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Well, we now know what the price might be for NHL teams trying to dissuade the Vegas Golden Knights from taking certain players in the expansion draft.
Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch reports on Saturday morning that the Columbus Blue Jackets have swung a deal with Vegas ahead of the 3 p.m. ET roster freeze.
Sources around the NHL have indicated to The Dispatch that the Blue Jackets have reached agreement with the Vegas Golden Knights on a trade that will be announced during the expansion draft Wednesday in Las Vegas. With this trade the Blue Jackets will pay dearly to dissuade the Golden Knights from taking Anderson, Korpisalo or one of the veteran defensemen — Jack Johnson or David Savard — that they would have exposed.
Per Portzline’s sources (he’s one of the best beat reporters in the league, mind you), the Jackets are giving up the 24th overall pick in this year’s draft and a prospect to the Knights. He describes this as “steering” the Knights toward drafting Matt Calvert, William Karlsson or Ryan Murray.
Portzline also points out two of the prospects not believed to be a part of this deal, which should make Blue Jackets fans relax a bit.
Still, that’s a hefty price to pay just to ask Vegas not to take some of your players. There’s no doubt GM George McPhee will abide by that handshake agreement; Vegas can ill afford to get off on a bad foot with any team in negotiations. But it’s a good example of how desperate some teams are going to be to keep players and how Vegas will reap every benefit of that.