Knights out of draft spotlight Long road trip stiff test to start 2018-19

Without a first-round selection, team seems unlikely to trade up

DALLAS — A year ago, the Golden Knights were the focus of attention at the NHL draft in Chicago. They had three picks among the first 15 and would use all of them to help build their future.

Friday, the Knights are out of the spotlight. Barring any movement, they will not begin their draft until Saturday morning when they pick in the second round at No. 61 overall. They have seven picks total — one in the second and two selections each in the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds.

“We’re really well-prepared and we know who we like at 61,” said Knights general manager George Mcphee, who spent Thursday in meetings with the league’s 31 other general manag-

ers at the Fairmont Hotel.

“I think it will go well for us.”

The Western Conference champions and Stanley Cup finalists are without a first-round pick for this year’s draft at the American Airlines Center after trading it to Detroit for Tomas Tatar on Feb. 26.

“When we made this transaction,

KNIGHTS

The Golden Knights will play five of their first six games on the road, as the NHL released the 2018-19 schedule on Thursday.

The Knights are at Washington on Oct. 10 in a rematch of the Stanley Cup Final and face Pittsburgh the following night during a season-long five-game road trip featuring four foes that qualified for the playoffs.

The NHL previously announced the Knights would open the season at home Oct. 4 against Philadelphia and play at Minnesota on Oct. 6 in the Wild’s home opener.

Following the early road trip, the

Knights have a five-game homestand from Oct. 16 to Oct. 28, their longest. They had two seven-game

SCHEDULE