If you’re looking at placing a bet, all bets are off the table at Vegas getting an NHL franchise, cause the waits officially over.
I remember going to Vegas taking in a “Thunder” game watching Kelly Sutherland ref the game, prior to him signing with the NHL as a full-time Referee and interesting enough Dave Newell was his supervisor for the game.
The NHL Board of Governors in a unanimous vote approved of expanding and placing another franchise in the City of Sin – Las Vegas.
The fall of 2017 is when the NHL celebrate it’s 100th birthday and placing a team in Vegas is a win – win for everyone.
The franchise will play in the #375 million T-Mobile Arena opened earlier this year
In placing a team in Vegas it allows the franchise to select one player from each team totalling 30 players, with (at least) 20 being under contract for the 2017-18 season.
The selection will see (at least) fourteen (14) forwards, nine (9) D-men and three 93) goaltenders.
Each of the existing teams have two options for players on the protected list, which has to be submitted to league office by 5 PM June 17/2017, a full year away.
Current teams can make seven (7) forwards, three (3) D-men and one (1) goaltender unavailable in the draft or do the same for eight (8) skaters (forward and D’men) and one goalie.
Players with a “no-trade” clause who decline to waive the rights must be included in the clubs protected list.
Any player in their first or second year(s) and unsigned draft choice will be exempt from the selection of players.
All clubs must expose one (1) goaltender who is under contract in the 2017-18 season and should a club chooses the latter option, the goaltender in question must have received a qualifying offer from the club, prior to the protected list being submitted.
The deadline for the Vegas franchise to submit it’s selection in (5 pm) June 20/2017.
For the upcoming 2017 NHL draft lottery, the Vegas team will have the same odds as a team finishing with the third-lowest point total in 2016-17.
They will be guaranteed to pick no lower than 6th in the first round and will pick third in each round for the remainder of the draft.
Given the addition of this franchise, apparently the NHL is worried about the potential of NFL relocation to Vegas, which some seem to think might be the Oakland Raiders.
Owner of the Vegas franchise Bill Foley is open to an NFL team moving in due to the population of 2 million, plus the tourist dollars.
Foley’s next job is the process of building a front office, which given the odds is probably a one to one in getting it done.
The question for some is what will the franchise be called and who will pick the name.
My first thought is to have a contest with the winner getting a pair of tickets for three seasons, as long as you live in the US.
Mind you this might be a tax problem and given the election race heating up, this could be an issue for either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump.
Either way this is a win – win for sports fans!
Name That Team!!
