Golden Knights certain to be dealing
Unprotected players carry market value
The Vegas Golden Knights are entertaining offers for players who are available in Wednesday’s expansion draft.
General manager George McPhee told reporters Tuesday that he has completed at least six trades.
Six unprotected players who might be strong fits for one of the existing 30 teams:
Defenseman Sami Vatanen ... to the Toronto Maple
Leafs? It is presumed the Anaheim Ducks have made a deal to continue to own Vatanen’s rights.
But if that is untrue, the rightshot, 26-year-old offensive-minded defenseman would be a per- fect fit for a team that has considerable young talent up front. Defenseman Matt Dumba ... to the New York Rangers? The Rangers’ search is for a more proven right-shot, offensive defenseman. But 22-year-old Dumba, with 21 goals over the last two seasons, would be an intriguing fit. His cap hit is $2.5 million, and his best seasons are ahead. Defenseman Toby Enstrom ... to the Detroit Red Wings? Detroit general manager Ken Holland is looking to upgrade his defense, and Enstrom, 32, seems like a good short-term fix. He is a solid defensive player who is creative on the power play and efficient in the transition game.
With one season left on a deal paying him $5.75 million, Enstrom wouldn’t have a lasting impact on the salary cap. Goalie Petr Mrazek ... to the
Arizona Coyotes? If you ignore his subpar performance last season, what you see is a 25-year-old with the potential to be a highimpact performer. His career save percentage was .920 before last season’s struggles. Mrazek has won an American Hockey League title and has swagger. He might be the goalie the young Coyotes could grow with. Defenseman Marc Methot ... to the Buffalo Sabres? Wouldn’t the stay-at-home Methot be the ideal partner for Rasmus Ristolainen? The two players would complement each other in terms of playing style (offensive/defensive) and shot (right/ left). This kind of move would certainly signal the Sabres’ urgency to become a playoff contender.
Forward Jonathan Marchessault ... to the Colorado Avalanche? The Avalanche were last in scoring last season (165 goals in 82 games). Marchessault scored 30 last season for the Florida Panthers. He’s also under contract for $750,000.