The St. Louis Blues are hoping to be picking higher than their current spot at 20th overall in Friday's draft.

General manager Doug Armstrong spoke to stlouisblues.com where he was adamant the team is open and hopeful of swinging a deal to improve its placement in the draft.

"We are considering moving up," Armstrong said, according to NHL.com's Chris Pinkert. "We've talked to some teams that are in an area where they think they might want to move back and grab either two first-round picks or one of our firsts and our second-round pick, depending on how far we move up.

"There are a couple of players we have our eye on."

The Blues have two first-round picks, the 20th overall selection as well as the 28th pick, which was acquired from the Washington Capitals in the Kevin Shattenkirk trade.

Looking at this year's draft, Armstrong believes the field isn't as strong as in years past, but remains confident that there will still be quality players to be had.

"(This draft) doesn't have the (Sidney) Crosby, (Alex) Ovechkin or (Auston) Mathews-type players at the top end, but we're still excited," Armstrong said. "It doesn't look like it has the depth of Robby Fabbri's draft where you might get a guy to fit in your top six. But that being said, someone is going to outperform the draft, they always do. It could be someone in the late first round or the fourth round.

"There's going to be a great player coming from this draft, and our job is trying to find one of them."

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Chris Pronger is taking his talents to Sunrise.

The former NHL defenseman has been named the Florida Panthers senior advisor to the president of hockey operations, the club announced Thursday.

The role will see Pronger work alongside Dale Tallon, general manager and president of hockey operations.

"One of the most dominant defensemen of his era, Chris' winning resume and wealth of hockey knowledge will be a great asset to our hockey club," Tallon said in a statement.

Pronger, 42, skated in nearly 1,200 career games with the Hartford Whalers, St. Louis Blues, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, and Philadelphia Flyers, where he finished his career in 2012.

In 1999-00, while with the Blues, Pronger was awarded the Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman, as well as the Hart Trophy, as NHL MVP. Pronger won the Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015.

Pronger joins the Panthers after spending the past three seasons with the NHL Department of Player Safety.

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Could the Vegas Golden Knights' next wave come at the entry draft?

After piecing together their initial roster in Wednesday's expansion pool, and accumulating a boatload of extra draft picks in the process, the Golden Knights could be primed for an even bigger splash come Friday.

Already owning the sixth overall pick, the Golden Knights added two more first-rounders in expansion-draft side deals with the New York Islanders and Columbus Blue Jackets. A subsequent deal saw the Blue Jackets' pick flipped to the Winnipeg Jets for their first selection.

In all, Vegas holds three cards in Round 1, when the Golden Knights are poised to pick sixth, 13th, and 15th. But how long those pieces remain property of the Golden Knights remains the question.

Could the picks be packaged together to boost the Golden Knights into the top two picks, where the highly-touted Nico Hischier and Nolan Patrick project to be taken?

The scenario could be even more plausible if the New Jersey Devils choose Hischier first overall, as most of the recent draft talk believes the Swiss skater is a shoo-in for first. That would then make Patrick free for the taking at the second slot, currently held by the Philadelphia Flyers.

But cue up a call from the Golden Knights, where the appeal of a top pick - one that could immediately fill a role with the club - would add even more dazzle to the NHL's newest entry.

Some within the Golden Knights' organization already need little introduction to Patrick, particularly assistant general manager Kelly McCrimmon - the owner and former coach and GM of the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings - where Patrick spent his developmental seasons.

With Brandon, McCrimmon was behind the bench when Patrick, all of 17 years old, put together a 102-point campaign in 2015-16. He then followed up that performance with 30 points in 21 playoff contests, the top billing in the WHL.

"With respect to Nolan Patrick," McCrimmon told Michael Traikos of the National Post in January. "If he was drafted last year, I think he would be held in similar regard to the top players."

Never a bad day when you're compared to the likes of Auston Matthews or Patrik Laine, last June's top two selections who combined for 76 goals this season. On Wednesday, Matthews took home rookie of the year honors.

As for the Golden Knights, they'd surely love a flashy freshman to call their own. A top center in Patrick would also be a key piece to build around, and as GM George McPhee has stated, the Golden Knights will be built from within.

No doubt Patrick could be an ace for Vegas.

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The Vegas Golden Knights have a roster.

Weeks of endless speculation and mock drafts came to an end Wednesday night as the Golden Knights unveiled their team during the NHL Awards.

Related: 3 takeaways from the Golden Knights' initial roster

Marc-Andre Fleury and James Neal are the early headliners of the team and give Vegas fans names to gravitate toward. Some more trades, the entry draft, and free agency are still to come before the team finally takes the ice, but with the core now in place, we ask: how many games will the Golden Knights win next season?

