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Dallas Stars Daily Links: George McPhee Is the Most Powerful Man in Hockey (For Now)

Posted on by Kathleen Tibbetts

Right now, and for a limited time, George McPhee is the center of the hockey universe.

Dallas Stars senior digital correspondent Scott Burnside sums up the rather stunning range of powers in sole possession of the Vegas Golden Knights GM – at least until 9 a.m. Central time on Wednesday, June 21, the deadline for making his picks in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft:

It is an unprecedented moment in the history of the NHL’s expansion process with McPhee able to approach restricted and unrestricted free agents before he must produce a final list that will be revealed as part of the NHL’s annual awards ceremony Wednesday night.

McPhee’s breadth of power extends to making deals with teams who covet some of the players left unprotected by other NHL clubs. So, in theory, McPhee could select Minnesota defenseman Matt Dumba and then flip him to say Tampa or Dallas in exchange for different assets.

McPhee holds all the cards and for this brief period of time is the single-most important figure in hockey.

Scott has much more in his latest post. [Dallas Stars]

Owen Newkirk and Josh Bogorad share reactions to the Stars’ protected list.

Dan Hamhuis makes a Sports Illustrated list of the big stars available for the expansion draft. [Sports Illustrated]

And Justin Cuthbert makes a list of free agents the Golden Knights should pursue, from Alexander Radulov to Cody Franson. [Puck Daddy]

Also at Puck Daddy: Mackenzie Liddell picks the five teams that will be hurt the least by the expansion draft. [Puck Daddy]

Look, no one is more confused about the New York Islanders’ protection list than New York Islanders fans.

The Isles are rumored to have deals in place, including trades involving Mikhail Grabovski and their first-round pick. [Newsday]

And Kevin Allen predicts Vegas will draft Cody Eakin. [USA Today]

Meanwhile, with the NHL Entry Draft only three sleeps away, Friend of DBD Brandon Worley has this observation:

Mike G. Morreale examines Cale Makar vs. Miro Heiskanen, in scouting reports. [NHL]

And Jeff Marek posts his own mock draft (and tries to figure out whether Nolan Patrick or Nico Hischier will go first overall). [Sportsnet]

Tyler Seguin a trade candidate? Mike Heika gets deep into hawt-taek territory in his latest chat.

A seasonal reminder that punctuation saves lives (and careers):

Just trying to keep up with the trades? NHL.com has a page for that. [NHL]

By the time you read this, the Stars may have already posted their big Adidas jersey reveal. Meanwhile, here’s the final teaser.

Look at Trevor Daley. LOOK AT HIM.

Forward Scott Young, former coaches Ron Wilson, Jack Parker and Ben Smith, and ex- linesman Kevin Collins are the 2017 class of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.

Shane Doan, who has spent half his life in an Arizona Coyotes uniform, will not return in 2017-18 after owner Andrew Barroway announced that he will not be offered a new contract. [NHL on NBC]

Doan says he’s “not bitter,” but many ’Yotes fans are stunned and angry – including columnist Dan Bickley. [Arizona Republic]

USA Hockey has announced the roster for the 2017 IIHF Inline Hockey World Championships.

It’s official: Matej Stransky is on his way to the KHL’s Severstal Cherepovets.

Finally: On June 19, 1999, in Game 6 and in triple overtime, the Stars won their first Stanley Cup. Let’s do it again soon, yeah?

And June 19 is also the anniversary of the Texas Stars’ first Calder Cup rally, in what is surely as gorgeous a coincidence as exists anywhere. Enjoy.

Talking Points