegas a champion. These trades would come back to haunt Alex and Morweena.
7. Jamie Benn – Free Agent in 2015
Like his teammate Seguin, Benn was lured to Vegas with a huge payday but he was the first splash into free agency for Vegas and has paid dividends ever since. While 53 points in 78 games isn't great when you pay so little for McDavid and Draisaitl you can afford to have an underachieving player. He’s signed for one more year at $50 – or $4 more than he’ll pay Stamkos and McDavid, combined.
8. Auston Matthews – Drafted 1st overall in 2016
Thanks to some divine intervention in the draft lottery process Vegas, who finished as the runner-up in the league in 2015-16, ended up with the #1 overall pick the following summer and wisely chose Auston Matthews. Matthews had 73 points in 68 games for the Aces Wild this season and has done nothing but give them incredible production for a total of $3 thus far in his DHL career.
9. Jeff Skinner – Trade with St. Roch Hawks in December, 2018
Skinner was a part of the Stamkos trade and unfortunately for Tony he bought high on this one. In 43 games for the Aces Wild Skinner had 14 goals and 25 points, far fewer than the 25 goals and 37 points he gave St. Roch in 35 games before the trade. Skinner is a UFA this summer but, like Scheifele and Radulov, he leaves Vegas a champion and will surely get a huge raise from his bargain salary of $10 this summer.
10. Boone Jenner – Trade with Quebec Bulldogs in September, 2013
It was a minor deal at the time but it’s worked out well for Vegas as Jenner has been a source of cheap depth and production for six years now. Jenner’s Entry Level Contract (ELC) expires this summer so like Scheifele, Radulov and Skinner he’ll leave Vegas a champion.
11. Bryan Rust – Trade with Moscow Red Army in February, 2019
Rust was a trade deadline acquisition and a cheap one at that. In addition to Rust Vegas was able to get a defenseman (see below) and a 3rd round pick in 2019 in exchange for Roman Polak, Cody Ceci, Jesse Puljujarvi and a 2nd round pick. Rust is a UFA this summer so like Scheifele, Radulov, Skinner and Jenner he’ll leave Vegas a champion.
12. Andreas Athanasiou – Drafted 44th overall in 2016
2016 may be remembered as the year that Vegas added Matthews and Seguin but in the 4th round of the draft that year he let his love for the Red Wings show by taking speedster Andreas Athanasiou. He has been a great source of cheap production and depth ever since and has three years left on his ELC.
13. Nick Ritchie – Trade with Camarillo Kings in August, 2015
Back in 2015 there was what appeared to be a very lopsided trade made as Vegas sent three prospects, a 4th round draft pick and $8 in cap space to Camarillo to get Nick Ritchie. Sadly Ritchie is a useless player but he did somehow find his way into the lineup 56 times this season and has three years left on his ELC.
14. Danton Heinen – Drafted 51st overall in 2016
Like Athanasiou this pick may have been overlooked at the time but it’s proving to have been an impactful one. This was actually a deferred pick that Tony used in October of 2016 and Heinen played 61 games for the Aces Wild this season. He still has four years left on his ELC.
15. Jordan Greenway – Drafted 12th overall in 2018
Just last summer Vegas had three 1st round picks and the third of them was used to take Jordan Greenway who was immediately inserted into the lineup. Greenway played 29 games for the Aces Wild this year and has five years left on his ELC.
16. Brett Howden – Drafted 59th overall in 2018
Once again Vegas shrewdly used his deferred draft picks to get a late round steal. This time it was the final pick of the draft and he didn’t claim Howden until November 27th but he put him to use in the championship playing him for two games the final week of the matchup. He has five years left on his ELC.
17. Valentin Zykov – Trade with Nebraska Buffalo in January, 2018
Zykov was a minor part of a larger trade – one that didn’t work out too well for Vegas, but he found his way into the lineup two times this season. He has six years left on his ELC but is not an impact player in any way.
18. Max Comtois – Drafted 58th overall in 2018
Vegas claimed that he drafted this player “mostly cuz it's funny to have a Honka & a Comtois on the same roster”. That said, it was a steal. Comtois is one of the top prospects in the sport and even played four games for the Aces Wild this season. He has six years left on his ELC.
19. Jordan Kyrou – Drafted 17th overall in 2017
This was Vegas’ third pick of the 2017 draft and while Kyrou only played four games for the Aces Wild this season he was part of a DHL championship, his future is strong and he has six years left on his ELC.
