A hectic offseason in the NHL may get a jump-start at the beginning of next week.
The expansion draft for the Vegas Golden Knights is approaching on June 21, but the organization’s general manager George McPhee appears open for business well before that critical date.
On Saturday, he suggested that trades with other clubs could soon be made official, as Vegas continues to build its roster for next season and beyond.
“We’re far enough along with a few teams that my plan is to sit on the phone all day Monday, Tuesday to see what we can accomplish,” McPhee said, per the Associated Press. “We’ve had some real good discussions and I expect some things will start happening next week.”
The addition of another team in the league may also provide other clubs with an opportunity to shed some salary against the cap. McPhee certainly seems open to the idea of acquiring some bigger contracts. But in doing so, he would also demand willing teams add in a draft pick to the deal, as well.
“We are willing to take on a couple of contracts that people would like to move,” he said, per the Boston Globe.
“We have a lot of teams that are offering us big contracts. And I know what it’s like to be on the other side and be tight on the cap. It’s hard to move contracts. So they are looking at us as an opportunity to move a contract. We’ll take a few of those — for the right price.”
There have already been rumblings that Vegas and Chicago could work out a deal, with a report from TSN’s Frank Seravalli indicating the Blackhawks could allow the Golden Knights to take Trevor van Riemsdyk in the expansion draft on the “consideration” they also take Marcus Kruger in a trade. Kruger enters the second year of a three-year, $9.25 million contract, with a modified no-trade clause that kicks in for next season, per CapFriendly.
“Well, I don’t think there is anything that’s not on the table when it comes to a situation like this,” said Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff to TSN.