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Vegas could make ‘throwaway picks’ in the expansion draft

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Bob McKenzie discusses the possible moves the Vegas Golden Knights could make with other teams before the expansion draft this year.

The Vegas Golden Knights may take a pass on certain teams in tomorrow’s expansion draft.

GM George McPhee explained today how that might occur, per Yahoo Sports.

“I don’t know if the terminology is the right terminology, but there are ‘throwaway picks,’” said McPhee. “For some teams, there isn’t a whole lot you can do, so you’re going to take a throwaway pick instead of a big contract you don’t like. There will be some of those claims where we won’t qualify the player.”

Take the Arizona Coyotes, who had so few eligible players worth protecting that defensemen Connor Murphy and Luke Schenn made the cut.

Or the Vancouver Canucks, who exposed defenseman Luca Sbisa and his $3.6 million cap hit, along with center Brendan Gaunce, who had no goals in 57 games last season. Those two are arguably the best the Canucks can offer Vegas.

McPhee is obligated to take at least one player from each team. But the way he can take a pass is to select a restricted free agent and then not qualify him, making that player an unrestricted free agent.

Related: ‘We’re going to be a good team’