The ghost of John Spano just doesn’t seem to want to stop haunting the Vegas Golden Knights franchise. (If you haven’t read that story, or watched the 30 for 30, do it now.) First it was The Creator not being invited to the most recent Board of Governors meeting. Then, George McPhee found himself without an RSVP to the GM meetings. Lastly, or so we thought, it was Vegas not having the ability to sign undrafted college free agents. Well now you can add another one to the list.
The league hasn’t officially set the date on which Vegas can start making trades, but a source said that once Vegas has made its final expansion-fee payment, the team could get the green light to start trading. –Pierre LeBrun, ESPN
The Creator is expecting to “accelerate” that payment up to late February or early March, which would give McPhee the chance to participate in the trade deadline this season.
I doubt we will trade for any current players prior to the expansion draft because we really won’t have a team. We are getting clarification on the situation wherein a team would like to give us a draft pick so we would give up our right to a player in the expansion draft and similar activities but we believe all of those machinations will occur during the 72 hour window prior to our completing the list of players we would receive in the expansion draft. -The Creator
This is another instance of the league going extra lengths to ensure our guy is not John Spano 2.0 (seriously, read the Spano story). Two problems with that, first, he’s not, so it’s kind of embarrassing, and second, it’s could get in the way of hockey operations.
The chances McPhee makes a deal at the deadline this season are rather slim, however, if you told me I could have a seat in the World Series of Poker, I’d probably take it and see if I couldn’t bluff my way to the bracelet.
Like the other three issues that arose concerning the final payment, it’s probably not going to end up being of any consequence. But c’mon Bettman, show that man that just changed your legacy from “two lockouts” to “first league in Vegas” a bit of love.
Eh, what am I saying, I’m never going to forget. BOOOOOO!
Cappy
Time for y’all to start holding car washes, bake sales, and marathon skating sessions to fund raise that last payment.
Maybe you can get the city to set a special hockey tax.
Ken Boehlke
Think Adelson wants to pitch in?
Honestly though, there’s no way this is about him not having the money. Everything is on schedule as is, they are just starting to realize that the schedule was poorly planned, so they are moving everything up.
pfh64
Like you said, it’s likely a moot point. Spano 2.0 gives fake cover, but it’s an easy out. There is probably another reason, likely petty in nature but held by someone the commissioner doesn’t want to piss off. That is just a guess, but it’s a better reason than Spano II.
Slack
Reason #763 to dislike Gary Bettman.
Todd Little
No expansion team (that I remember) has ever made trades prior to the time frame of its expansion draft. Vegas is simply not a player in the 2016-17 season. Nothing will happen until the summer. This is the way it’s always been. Not sure why the media is creating these hypothetical shortcuts for Vegas to possibly start making roster moves sooner. Must be bored…
Ken Boehlke
A) Definitely bored, but can you blame us?
B) Historically all deals have been made within a few days of the actual draft, but there’s no doubt these rules will lead to more activity. Also, coming in alone leads to more opportunity. The years teams came in alone had many more deals than the years with two teams.
C) For me it’s more about McPhee being present. Being able to make and receive calls to gather intel. This deadline is going to be absolutely nuts and certain teams are going to understand that a move in March will potentially leave them vulnerable in June. If that team can at least speak to Vegas, there’s a better chance a deal gets done in the future. He’s a smart guy who knows the business in and out, but he knows an unshackled business, not being held back by some goofy rules that really don’t make much sense.
Todd Little
Ken, just to clarify, wasn’t referring to you or Jason as being bored. This story originated among the mainstream hockey media. You are reporting it as you should as Sin Bin is a Vegas-specific blog and all things involving your team should be covered.
As far as transactions go I think the first thing you’ll see VGK do is start signing undrafted free agents out of the NCAA and CHL once the college and junior seasons end, provided final payment has been made by that point. New more liberal rules or not, I don’t think the NHL will allow Vegas to make any actual trades with the other existing teams until the 2016-17 season is in the books.
As for your point C – totally agree with you. Once the money is in, McPhee should be allowed to start talking to his counterparts about deals pre-expansion draft deals that will completed in June.