Defenseman:
1. Jacob Trouba – Trade with Haukiputaan Ahmat in July, 2018
This was a shrewd move to get the final year of Trouba’s ELC in exchange for a prospect. Even better is that Tony was able to also get a 3rd round pick and $6 in cap space in the trade! Looking back this was a steal and Trouba’s 50 points were a big reason this team was able to win the title. Trouba is a UFA this summer so like Scheifele, Radulov, Skinner, Jenner and Rust he’ll leave Vegas a champion.
2. Victor Hedman – Free Agent in 2017
Hedman was one of the most coveted free agents of the summer of 2017 but it was Vegas that was able to sign him to a $28 / 5y / $140 deal and he was a big part of their success in the regular season this year as he led all Aces Wild blueliners with 53 points. Sadly missed for most of the championship it shows how deep this roster is that they didn’t need him to win. He’s got three years left on his contract.
3. Rasmus Ristolainen – Trade with Minnesota 5-Holes in August, 2017
As part of a blockbuster that was all about Vegas shedding some salary he dealt Drew Doughty, Colton Parayko and Brandon Carlo to Minnesota for Ristolainen, Julius Honka (See Comtois) and Justin Faulk. Faulk and Honka are gone but Ristolainen is still there and he’s a bruiser! He led all Aces Wild players with 232 hits and led all defensemen with 181 shots. Add to that his 42 points and it’s easy to overlook that he was a -40 on the year. Ristolainen has one year left on his ELC contract.
4. Thomas Chabot – Drafted 7th overall in 2017
Vegas had one 1st round pick in 2017 but he used it wisely to get this stud defenseman. No doubt a few of the teams that passed on Chabot would like a chance to re-draft but it’s Vegas that has him for another four years on his ELC and he was a big part of the DHL championship this season with 52 points – good for second among all blueliners.
5. Radko Gudas – Trade with Moscow Red Army in February, 2019
Gudas was part of the trade deadline deal with Moscow that also brought Rust to the team. For a team that wasn’t deep on defense Gudas rounded things out nicely and brought a physical edge. Gudas is a UFA this summer so like Scheifele, Radulov, Skinner, Jenner, Rust and Trouba he’ll leave Vegas a champion.
6. Zach Werenski – Trade with Dynamo Atlanta in August, 2016
This trade was billed by Dynamo owner Saul as “a trade surely to rock the very fabric of the DHL” and while he was probably joking he ended up being right. Ironically enough Jacob Trouba was one of the players Vegas traded away but in that trade he got Werenski and a 5th round pick in 2016…which he used to select Danton Heinen. Werenski was a solid player for Vegas all season long with 161 shots, 42 points and over 22 minutes of ice time a night. He has three years left on his ELC.
7. Ivan Provorov – Trade with Catalina Wine Mixer in February, 2016
Provorov came to Vegas as part of a blockbuster that saw him send Alex Ovechkin out of town in return for two prospects (Provorov being one of them) and two draft picks. It’s worked out in the long run for Vegas as Provorov played 79 games for him this season and has three years left on his ELC.
8. Damon Severson – Trade with Quebec Bulldogs in November, 2016
This was a big deal at the time as it sent Victor Hedman to Quebec along with Steve Mason and two draft picks. In return Vegas got $12, Severson, Robby Fabbri and two draft picks. The move paid off this season as Severson played in 64 games for the Aces Wild as a solid depth defenseman, he was able to get Hedman back in free agency and Severson still has three years left on his ELC.
9. Michal Kempny – Free Agent in 2019
Kempny was signed to a 1-year deal at the trade deadline and played eight games for the Aces Wild before getting injured. Kempny is a UFA this summer so like Scheifele, Radulov, Skinner, Jenner, Rust, Trouba and Gudas he’ll leave Vegas a champion.
Goalies:
1. John Gibson – Drafted 9th overall in 2013
One of the best things the Gravol Datsyuk team did was draft John Gibson with their first 1st round pick in 2013. Since then he’s quickly become an affordable, reliable stud goalie and he was the one guy that was there all season long for the Aces Wild this year. Gibson got 42 starts for Vegas this year, far more than the other four combined, and had a SV% of .919 in the process. He has one year left on his ELC so he’ll be back between the pipes for Vegas next season to help them defend their title.
