Las Vegas to trade Hilary Knight to Detroit in sign-and-trade deal

Hilary Knight is heading to the PWHL's expansion team in Detroit as part of a sign-and-trade deal, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Monday. The person said Knight will first sign a foundational contract with Las Vegas as part of Phase 2 of the league's expansion signing process.

Las Vegas then reached an agreement to trade Knight to Detroit in exchange for the team's first-round pick in the draft next week. The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to reveal the trade. The deal will not become official until the PWHL's trade freeze lifts on June 16, a day before the draft.

Knight's background and recent performance The 36-year-old Knight is a five-time U.S. Olympian and one of the most decorated players in her sport. She is coming off captaining Team USA to a gold medal victory at the Milan Cortina Games in February, in which Knight deflected in the championship game-tying goal late in the third period of a 2-1 overtime win against Canada.

Though Knight said the Olympics in Milan would be her last, she planned on continuing her pro career. Knight finished last season with five goals and 14 points in 22 games, while missing the final two months of the season with a lower body injury.

Knight's movement between teams Knight is on the move for a second straight PWHL offseason. After spending her first two PWHL seasons in Boston, she left the Fleet to sign with the expansion Seattle Torrent in a move to be closer to her offseason home in Idaho.

As much as she and the Torrent would have preferred Knight to remain in Seattle, the team under the expansion rules was restricted to protecting three players. The Torrent chose to protect forward Alex Carpenter, defender Anna Wilgren and goalie Hannah Murphy.

Knight at least gets the benefit of signing a foundational offer, which guarantees her making at least $100,000 per season. Each of the PWHL's four expansion teams were allowed one foundational contract offer. Las Vegas still had its foundational slot open, while Detroit previously used its offer to sign Toronto forward Daryl Watts last week.

Detroit roster additions In Detroit, Knight joins a team that already features three U.S. gold medal-winning teammates in forwards Britta Curl-Salemme, Hannah Bilka and defender Cayla Barnes, who were signed in the expansion process. She also is reunited with newly hired Detroit coach Josh Sciba, who was an assistant on the U.S. team.

Earlier in the day, Detroit filled its maximum fifth expansion spot by signing Toronto forward Jesse Compher to a three-year contract.