July 1st is always a big day in the NHL, and especially for the Golden Knights who still had trades to make, players to sign, and rookie camp to wrap up. But when the sun set on the first day of the first league year in Vegas NHL history, there was just a single transaction that made waves.
The Golden Knights traded Alexei Emelin, who they selected from the Montreal Canadiens in the Expansion Draft, to the Nashville Predators for a 2019 3rd round pick. Vegas also agreed to retain $1.2M of Emelin’s salary, something they could not agree to do during the Expansion Draft. The trade gives the Golden Knights three 3rd round picks in the 2019 Draft and a 12 total in that draft.
Emelin was the most likely defenseman to be flipped from the Expansion Draft after Marc Methot was sent out earlier in the week. McPhee is likely to trade one more defenseman before the end of the long weekend. The leading candidates are Luca Sbisa, Clayton Stoner, or Jon Merrill.
On the first day of free agency, Vegas was expectedly quiet signing six players who will all likely play in the minor leagues next season.
Brad Hunt (D), Chris Casto (D), Paul Thompson (F), Stefan Matteau (F), T.J. Tynan (F), and Maxime Lagace (G)
All six were signed to contracts worth $650,000 if they play at the NHL level.
Hunt, Thompson, and Matteau have all have NHL experience. Matteau is also noted because he was selected in the 1st round (29th overall) of the 2012 Draft by the New Jersey Devils, and his father scored the goal on one of the greatest TV calls ever.
Finally, Development Camp wrapped up with a final scrimmage and a subsequent shootout. Here are some highlights.
All in all, Development Camp was more of an orientation to NHL in Vegas for the 44 players who participated, but that didn’t stop Alex Tuch and Erik Brannstrom from shining on the ice. Next time we’ll see Golden Knights on the ice will be on September 7th when rookies report to training camp.
James
I’m quite surprised that we got a 2019 3rd round pick for Alexei Emelin. David Schlemko is a better player than Emelin (according to the internet). Schlemko garnered a 5th round pick
I get the impression that some Golden Knights fans would rather try and get on the treadmill of mediocrity than build a championship caliber team through the draft. I like the direction the franchise is going
RJ
I don’t know anyone that is looking for the ‘treadmill of mediocrity’, but I also don’t want the first Major League sports team in Las Vegas history to be a big fat tanking joke.
Hopefully I’m being overly pessimistic, but we have the 31st best team and we aren’t close to 30th. I’m projecting about 50 points this season. I’d bet we lose by 2+ more often than we win this season.
I am NOT saying we mortgage our future to put a 90 point team on the ice this season, I’m just saying it’s pretty clear McPhee is putting together a team designed to lose games in 2017. That’s not what I want. I for one want to see my team WIN GAMES, but as I’ve been told many many times that makes me a terrible fan.
James
@RJ
I’m not buying the theory that McPhee is tanking. Why sign Vadim Shipachyov and trade a draft pick for Reilly Smith? They make your team better. Sam Hinkie tried to prevent his ball club from winning ball games with his roster moves.
I will concede that we could have been more competitive this season if McPhee was short-sighted, but short-sightedness would have hurt us in the long run from a hockey perspective …
But your comments trouble me. Viewers might tune out the team if they are not competitive. It could take 5 – 6 years to build a championship caliber team through the draft
James
LeBrun & Dreger reported that Emelin rejected a trade to Winnipeg at the draft
A Fan
McPhee has quite a balancing act to do here. He has to try and build a team that doesn’t totally suck to the fans early on, but knows the way to the future is via the draft. He just has to just keep us competitive enough so interest doesn’t fall off in the beginning. Then in a couple/few years when the draft picks kick in we have an exciting team to watch and playoff hunt. And the first couple/few years will be nothing but a distant memory. George knows this. Hang in there people.