2. Jordan Binnington – Trade with St. Roch Hawks in February, 2019
Originally Vegas tried to sign Binnington as a midseason free agent but St. Roch owner Doug brilliantly used his cap space to sign the stud goalie and then started a bidding war between two playoff bound teams to get $14 in future cap space. The move was well worth it for Vegas as Binnington was tremendous for him down the stretch playing in 14 games, winning 11 of them with a .922 SV%. Binnington is a UFA this summer so like Scheifele, Radulov, Skinner, Jenner, Rust, Trouba, Gudas and Kempny he’ll leave Vegas a champion.
3. Linus Ullmark – Trade with Nebraska Buffalo in July, 2018
Taking advantage of a guy that was desperate to unload contracts Tony was able to get Ullmark and two bad contracts (that he quickly dealt away) in return for Linus Soderstrom. Ullmark played 11 games for the Aces Wild this season including a start in the championship that was so bad it almost cost him the title. But in the end all’s well and Ullmark has four years left on his ELC.
4. Laurent Brossoit – Free Agent in 2019
In an attempt to get more goalie depth Brossoit was signed to a one-year, $2 deal in January and went on to play six games for the Aces Wild. Brossoit is a UFA this summer so like Scheifele, Radulov, Skinner, Jenner, Rust, Trouba, Gudas, Kempny and Binnington he’ll leave Vegas a champion.
5. Louis Domingue – Free Agent in 2019
Like Brossoit this was a desperate attempt to get some goalie depth. Domingue only played one game for the Aces Wild but it was a good one – a win with a 2.00 GAA and .917 SV%. Domingue is a UFA this summer so like Scheifele, Radulov, Skinner, Jenner, Rust, Trouba, Gudas, Kempny, Binnington and Brossoit he’ll leave Vegas a champion.
So there you have it – that’s how the 2018-19 Wuest Memorial Trophy champion Vegas Aces Wild built his roster from top to bottom. Nine of the players were drafted by Vegas, 18 of the players were brought in via trade and six of them were signed as free agents. The lesson? Draft well, sign free agents that actually perform well but most of all - make shrewd trades. If you can do all that as well, and as consistently, as Tony Ashbee has done it then maybe you, too, can win a DHL Title.
Will Vegas be able to maintain this success and join Morweena and Moscow as repeat champions and the elite of the league? Or will Vegas fall back to the pack and join Nebraska and Simi Valley as fluke champions that simply got lucky for a couple of weeks at the right time? Time will tell. For now, though, Vegas wears the crown and hosts the Wuest Memorial Trophy after a dominant year and a much deserved championship.
-30-
by Asbjørn Nygård
The Vegas
Owner/GM Tony Ashbee would immediately turn the team around going from 11th place in 2011 to a fourth place finish in 2012 followed by a Whalers Conference title in 2013. That success proved hard to continue though as the Datsyuk lost their magic in 2014 and plummeted to a ninth place finish.
The team was relocated the following offseason and the Vegas Aces Wild were born. The gamble paid immediate dividends as Tony guided his team to a second place finish losing a heartbreaking tie in the championship to three-time Wuest Memorial Trophy winner Adam “I Run This League…No, I Mean I RUN This League” Luker. The following season, in 2016, Vegas finished in sixth place and in 2017 he dropped to seventh.
This season, though, Vegas shot his shot and came up with a bullseye. The regular season was a breeze as he went an amazing 18-1-3 with the only loss coming to the Nebraska Buffalo in Week 20. So how did his roster get built? Let’s take a look at each player on his roster and how he acquired them – a new segment we’re calling “Anatomy of a Champion”. We’ll go through each position listing the players in order of their contribution to the Vegas Aces Wild championship season.
Forwards:
1. Steven Stamkos – Trade with St. Roch Hawks in December, 2018
Taking advantage of an owner that was an early season seller Tony was able to be the first vulture on the corpse and as a result he got the best meat. Stamkos played in 47 games for Vegas and scored 62 points, was a +7 and had 131 shots. This was a big trade for Tony and it made him strong not only this season but for years to come as Stamkos is signed for two more years at the bargain price of $38.
2. Connor McDavid – Trade with Penzance Pirates in December, 2018
On the same day he acquired Stamkos Tony also acquired McDavid. This was an unprecedented haul of talent that undoubtedly set the course for him to win the title. He gave up a lot to get them (total of two 1st round picks, two 2nd round picks, three 3rd round picks, four prospects and cash in future years) but it was clearly worth it as he still has Stamkos and McDavid next year…and the year after that…for a total of just $46 and $50, respectively. McDavid had a ridiculous 67 points in just 44 games for Vegas and will be a core piece of his title defense next season.
