A few weeks back we looked at how the Colorado Avalanche's current roster was built. As I sat and watched Vegas beat Montreal in game four of the playoffs, I was curious how many players on the current Vegas roster were part of the expansion draft, traded for, signed for or drafted. Here is what I found:

Expansion Draft (June 21st, 2017)

The Golden Knights are down to only six players from their current roster that were picked in the expansion draft in 2017.

Jonathan Marchessault (F) (30) – It has been well documented the mistake that Florida made in leaving Marchessault unprotected after his 30 goal season in 2016-17. All Marchessault has done is put up 92 goals and 225 points in 280 games over four regular seasons in Vegas (0.80 pts/game). In 64 playoff games with Vegas, he has 21 goals and 46 points (0.73). His addition was a gift that keeps on giving.

William Karlsson (F) (28) –  When Karlsson was left unprotected by Columbus after the 2016-17 season he was coming off of six goals and 25 points in 81 games at the age of 24. He exploded for 43 goals and 78 points the next season in Vegas and has 96 goals and 219 points (0.77) in 283 regular season games post-expansion draft. In 64 playoff games, he has 17 goals and 44 points (0.69). Although stuck in the bottom six in Columbus, he is now a top six on most NHL teams.

Marc-Andre Fleury (G) (36) – Fleury was left unprotected by Pittsburgh with two years remaining on his contract at $5.75 million AAV at the age of 32 because of Matt Murray who was 23 years old and cheaper. Fleury gave the Golden Knights an established number one goalie in 2017-18 and he had a great regular season and playoffs taking Vegas to the Stanley Cup finals. In his four seasons in Vegas, Fleury has 117 wins in 192 regular-season games and a net goals saved above average of 40.79 with a save percentage of 91.7. Expect the Seattle Kraken to follow the lead of Vegas and pick an established NHL number one goalie.

William Carrier (F) (26) – Vegas knew they were getting a physical player in Carrier from Buffalo and he has not disappointed as a solid bottom-six winger. In his 214 regular-season games with Vegas, he has averaged 3.43 hits per game and in 54 playoff games, he has 246 hits (4.56).

Tomas Nosek (F) (28) – Nosek was claimed from Detroit and he has seen time on the third or fourth line at center in his four seasons with Vegas. His career-high in goals is eight and his points are 18, so he is not a very productive forward who is fairly sheltered (58.7 % OZ starts).

Brayden McNabb (D) (30) – McNabb was claimed from Los Angeles as a 26-year old physical defensive defenceman. He's been a multi-category beast with Vegas and in his 269 regular-season games he has 724 hits (2.69/game) and 524 blocked shots (1.95/game). In 58 playoff games, he has three goals, 13 points, 205 hits (3.5) and 125 blocked shots (2.16).

Acquired by Trade at Expansion Draft (June 21st, 2017)

Arguably this is the area that George McPhee and the Golden Knights took advantage of other NHL teams the most as they had identified nine teams that might need to make some trades to avoid losing certain players and Minnesota, Florida and Anaheim were the teams that ended up dealing with Vegas.

Alex Tuch (F) (25) – Minnesota sent Tuch to Vegas for a 3rd round 92nd overall pick in 2018 (Colin Dewar). To ensure that Vegas chose Erik Haula in the expansion draft the Wild agreed to trade Tuch to Vegas. The rumors were that it came down to Jordan Greenway, Kirill Kaprizov or Tuch to go to Vegas. Vegas got a 21-year old 18th overall draft pick from 2014 who was 6'4" 220 lbs and a great skater. Tuch hasn't disappointed as he has 61 goals and 139 points (0.56) in 249 regular-season games and 19 goals and 33 points (0.52) in 64 playoff games.

Reilly Smith (F) (30) – Florida sent Smith to Vegas for a 4th round 123rd overall pick in 2018 (Jack Gorniak). After signing a five-year $5 million AAV contract in July of 2016 with Florida it became evident at the end of the 2017 season that Florida couldn't afford to keep Smith and his contract, so they sent him to Vegas. Smith has 82 goals and 192 points (0.72) in 265 regular-season games with the Golden Knights and 13 goals and 51 points (0.80) in 64 playoff games.

