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Let the crazy begin in the NHL

It is time for silly season in the National Hockey League. The second half of the month of June and the early part of July is always crazy in the NHL but with the Vegas Golden Knights joining the fray the craziness will only increase.
Chris Lee, reporter

It is time for silly season in the National Hockey League.

The second half of the month of June and the early part of July is always crazy in the NHL but with the Vegas Golden Knights joining the fray the craziness will only increase.

After the NHL imposed a trade freeze with teams not involving the Golden Knights at 1:00 p.m. (MDT) and teams were required to enter their expansion draft protection lists, the next two weeks set up to be real busy.

The Golden Knights, who now have until tomorrow to pick their team based on players not on the teams’ protection lists, were given a small window to negotiate with potential free agents and also negotiate trades with teams who want to protect extra players.

So now not only will we be seeing 30 players moving from their current club to the Golden Knights but we will also be seeing teams making trades with the Golden Knights to make sure that a specific player is not selected in the expansion draft.

This also creates a unique window as teams have the opportunity to propose trades with the Golden Knights about players they are interested in but do not have under contract.

For instance, if the Toronto Maple Leafs were interested in an Ottawa Senator who is not protected they could negotiate a trade with the Golden Knights with the idea that Vegas would draft them in the expansion draft and then flip that player to the Leafs.

It is all very complicated, which makes it all the more silly.

After this unique window closes on June 21, the Golden Knights will be unveiling their new team at the NHL Awards that night.

But once the team is unveiled silly season only foresees to ramp up.

Just a few short days after the unveiling of the Golden Knights roster, all 31 NHL General Managers will converge on Chicago for the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, which as we have seen nearly every year proves to be a time where trades are either consummated and made later or made right away.

Then, the final part of the silly comes on Canada Day, July 1, when the new National Hockey League season begins and players without a contract are allowed to sign new ones with other teams.

Only after Canada Day do we finally get the opportunity to relax for the summer.

In the meantime, get ready hockey fans, the next two weeks will be silly.