NHL expansion draft 2017: James Neal, Marc-Andre Fleury among big names picked by Golden Knights

The Vegas Golden Knights didn’t build a contender right out of the gate, but they weren’t trying to given how many side deals were made to allow the team to stockpile draft picks. Vegas now has three picks in the top 15 for the NHL entry draft on Friday, setting it up for a major haul in Chicago.

But Golden Knights general manager George McPhee still landed some good players for his new team at the 2017 NHL Awards, including a former 40-goal scorer, a Stanley Cup-winning goaltender, and several players who were high draft picks in recent years. They also have Russian forward Vadim Shipachyov, who signed a two-year contract in May.

Vegas clearly took a long-term approach to the expansion draft, and that makes sense for a team that’s aiming to win Stanley Cups, not try to slip into the playoffs while earning middling first-round picks. They don’t have the talent to win big now, but they’re hoping to use the draft to locate that talent in the near future.

The Golden Knights still have some interesting names in the mix for next season, though, so let’s take a look. Here’s also a reminder that some of these players could still be on the move, as McPhee has said he plans to flip some of his expansion draft picks to other teams.

Nashville chose to protect Calle Jarnkrok over Neal, which left the high-scoring winger available to Vegas. It’s no surprise he was chosen, as he’s coming off his ninth consecutive 20-goal season. The Golden Knights will desperately need scoring ability in their top six next season, and Neal will be one of the prime candidates to provide that.

The rush of emotion surrounding Fleury’s departure from Pittsburgh has been heartwarming to watch. Evgeni Malkin wished him a very cute goodbye on Instagram on Wednesday, and NHL awards host Joe Manganiello mentioned him in his farewell to the crowd at the show’s conclusion.

On the ice, Fleury is coming off an underwhelming season where he posted a .909 save percentage, so the Penguins needed to send the Golden Knights a 2020 second-round pick to seal the deal. That’s mainly because he’s got a $5.75 million cap hit for two seasons, so Pittsburgh had little choice but to get rid of him this summer with Matt Murray in place as starter.

It’s a lot of cap hit for a starting goalie who’s not clearly elite, but Fleury brings solid play, leadership, respect, and Stanley Cup experience to an otherwise fledgling team.

He’s coming off a season where he scored just three goals in 60 games despite often playing with Jamie Benn, but the Golden Knights couldn’t say no to a talented two-way center. Eakin recorded 110 points in the three seasons prior to 2016-17, so there’s reason to believe he can bounce back. And while a $3.85 million cap hit for three seasons might be a tad rich, he brings stability up the middle to Vegas.

What a big win for Vegas here. Not only were the Golden Knights able to land Marchessault, a 30-goal scorer in 2016-17, with their expansion pick, but they nabbed Smith, who is about to start a five-year, $25 million contract, from the Panthers for a third-round pick. That’s two good forwards in their primes for Vegas.

Best known as Erik Karlsson’s partner in Ottawa, Methot will be tested away from his superstar teammates next season. He’s not a point producer, but brings steady defensive play and experience to whoever will be his new team. A trade for Methot, who has two years remaining at a $4.9 million cap hit on his deal, seems possible. The Dallas Stars are reportedly interested, and just cleared millions in salary with Eakin.

Other than Neal, nobody selected by the Golden Knights has been as consistent a scorer as Perron over the years. He’s coming off his fourth straight season with at least 36 points, including an 18-goal, 46-point campaign with the Blues in 2016-17. Combined with Neal, Vegas could have a solid one-two punch at left wing with Perron next season.

The Golden Knights managed to acquire a pair of prominent 21-year-old prospects in separate trades. The Wild sent Tuch, a 2014 first-round pick, to the Knights to make sure they didn’t pick Marco Scandella or Mathew Dumba. The Ducks traded Theodore, a 2013 first-round pick, in order to keep Sami Vatanen and Josh Manson.

Tuch is coming off a solid AHL debut where he recorded 37 points in 57 games. He’s a potential right winger or center in the NHL, and could get a look from the Golden Knights next season. Theodore, a skilled defenseman, split last season between the AHL (20 points in 26 games) and NHL (nine points in 34 games).

The draft is coming in hot on Friday, but these will remain two of the best prospects in the Golden Knights’ system. McPhee did well to get them both, as they’ll potentially be able to make impacts in the NHL sooner than draft picks.