Knights set sights on top college free agents

If the Golden Knights are looking for a few players to fill out their roster, they have an avenue to do so.

Beginning Wednesday, college players who did not sign an entry-level contract with the NHL team that drafted them will be free agents and free to sign with any team.

Currently, the Knights have 42 players signed and under contract. The maximum allowed is 50.

“If there’s a college free agent we see something in that is available we’re going to reach out to that player and pursue it,” Knights general manager George Mcphee said Monday. “We’re obligated to pursue every avenue to find the best players possible.”

Among those with expiring NCAA draft rights is Will Butcher, the defenseman from the University of Denver who won the Hobey Baker Award this year and led the Pioneers to the NCAA Division I championship.

Butcher, 22, who was selected by the Colorado Avalanche in the fifth round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, opted not to sign with the Avs. He scored seven goals and had 30 assists this past season for Denver and is considered one of the top free agents available.

However, the Knights are loaded with defensemen and it’s unlikely they’ll pursue Butcher. The majority of the available college free agents were taken in the later rounds of the draft. According to Capfriendly. com, the highest draft pick available is Sam Kurker, a 23-year-old right wing from Northeastern who was taken by the St. Louis Blues in the second round of the 2012 NHL draft.

Kurker, who played one game in the American Hockey League with the Albany Devils after signing an amateur tryout contract, was limited to just 28 games this past season with the Huskies after suffering an upper body injury. He had three goals and three assists.

Mcphee said college free agents tend to be more mature and that can make them attractive to a team.

“I think it works in favor of the players because they are older and have developed more from when they were drafted at 18,” he said.

Contact Steve Carp at scarp@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow @stevecarprj on Twitter.