The NHL’s free agent interview window, which opened on Sunday, is new enough that it wasn’t around the last time Vegas GM George McPhee had a full offseason of planning on a team that wasn’t just created.



“I haven’t been through it,” McPhee said at the draft. “That changed when I was between jobs. It eliminates the frenzy that used to happen. You’d start making a call and somebody needs an answer in 15 minutes. I think it’s a much better process this way. Much better decisions are made.”



It has cut down on the frenzy of free agency, but instead of a wild opening bell, it’s a bit of a slow burn that lasts all week. And if you talk to enough people around hockey, those discussions have been going on for awhile now on some level. That means this week, even if contracts can’t be officially signed until July 1, contracts are going to start to take shape. Agreements will be put into place. Free agency,...