Shea Theodore (D) (25) – Anaheim sent Theodore for expansion draft consideration. The consideration was to not pick Josh Manson or Sami Vatanen. I'm not sure how you look back at this move now or even four years ago and see how it makes any sense unless you didn't think Theodore was even going to be a regular NHL player. Theodore has 39 goals and 154 points (0.58) in 264 regular-season games with Vegas and 12 goals and 46 points (0.72) in 64 playoff games. Theodore is one of the top 30 defensemen in the NHL right now and Anaheim doesn't possess one in the top 150 (Drysdale will get there).

Acquired by Trade

Max Pacioretty (F) (32) – traded from Montreal for Tomas Tatar, Nick Suzuki and 2nd round 50th overall pick in 2019 (Samuel Fagemo). When Nick Suzuki is getting 60-70 points in two or three seasons, this trade won't look that great, but currently, Pacioretty has had 78 goals and 157 points (0.84) in 185 regular-season games with Vegas and 14 goals and 29 points (0.85) in 34 playoff games. If Vegas wins the Stanley Cup this season, this trade is a win for Vegas no matter what Suzuki does. If Montreal wins with Suzuki, then we might have some legitimate criticism for McPhee.

Mark Stone (F) (29) – traded from Ottawa with Tobias Lindberg for Oscar Lindberg, Erik Brannstrom and a 2nd round 61st overall pick in 2020 (Egor Sokolov). The return on this trade looks more underwhelming the better Stone plays and the more questions surround the development of Brannstrom. In 138 regular-season games, Stone has 47 goals and 135 points (0.98) with Vegas and 18 goals and 37 points (0.84) in 44 playoff games. Even if Brannstrom becomes an NHL regular, I'm not sure he will ever have the impact that Stone does. A great trade for Vegas.

Mattias Janmark (F) (28) – traded from Chicago and San Jose (retained $1.125 million in salary) with Nick DeSimone and a 5th round pick in 2022 from Chicago for a 2nd round 64th overall pick in 2021 and a 3rd round pick in 2022 to Chicago. Janmark went to the Stanley Cup finals last season with Dallas and he provides experience and depth for the third line of Vegas in the playoffs. With his four goals and seven points in 14 playoff games this season, the expensive price of a 2nd and 3rd round pick is probably worth it if Vegas makes it to the Finals.

Nicholas Roy (F) (24) – traded from Carolina with a 5th round 155th overall pick in the 2021 draft for Erik Haula. Roy has played 36 playoff games with Vegas over the past two seasons and has four goals and 15 points (0.42) along with 100 hits (2.78). He has also won 56 percent of his face-offs this year in the playoffs. He fits a role different than what Haula could bring and one that Vegas needs. He also scored the overtime winner in game four against Montreal to even the series.

Keegan Kolesar (F) (24) – traded from Columbus for a 2nd round 45th overall pick in 2017 (Alexandre Texier). It is not common for a team to trade for a draft plus one 3rd round pick (Kolesar) and give up a 2nd round pick in return. Time will tell if Kolesar is value for this deal, but he is playing in the NHL and is a solid contributor for Vegas. The rookie had three goals and 12 points (0.27) in 44 regular-season games to go along with 107 hits (2.43) and has one goal and four points (0.25) and 57 hits (3.56) in 16 playoff games.

Ryan Reaves (F) (34) – traded from Pittsburgh and Ottawa along with a 4th round 99th overall pick in 2018 (Stanislav Demin) for Tobias Lindberg and $2 million in retained salary for Derick Brassard to Pittsburgh. Reaves still has an important role with Vegas to provide a physical presence (141 hits in 37 regular-season games and 70 hits in 12 playoff games). The price tag for him was pennies in this trade.

