Update: Confirmed by George McPhee himself from the stage at the NHL Awards, Schmidt is now a member of the Vegas Golden Knights.
Well… we dreaded it happening. We hoped it wouldn’t happen. We prayed to all of the hockey gods (y’know, the ones who have long ignored our pleas) to spare us this misery.
Alas, George McPhee has more power than all the gods in the sporting universe – at least over the last few weeks – and has chosen to snatch away Nate Schmidt from his former team.
Per Pierre LeBrun:
Hard to blame McPhee for picking up Schmidt, given his age, price, and obvious upward trajectory. McPhee was the one who signed Schmidt in the first place, so he knows what skills the young Minnesotan brings to the table, and anyone who watched him down the stretch last season (and particularly in the playoffs) knows how dynamic and important he can be.
…yup, this one hurts.
So how do the Caps replace Schmidt on their already decimated blueline with limited cap space? Stay tuned. And best of luck to Nate in his new desert adventure.