Vegas Golden Knights general manager George McPhee had difficulty containing his excitement in anticipation of the NHLs expansion draft list being released.
Teams are calling McPhee not just to negotiate a deal for them to pass on players they were forced to leave unprotected for the expansion draft but also to inquire about trading for a an opposing player who was left unprotected.
Among those left unprotected, and available to the Golden Knights in the draft, were goalies Cam Ward and Eddie Lack, forwards Lee Stempniak and Joakim Nordstrom, and defenseman Klas Dahlbeck.
While talking to teams, McPhee said the Knights have also been in discussions with individual unrestricted and restricted free agents.
The official draft rules state the Golden Knights must select at least 14 forwards, nine defensemen and three goaltenders, have to reach at least 60 percent of last year's $73 million salary cap ($43.8 million) and need to take at least 20 players under contract for next season.
Key among those rumors and assumptions was that the Anaheim Ducks and Golden Knights have a deal in place that involves Sami Vatanen. It's a high price to pay, which shows the kind of leverage that the Golden Knights are wielding over talks right now. However, that same player had also garnered what McPhee termed a "healthy offer" from a team hoping to acquire him in a trade.
Asked about teams calling asking Vegas to pick players for them, McPhee said Sunday that "it's already started to happen". And then we're going to go that club and say: 'We have interest in this player, there's another club that has interest in this player, how do we want to do this, how can we protect your roster?
One thing that came out of the protected lists roster reveal is that the Golden Knights stand to walk away with a very strong blue line.
In the list of protected players made public Sunday morning, the Panthers opted to protect eight skaters and a goalie instead of 10 players (seven forwards and three defensemen) to save one of their defensemen.
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The Senators were handcuffed by veteran defenseman Dion Phaneuf's decision to not waive his no-movement clause. Florida's purest scorer was one of just 26 players league-wide to hit 30 goals last season - and he will only earn $750,000 next season.
McPhee and Vegas goaltending coach Dave Prior have connections to Neuvirth and Grubauer from drafting them with the Capitals.
"People have identified people on other clubs they'd like to have", McPhee said.
The first-ever pick in an National Hockey League expansion draft, going to the Los Angeles Kings in 1967, was Hall-of-Fame puckstopper Terry Sawchuk.
Canes general manager Ron Francis said Friday that he has had conversations with McPhee, although noting, "Probably not as much as other teams have had".
Indeed, he mentioned that the Golden Knights won't make a claim until they speak to every team.
George McPhee is spending a fleeting moment as The Godfather of the National Hockey League during the Vegas Golden Knights' expansion window.
His appeal: Marchessault was among the NHL's best bargains last season, potting 30 goals and 51 points for Florida on the first year of a two-year deal worth $1.5 million.
This will be an interesting week, not only to see the trades McPhee pulls off leading up to Wednesday but to watch other clubs get into the act.
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