3. Tyler Seguin – Free Agent in 2016
This was the second of two huge free agent signings Tony made (see below) and it came the same year he lucked out and got the 1st overall pick (see below). Seguin has been great every year for Vegas and this year was no different as he led the team with 334 shots to go along with 33 goals and 80 points. Despite being called out by Jim Lites Seguin has been great for Tony for three years now and he still has him for another two seasons.
4. Leon Draisaitl – Trade with, ironically enough, Morweena Reimnoceri in August, 2015
Setting the table for himself years in advance Tony was able to get Draisaitl from Morweena in exchange for two 1st round picks and a stud defensive prospect. It was a steep price to pay but one that clearly paid dividends. Draisaitl led the team with 50 goals and 105 points this season and cost Vegas just $5 against the cap - easily the biggest bang for the buck in the league this season. As is the case with each of the players listed so far Tony retains Draisaitl for another two years at the bargain price of $8 and $12, respectively.
5. Mark Scheifele – Trade with Quebec Bulldogs in August, 2018
Before the season began Tony had already begun the blockbusters by getting Schiefele AND a draft pick AND $5 in cap space in exchange for two prospects and a draft pick. Schiefele is a free agent this summer but served his purpose with 84 points in 82 games and leaves Vegas a champion.
6. Alexander Radulov – Trade with Morweena Reimnoceri in August, 2017
This was a big trade at the time as Radulov, Matt Duchene, Valentin Zykov (see below) and three draft picks made their way to Vegas in exchange for Phil Kessel, Oscar Klefbom, Pavel Zacha, Tomas Hertl, $15 and a draft pick. Radulov is a UFA this summer but, like Scheifele, leaves Vegas a champion. These trades would come back to haunt Alex and Morweena.
7. Jamie Benn – Free Agent in 2015
Like his teammate Seguin, Benn was lured to Vegas with a huge payday but he was the first splash into free agency for Vegas and has paid dividends ever since. While 53 points in 78 games isn't great when you pay so little for McDavid and Draisaitl you can afford to have an underachieving player. He’s signed for one more year at $50 – or $4 more than he’ll pay Stamkos and McDavid, combined.
8. Auston Matthews – Drafted 1st overall in 2016
Thanks to some divine intervention in the draft lottery process Vegas, who finished as the runner-up in the league in 2015-16, ended up with the #1 overall pick the following summer and wisely chose Auston Matthews. Matthews had 73 points in 68 games for the Aces Wild this season and has done nothing but give them incredible production for a total of $3 thus far in his DHL career.
9. Jeff Skinner – Trade with St. Roch Hawks in December, 2018
Skinner was a part of the Stamkos trade and unfortunately for Tony he bought high on this one. In 43 games for the Aces Wild Skinner had 14 goals and 25 points, far fewer than the 25 goals and 37 points he gave St. Roch in 35 games before the trade. Skinner is a UFA this summer but, like Scheifele and Radulov, he leaves Vegas a champion and will surely get a huge raise from his bargain salary of $10 this summer.
10. Boone Jenner – Trade with Quebec Bulldogs in September, 2013
It was a minor deal at the time but it’s worked out well for Vegas as Jenner has been a source of cheap depth and production for six years now. Jenner’s Entry Level Contract (ELC) expires this summer so like Scheifele, Radulov and Skinner he’ll leave Vegas a champion.
11. Bryan Rust – Trade with Moscow Red Army in February, 2019
Rust was a trade deadline acquisition and a cheap one at that. In addition to Rust Vegas was able to get a defenseman (see below) and a 3rd round pick in 2019 in exchange for Roman Polak, Cody Ceci, Jesse Puljujarvi and a 2nd round pick. Rust is a UFA this summer so like Scheifele, Radulov, Skinner and Jenner he’ll leave Vegas a champion.
12. Andreas Athanasiou – Drafted 44th overall in 2016
2016 may be remembered as the year that Vegas added Matthews and Seguin but in the 4th round of the draft that year he let his love for the Red Wings show by taking speedster Andreas Athanasiou. He has been a great source of cheap production and depth ever since and has three years left on his ELC.
