As the NHL Board of Governors approved expansion to the city of Seattle for 2021 Tuesday, the Vegas Golden Knights learned they would not have to put players up in the impending Expansion Draft.
Vegas, the league's 31st franchise, selected one player from each of the 30 other teams in the league to form their first roster in summer 2017. That roster was tweaked through trades and signings to create a group that ended its first season together only three wins away from a Stanley Cup title.
The Golden Knights have a strong idea of what their core group will look like in 2021, but the relief of not having to put up any players for the expansion draft is something Assistant General Manager Kelly McCrimmon said he thinks it's important to the club right now and in the future.
"It's very significant," McCrimmon said. "We're still trying to build an organization and acquire organizational depth. We're pleased that we're not losing a player to Seattle."
McCrimmon would be the first to tell you that a competitive team can be put together with assets from other clubs that aren't valued as highly as others. When he and General Manager George McPhee put together the Golden Knights inaugural roster, they found players who needed a change to thrive in the NHL.