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The Vegas Golden Knights selected a lot of defensemen on Wednesday night. Including trades and expansion picks, they ended up with 15 blue-liners, to be exact.

Golden Knights general manager George McPhee is a smart man. He knows that several teams around the league are looking for quality defensemen who can play top-four minutes, and now he has a surplus of them he can dangle on the trade market.

He will certainly move some of these rearguards almost immediately, or he may end up waiting until the 2018 trade deadline. Others could wind up being a part of Vegas' long-term future.

Who will go?

• Marc Methot: Methot is a sure bet to be traded, and it could be as soon as Thursday. He's a stable, rock-solid blue-liner who can be trusted logging big minutes.

• Alexei Emelin: The analytics community isn't a big fan of Emelin, but he's one of the most physical defenders in the league. The 31-year-old has one year left on his deal with a cap hit of $4.1 million, so Vegas may need to retain some salary in order to move him. Nonetheless, any contending team would take him on their bottom pair.

• Jason Garrison: Garrison could very well end up starting the season in a Golden Knights uniform, but with just a year remaining on his contract, he's a strong candidate to be moved at the deadline, although Vegas will need to eat a big chunk of his $4.6 million cap hit. He still has a rocket of a shot.

• Colin Miller: Miller, 24, is one of the lone youngsters who could be on the move. The former Bruin has plenty of upside, but McPhee may be tempted to move him if a team like Toronto comes calling.

• David Schlemko: Schlemko posted an impressive 53.6 Corsi For percentage this past season. He's an above-average skater and an adequate puck-mover. With a cap hit of just $2.1 million over the next three seasons, Vegas should easily find a trade partner, even if it's at the deadline.

• Trevor van Riemsdyk: TSN's Bob McKenzie has already speculated that Van Riemsdyk could be moved to Carolina as early as Thursday. There's a market for right-handed shooting D, and while TVR is solid, he doesn't have that 'wow' factor to make Vegas hang on to him.

Who will stay?

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

• Shea Theodore: The Knights passed up the chance to draft Sami Vatanen and Josh Manson from the Ducks, and were willing to take on Clayton Stoner's contract just to acquire Theodore, so you can bet Vegas' brass holds him in high regard.

• Nate Schmidt: Schmidt was stuck behind an abundance of proven rearguards in Washington, but in a more prominent role in Vegas, he has the potential to become one of the game's best puck-movers. He's an elite skater.

• Brayden McNabb: McNabb attended the expansion draft ceremony and was the first to player to don a jersey. That's as good of an indicator as any that they don't intend to move him.

• Jake Bischoff: Bischoff, 22, was acquired in a trade with the Islanders. He had an impressive 32 points in 38 games with the University of Minnesota this past year, so he will likely develop in the AHL next season.

• Deryk Engelland: Engelland is 35, and frankly isn't that good, so teams won't exactly be lining up to obtain his services. However, Engelland has lived in Vegas for the past 13 years, and would certainly embrace being a part of the team and the community. He's a dark horse candidate to be the club's inaugural captain.

Something to prove

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

• Griffin Reinhart: Reinhart was the fourth overall pick back in 2012 by the Islanders, and the Oilers gave up a first-rounder to acquire him in 2015. So far in his career, he's been labeled a bust, but the 6-foot-4 defender obviously has upside. He has a lot to prove, and playing for an expansion team is a great spot in which to do it.

• Luca Sbisa: Sbisa, like Reinhart, is a former first-round pick who hasn't panned out. He'll be given a chance, but at 27, his leash will be much shorter than Reinhart's.

• Jon Merrill: Merrill, 25, offers nice size at 6-foot-3, but Vegas essentially took him because New Jersey had little to offer. He'll have to earn his minutes.

• Clayton Stoner: Stoner is 31 years old, isn't very good, and makes too much money for a team to want him. He'll likely be stashed in the minors until the Knights can let him walk as a free agent after this coming season.

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The 2016-17 NHL season is officially over.

The league handed out its annual hardware Wednesday night, and here's a rundown of who won what:

Hart Trophy: Connor McDavid

The kid's alright.

McDavid scored an awards hat trick Wednesday (he officially collected his Art Ross Trophy as the league's leading scorer), capping off his stellar night by winning the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP. He's 20 years old.

Vezina Trophy: Sergei Bobrovsky

Bobrovsky won his second career Vezina Trophy, punctuating a remarkable season for both the 28-year-old and his Columbus Blue Jackets. The goaltender was emotional in victory, noting his return from groin injuries that threatened to derail his career for good.

James Norris Trophy: Brent Burns

Burns has his Norris Trophy. The San Jose Sharks defenseman edged Erik Karlsson for the award, his first, after posting career highs across the board.