13. Nick Ritchie – Trade with Camarillo Kings in August, 2015
Back in 2015 there was what appeared to be a very lopsided trade made as Vegas sent three prospects, a 4th round draft pick and $8 in cap space to Camarillo to get Nick Ritchie. Sadly Ritchie is a useless player but he did somehow find his way into the lineup 56 times this season and has three years left on his ELC.
14. Danton Heinen – Drafted 51st overall in 2016
Like Athanasiou this pick may have been overlooked at the time but it’s proving to have been an impactful one. This was actually a deferred pick that Tony used in October of 2016 and Heinen played 61 games for the Aces Wild this season. He still has four years left on his ELC.
15. Jordan Greenway – Drafted 12th overall in 2018
Just last summer Vegas had three 1st round picks and the third of them was used to take Jordan Greenway who was immediately inserted into the lineup. Greenway played 29 games for the Aces Wild this year and has five years left on his ELC.
16. Brett Howden – Drafted 59th overall in 2018
Once again Vegas shrewdly used his deferred draft picks to get a late round steal. This time it was the final pick of the draft and he didn’t claim Howden until November 27th but he put him to use in the championship playing him for two games the final week of the matchup. He has five years left on his ELC.
17. Valentin Zykov – Trade with Nebraska Buffalo in January, 2018
Zykov was a minor part of a larger trade – one that didn’t work out too well for Vegas, but he found his way into the lineup two times this season. He has six years left on his ELC but is not an impact player in any way.
18. Max Comtois – Drafted 58th overall in 2018
Vegas claimed that he drafted this player “mostly cuz it's funny to have a Honka & a Comtois on the same roster”. That said, it was a steal. Comtois is one of the top prospects in the sport and even played four games for the Aces Wild this season. He has six years left on his ELC.
19. Jordan Kyrou – Drafted 17th overall in 2017
This was Vegas’ third pick of the 2017 draft and while Kyrou only played four games for the Aces Wild this season he was part of a DHL championship, his future is strong and he has six years left on his ELC.
Defenseman:
1. Jacob Trouba – Trade with Haukiputaan Ahmat in July, 2018
This was a shrewd move to get the final year of Trouba’s ELC in exchange for a prospect. Even better is that Tony was able to also get a 3rd round pick and $6 in cap space in the trade! Looking back this was a steal and Trouba’s 50 points were a big reason this team was able to win the title. Trouba is a UFA this summer so like Scheifele, Radulov, Skinner, Jenner and Rust he’ll leave Vegas a champion.
2. Victor Hedman – Free Agent in 2017
Hedman was one of the most coveted free agents of the summer of 2017 but it was Vegas that was able to sign him to a $28 / 5y / $140 deal and he was a big part of their success in the regular season this year as he led all Aces Wild blueliners with 53 points. Sadly missed for most of the championship it shows how deep this roster is that they didn’t need him to win. He’s got three years left on his contract.
3. Rasmus Ristolainen – Trade with Minnesota 5-Holes in August, 2017
As part of a blockbuster that was all about Vegas shedding some salary he dealt Drew Doughty, Colton Parayko and Brandon Carlo to Minnesota for Ristolainen, Julius Honka (See Comtois) and Justin Faulk. Faulk and Honka are gone but Ristolainen is still there and he’s a bruiser! He led all Aces Wild players with 232 hits and led all defensemen with 181 shots. Add to that his 42 points and it’s easy to overlook that he was a -40 on the year. Ristolainen has one year left on his ELC contract.
4. Thomas Chabot – Drafted 7th overall in 2017
Vegas had one 1st round pick in 2017 but he used it wisely to get this stud defenseman. No doubt a few of the teams that passed on Chabot would like a chance to re-draft but it’s Vegas that has him for another four years on his ELC and he was a big part of the DHL championship this season with 52 points – good for second among all blueliners.
5. Radko Gudas – Trade with Moscow Red Army in February, 2019
Gudas was part of the trade deadline deal with Moscow that also brought Rust to the team. For a team that wasn’t deep on defense Gudas rounded things out nicely and brought a physical edge. Gudas is a UFA this summer so like Scheifele, Radulov, Skinner, Jenner, Rust and Trouba he’ll leave Vegas a champion.
6. Zach Werenski – Trade with Dynamo Atlanta in August, 2016
This trade was billed by Dynamo owner Saul as “a trade surely to rock the very fabric of the DHL” and while he was probably joking he ended up being right. Ironically enough Jacob Trouba was one of the players Vegas traded away but in that trade he got Werenski and a 5th round pick in 2016…which he used to select Danton Heinen. Werenski was a solid player for Vegas all season long with 161 shots, 42 points and over 22 minutes of ice time a night. He has three years left on his ELC.
