From the moment the Vegas Golden Knights roster was put together, the team was given an optimistic chance at success.
The Golden Knights benefited from a modern-day expansion draft and crafted their lineup through shrewd deals. On draft day last June, Nashville Predators general manager David Poile said to reporters, “I think this is by far the best expansion team ever.”
It wasn’t as rosy an outlook for Jack Ferreira. As general manager of the expansion Mighty Ducks, he summed up the expectations in two words.
The Mighty Ducks won 33 games in that 1993-94 inaugural season, but it took them four years to make the playoffs.