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Vegas Golden Knights: Labor Day State of the Nation

By Andrew Steele-Davis

SAN JOSE, CA - APRIL 23: Cody Eakin #21 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal in the second period against the San Jose Sharks in Game Seven of the Western Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center on April 23, 2019 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CA - APRIL 23: Cody Eakin #21 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal in the second period against the San Jose Sharks in Game Seven of the Western Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center on April 23, 2019 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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SAN JOSE, CA – APRIL 23: Cody Eakin #21 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal in the second period against the San Jose Sharks in Game Seven of the Western Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center on April 23, 2019 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CA – APRIL 23: Cody Eakin #21 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal in the second period against the San Jose Sharks in Game Seven of the Western Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center on April 23, 2019 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

Americans are celebrating Labor day today and it is a double celebration for Vegas Golden Knights fans because hockey is now another step closer to returning.

Labor Day traditionally symbolizes the end of summer and, although there are sure to still be sunny days ahead (especially in Las Vegas), September means back to work for the NHL and that is the case for the Vegas Golden Knights.

It is set to be a busy few weeks in the hockey universe as we build up to the start of the regular season in October, with Golden Knights Rookie Camp set to get underway this Thursday, before Training Camp begins on Sep, 12. The slate of seven preseason games then start at T-Mobile Arena against the Arizona Coyotes on Sun, Sep, 15.

With the players starting to jet back into Sin City we should start to see a flurry of activity and news, although there are a couple of little nuggets of information that are worth going over…

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – JUNE 22: Kelly McCrimmon of the Vegas Golden Knights attends the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena on June 22, 2019 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – JUNE 22: Kelly McCrimmon of the Vegas Golden Knights attends the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena on June 22, 2019 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Kelly McCrimmon is officially the GM

We’ve known this for a while and we have been referring to him as such since the news broke back in May, but Kelly McCrimmon officially took over the mantle of General Manager on Sunday, Sep, 1.

McCrimmon was Assistant General Manager but has taken over the top job after George McPhee, who is now officially the franchise’s President of Hockey Operations, decided to promote McCrimmon in order to prevent losing him to the Edmonton Oilers.

Not much will actually change given that McPhee and McCrimmon worked as a tandem anyway, they have been a match made in heaven from day one and that will continue to be the case going forward.

The only difference now is that McCrimmon will officially be responsible for pulling the trigger on trades and his first test will be at next year’s Trade Deadline, with Team Owner Bill Foley already revealing that the Golden Knights could have some cap space to play with.

They are also due to have over $15 million of cap space to spend on upgrading the roster next off-season – you can read our full breakdown here – and he will be tasked with guiding the ship come the 2020 NHL Entry Draft in Montreal where the Golden Knights will once again be looking to replenish their farm system.

It is Kelly McCrimmon’s time to shine now and, while McPhee will still have a large say in all matters relating to the team, it will be on McCrimmon to finish the job and guide this team to a Stanley Cup.

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