7. Ivan Provorov – Trade with Catalina Wine Mixer in February, 2016
Provorov came to Vegas as part of a blockbuster that saw him send Alex Ovechkin out of town in return for two prospects (Provorov being one of them) and two draft picks. It’s worked out in the long run for Vegas as Provorov played 79 games for him this season and has three years left on his ELC.
8. Damon Severson – Trade with Quebec Bulldogs in November, 2016
This was a big deal at the time as it sent Victor Hedman to Quebec along with Steve Mason and two draft picks. In return Vegas got $12, Severson, Robby Fabbri and two draft picks. The move paid off this season as Severson played in 64 games for the Aces Wild as a solid depth defenseman, he was able to get Hedman back in free agency and Severson still has three years left on his ELC.
9. Michal Kempny – Free Agent in 2019
Kempny was signed to a 1-year deal at the trade deadline and played eight games for the Aces Wild before getting injured. Kempny is a UFA this summer so like Scheifele, Radulov, Skinner, Jenner, Rust, Trouba and Gudas he’ll leave Vegas a champion.
Goalies:
1. John Gibson – Drafted 9th overall in 2013
One of the best things the Gravol Datsyuk team did was draft John Gibson with their first 1st round pick in 2013. Since then he’s quickly become an affordable, reliable stud goalie and he was the one guy that was there all season long for the Aces Wild this year. Gibson got 42 starts for Vegas this year, far more than the other four combined, and had a SV% of .919 in the process. He has one year left on his ELC so he’ll be back between the pipes for Vegas next season to help them defend their title.
2. Jordan Binnington – Trade with St. Roch Hawks in February, 2019
Originally Vegas tried to sign Binnington as a midseason free agent but St. Roch owner Doug brilliantly used his cap space to sign the stud goalie and then started a bidding war between two playoff bound teams to get $14 in future cap space. The move was well worth it for Vegas as Binnington was tremendous for him down the stretch playing in 14 games, winning 11 of them with a .922 SV%. Binnington is a UFA this summer so like Scheifele, Radulov, Skinner, Jenner, Rust, Trouba, Gudas and Kempny he’ll leave Vegas a champion.
3. Linus Ullmark – Trade with Nebraska Buffalo in July, 2018
Taking advantage of a guy that was desperate to unload contracts Tony was able to get Ullmark and two bad contracts (that he quickly dealt away) in return for Linus Soderstrom. Ullmark played 11 games for the Aces Wild this season including a start in the championship that was so bad it almost cost him the title. But in the end all’s well and Ullmark has four years left on his ELC.
4. Laurent Brossoit – Free Agent in 2019
In an attempt to get more goalie depth Brossoit was signed to a one-year, $2 deal in January and went on to play six games for the Aces Wild. Brossoit is a UFA this summer so like Scheifele, Radulov, Skinner, Jenner, Rust, Trouba, Gudas, Kempny and Binnington he’ll leave Vegas a champion.
5. Louis Domingue – Free Agent in 2019
Like Brossoit this was a desperate attempt to get some goalie depth. Domingue only played one game for the Aces Wild but it was a good one – a win with a 2.00 GAA and .917 SV%. Domingue is a UFA this summer so like Scheifele, Radulov, Skinner, Jenner, Rust, Trouba, Gudas, Kempny, Binnington and Brossoit he’ll leave Vegas a champion.
So there you have it – that’s how the 2018-19 Wuest Memorial Trophy champion Vegas Aces Wild built his roster from top to bottom. Nine of the players were drafted by Vegas, 18 of the players were brought in via trade and six of them were signed as free agents. The lesson? Draft well, sign free agents that actually perform well but most of all - make shrewd trades. If you can do all that as well, and as consistently, as Tony Ashbee has done it then maybe you, too, can win a DHL Title.
Will Vegas be able to maintain this success and join Morweena and Moscow as repeat champions and the elite of the league? Or will Vegas fall back to the pack and join Nebraska and Simi Valley as fluke champions that simply got lucky for a couple of weeks at the right time? Time will tell. For now, though, Vegas wears the crown and hosts the Wuest Memorial Trophy after a dominant year and a much deserved championship.
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