Alec Martinez (D) (33) – traded from Los Angeles for a 2nd round 60th overall pick in 2020 (Will Cuylle) and a 2nd round pick 49th overall pick in 2021. Since Vegas acquired Martinez towards the end of last season, he has had 11 goals and 40 points (0.63) in 63 regular-season games and he led the NHL in blocked shots this past year with 165 in 53 games (3.11). He has played 37 playoff games for Vegas with five goals and 13 points (0.35) with 135 blocked shots (3.65). What a bargain for Martinez, who will be an unrestricted free agent after this season that Vegas got him for two seasons for only two 2nd round draft picks. 

Robin Lehner (G) (29) – traded from Chicago with Toronto retaining $2.5 million in salary along with Martins Dzierkais for Malcolm Subban, Stanislav Demin and a 2nd round 46th overall pick in 2020 (Drew Commesso) to Chicago and a 5th round 153rd overall pick in 2020 (Kasper Puutio) to Toronto. With Lehner re-signing in Vegas and having the playoff he did last season, this deal looks like quite a bargain for him. He was back in the crease in game four against Montreal after only seeing action in one game before and got a big win, giving up just one goal on 28 shots on goal. Just when you think the Vegas goaltending situation is figured out.

Chandler Stephenson (F) (27) – traded from Washington for a 5th round 160th overall pick in 2021. Any time a team can trade for a 25-year old center that can put up 22 goals and 57 points (0.62) in his first 92 regular-season games with your team this price tag is a giveaway from Washington. He has struggled to replicate in the playoffs with only three goals and 11 points (0.32) in 34 games and is currently out with a concussion.

I don't know if there is a better GM than George Mcphee in acquiring great value for draft picks if you look at Stephenson, Martinez, Lehner and the Stone deals.

Signed as Free Agents

Alex Pietrangelo (D) (31) – signed to a seven-year $8.8 million AAV contract expiring 2026-27. The signing of Pietrangelo made a very good Vegas back end, excellent in one day. The downside to the contract is the term and money will make it difficult beginning next season for this team to replace the likes of Alec Martinez. At 31 years of age, Pietrangelo will more than likely produce diminishing returns sooner than later. This signing is all about a window of this season and next to win the Stanley Cup. Pietrangelo in the past three seasons of playoffs has won the Stanley Cup with St. Louis, and he has played 53 games with eight goals and 35 points (0.66).

Nick Holden (D) (34) – re-signed to a two-year $1.7 million AAV contract expiring 2021-22. Holden is a depth signing to fill the role of the 6th or 7th defenseman and he's done a good job for the Golden Knights but he is no Alec Martinez for next season.

Zach Whitecloud (D) (24) – re-signed to a two-year $0.725 million AAV contract expiring 2021-22. Whitecloud has emerged this season as a solid 5th or 6th defenseman who can be physical with 85 hits (1.67) and 75 blocked shots (1.47) in 51 regular-season games. Even though he was technically a rookie this season he has now played 38 playoff games with three goals and seven points along with 80 hits (2.11) and 81 blocked shots (2.13).

Patrick Brown (F) (29) – signed to a two-year $0.7 million AAV contract expiring 2020-21. Brown has only played five regular-season games with Vegas since he was signed before 2019-20. He has played 14 playoff games over the past two years with three goals along with bringing a physical presence of 42 hits (3.0).

Drafted

Cody Glass (F) (22) – drafted in the 1st round 6th overall in 2017. Glass has been slower to develop than hoped and has now played 66 regular-season games over the past two years with nine goals and 22 points to show for it. He has only dressed for one playoff game this season.

Nicolas Hague (D) (22) – drafted in the 2nd round 34th overall in 2017. It looks like Vegas made a good pick with Hague in the 2017 draft as he has already played 90 regular-season games with six goals and 28 points (0.31). He is also physical with 163 hits (1.81) and 91 blocked shots (1.01) in the regular season. He has dressed for nine games this year in the playoffs with one goal and two points with 21 hits.

It is impressive that Vegas has been able to build their roster so quickly and make so many upgrades to their original roster. It's a playbook that not just Seattle can follow. Like most clubs though, it won't take much to push out of their window of opportunity this season and next.

Thank you very much for reading and if you have any comments or suggestions please message me or follow me on Twitter @gampbler15.