A management group that is pushing for an NHL franchise in Seattle is seeking a general manager, even though the league is yet to offically grant the city an expansion team.
According to Dave Tippett, senior advisor with the Seattle hopefuls, the aim is to begin the GM search next spring and to have the right candidate in place by the draft.
"I think it happens probably around the draft next year - a year out. Vegas hired George McPhee about 15 months out from when they started," Tippett told 950 KJR. "We'll have a good list of candidates. Some may be working through the draft with the team. There might be somebody available before that. We'll see how it goes, but by next spring we'll start digging into that."
Caught up with NHL Seattle senior advisor Dave Tippett, the only hockey ops employee currently on staff. No hard timeline for adding some colleagues, but plans to start zeroing on GM candidates in the spring, then round out the scouting staff for 2019-20.
Tippett, who last served as head coach and executive vice-president of hockey operations of the Arizona Coyotes in 2016-17, hasn't ruled out the possibility of serving as Seattle's first coach, but will be looking for an experienced hand for the GM's chair.
"I've been lucky to touch a lot of different parts of the game, (and as) an advisor in a lot of those different roles," Tippett added. "(The) general manager I think is somebody who has done that job at the NHL level before. I really think that's important in an expansion team."
Of course, before Seattle hires a GM or begins assembling its roster, it must first be granted a franchise. When that announcement could come remains unknown, as an expansion vote won't be on the agenda for October's meeting of the NHL board of governors.
Chiasson appeared in 61 games with the Washington Capitals last season, netting nine goals and nine assists. He added another two points en route to the Capitals' Stanley Cup championship.
Instead, the team will proceed as it did during its inaugural season with a number of alternate captains. Last year, Deryk Engelland, Jason Garrison, James Neal, David Perron, Luca Sbisa, and Reilly Smith were named alternate captains, with three serving as home alternates and three on the road.
McPhee was asked about the status of naming a captain
The Golden Knights will have to either dress fewer alternates or redistribute letters to other players, as the club saw Garrison, Neal, Perron, and Sbisa all depart this offseason.
As for the newly acquired Max Pacioretty, McPhee made it clear he would not be named captain despite donning the "C" for the Montreal Canadiens the past three seasons.
"Max can come here and just play hockey now," McPhee said, according to NHL.com's Nick Cotsonika. "Doesn't have to be a captain. Won't be the captain. We have 23 captains."
The contract includes a limited 10-team no-trade clause, according to CapFriendly.
Pacioretty was traded from Montreal to Vegas early Monday morning in exchange for forward Tomas Tatar, prospect Nick Suzuki, and a 2019 second-round pick.
Pacioretty's 2018-19 cap hit will remain $4.05 million as established by his old deal, with the new extension kicking in for the 2019-20 season.
Earlier Monday, Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin said the trade was contingent upon Pacioretty signing in Vegas long term.
Stempniak is coming off a 2017-18 season in which he was limited to just 37 games with the Carolina Hurricanes. He tallied three goals and nine points.
The 35-year-old had a brief stint with the Bruins during the 2015-16 season after being acquired from the New Jersey Devils at the trade deadline. He scored three goals and added seven assists in just 19 games.
Winnik enters camp after playing the 2017-18 season with the Minnesota Wild. In 81 games last year, the 33-year-old recorded six goals and 23 points.
Although restricted free-agent winger William Nylander is without a contract for the coming season, Tavares is confident the 22-year-old will be at camp, which opens on Thursday.
"We believe we're going to have Willy (Nylander) here to start camp," Tavares said, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.
Last week, during an interview with TSN's Bob McKenzie, Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas said he wouldn't expect Nylander to be in camp until a contract is signed.
Back in August, Nylander stated he would like to sign a long-term deal with the Maple Leafs. The Swede is coming off his entry-level contract, putting up back-to-back 20-goal, 60-point seasons.
Sbisa spent last season patrolling the Vegas Golden Knights blue line and was on pace for a career year before it was cut short by injury. In total, he finished the campaign with 14 points, a plus-8 rating, 50 hits, and 54 blocks in 30 games while averaging 19:31 per night.
Sbisa was routinely the odd man out during the postseason, suiting up in just 12 of 20 playoff games during Vegas' magical run to the Stanley Cup Final.
The 28-year-old former first-round pick could help solidify an Islanders back end that allowed a league-worst 293 goal last season.
Another member of the Boston Bruins' core will not make the trip to China for their two preseason games this week.
Due to a visa issue, forward David Krejci will not travel with the team, the Bruins announced on Monday. Forward Colby Cave will take Krejci's place on the roster.
Heinen and Kuraly were excused by the team after the two participated in the Bruins' global trip in China this summer; Krug and Acciari are coming off injuries, and Bergeron continues to rehab from offseason surgery.
In return, the club acquired forward Tomas Tatar, prospect Nick Suzuki, and a second-round pick. Unlike some of Bergevin's other deals, the package he was able to fetch in Monday's trade got a generally positive reaction.
Here's what people had to say on Twitter:
I endorse the return to Montreal in the Pacioretty deal. Tatar is decent, but didn't gel with Vegas in 20 games. Suzuki has special potential. 2nd rounder is extra lottery ticket. And, they get to move on. Well done. Vegas wants to extend window. Taking risk
1. This is a solid return for Bergevin and the Habs, considering the circumstances. Top 6 forward, blue chipper, 2nd. Would have liked a 1st instead, but again, circumstances are what they are. https://t.co/JxQ38RCkcW
I don't like how MTL handled it in the media but trading a soon-to-be 30-year-old UFA for a high end prospect is good process. Really like this deal for MTL even if Pacioretty is the best player today.
Seconded. Habs couldn't do much better. Suzuki 1st rounder who will be NHLer, Tatar will get his G and locked up for 3 seasons - you would have liked 1st round pick but with closure on saga, you take 2nd and move on. https://t.co/uAxevpaliM
So #VGK traded a 1,2,3 for Tatar. Then moved him, Suzuki (a 13th overall pick) and a 2 for Max Pacioretty. So they essentially turned five top picks 1,1,2,2,3 for one year - barring an extension - of Pacioretty. That’s... Bad. Even with an extension. #Habs
#Canadiens get Tatar, who was not able to crack Vegas' playoff roster most of the time, and Suzuki (3rd-best prospect according to The Hockey News), plus a 2nd-rounder that will be really low if Vegas is as good as last year.