Calder Memorial Trophy: Auston Matthews

For the first time in basically forever, a member of the Maple Leafs won an NHL award, with Matthews declared the league's top rookie. He scored 40 goals and Toronto made the playoffs.

Bill Masterton Trophy: Craig Anderson

Anderson had one hell of a year. His wife Nicholle was diagnosed with cancer in the fall, resulting in the goaltender taking multiple leaves of absence from the Ottawa Senators. The club rallied around its goaltender and his wife, though, and the Sens' deep run into the playoffs was one of the more special stories of the season.

Even better, Nicholle was in attendance in Las Vegas on Wednesday night, cancer-free.

Frank J. Selke Trophy: Patrice Bergeron

Bergeron won his fourth Selke Trophy on Wednesday, tying legend Bob Gainey for the most all time. Bergeron took the honor for the third time in four years. It's his until it isn't.

Jack Adams Award: John Tortorella

The man affectionately known as "Torts" won his second career Jack Adams Trophy, and he deflected praise thrown his way, saying he was glad his Blue Jackets were recognized for their incredible regular season.

Ted Lindsay Award: McDavid

McDavid's peers know he's the man. The Oilers captain took home most outstanding honors, as voted by the NHLPA.

NHL GM of the Year Award: David Poile

Poile's Nashville Predators fell two wins shy of the Stanley Cup, but the general manager was rewarded for how far his team has come.

Lady Byng Trophy: Johnny Gaudreau

Calgary Flames superstar Gaudreau took home his first NHL trophy, the Lady Byng. He finished fourth in voting last season.

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The Vegas Golden Knights clearly aren't done dealing, but that doesn't mean their first real semblance of a roster can't be debated and dissected.

Related: Fleury, Methot, Neal headline Golden Knights' expansion draft roster

There's sure to be more roster movement when the NHL's trade freeze lifts Thursday morning, but at least the Golden Knights now have a foundation in place, and it's an intriguing group.

Here are a few quick thoughts about the first edition of the league's newest expansion franchise:

So many defensemen

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

Maybe it is possible to have too many blue-liners.

The Golden Knights possess nearly as many defensemen (15) as they do forwards (19) following Wednesday night's roster reveal.

Some notable names comprise the Vegas defense corps, including Marc Methot, Colin Miller, Nate Schmidt, Shea Theodore, and Brayden McNabb.

There are also plenty of rearguards with deficiencies in one area or another, such as Alexei Emelin, Deryk Engelland, Clayton Stoner, and Luca Sbisa.

One thing's for sure, though. With more than a dozen D-men in the fold, and considering only so many of them can be sent down to the AHL, this position is where general manager George McPhee will likely look to deal from in the coming days and weeks.

There is some talent up front

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

Expansion teams don't often get their hands on 30-goal scorers right away, but one of the NHL's worst-kept secrets was confirmed Wednesday night when the Golden Knights took Jonathan Marchessault from the Florida Panthers in the expansion draft.

Vegas also landed James Neal from the Nashville Predators, who weren't able to come up with an adequate side deal to keep the nine-time 20-goal producer from being plucked.

David Perron was also nabbed from the St. Louis Blues, and he's coming off an 18-goal season in which he played all 82 games.

That's not a bad top line for a team starting from scratch.

Getting center Erik Haula and prospect Alex Tuch - a first-round pick in 2014 - in a trade with the Minnesota Wild also gives the Golden Knights some forward depth with upside.

Trading for Gusev was a risk worth taking

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

One of the more underrated moves made by McPhee was the acquisition of Nikita Gusev from the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The 24-year-old forward prospect was unsigned by the Lightning, but he's worth the gamble for the Golden Knights, who also boast his countryman and former SKA St. Petersburg teammate, Vadim Shipachyov.

Gusev scored 24 goals in the KHL this past season, and the two Russians lit up the World Championship this spring, combining for 27 points in 10 games.

His agent, Dan Milstein, told Stephen Whyno of The Associated Press that his client has no immediate plans to sign in the NHL, but the Golden Knights could be fun to watch if Gusev is swayed into coming to North America and can duplicate that success with Shipachyov in the NHL.

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Marc-Andre Fleury may have spent his entire 13-year NHL career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but that doesn't mean he's just going to roll over the first time the Pens face off against his new club, the Vegas Golden Knights.

Following Wednesday's NHL Award ceremony, the Flower made it very clear how he feels about playing his former club next season.

We won't know exactly when the matchup between the Penguins and Knights will take place until the the 2017-18 schedule is announced by the league Thursday at noon.

Whether the game is on the Strip or at PPG Paints Arena, it should be one circled on your '17-'18 calendar.

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