Locking up youth part of McPhee’s game plan for Golden Knights

“In terms of a particular model, are we married to this?” McPhee told reporters last week in announcing an extension for forward Alex Tuch. “Not really, but what we’d like to do is have a lot of good players on contracts that make sense.

“Sometimes, you’re better off with five players that make $5 million versus having one guy that makes $25 (million).”

It was a telling exchange that, for some reason, wasn’t included on the team’s video replay of the press conference — yeah, that’s pretty interesting (lol) — but one that clearly explained a vital part of how McPhee intends to shape the future.

The Knights that lost to Vancouver 3-2 in a shootout on Wednesday night before an announced gathering of 18,189 at T-Mobile Arena are like most any professional roster in that different sorts of deals are strewn throughout.

Including one made official minutes after the defeat.

Belief in a player can come in many forms and McPhee definitely showed a specific type in announcing the Knights have signed defenseman Nate Schmidt to a six-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $5.95 million.

Schmidt is currently serving a 20-game suspension to begin the season for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy. McPhee supported the player throughout the appeals process and even testified on Schmidt’s behalf.

It’s also true Schmidt is an extremely valuable player to the Knights.

So there is believing a guy’s explanation for testing positive and yet also understanding his talent.

This is professional sports.

This isn’t the Boy Scouts.

This is how things work.

Winning is the most important of pursuits for any franchise.

Much like a room with no designated captain, Vegas seems intent, until the market forces a change in thinking or, well, William Karlsson scores 43 goals in a season again, to keep things fairly consistent when it comes to paying guys.

Especially young ones.

With every contract comes risk and it’s no different in overpaying a 22-year old Tuch (seven years, $33.25 million) and 23-year old defenseman Shea Theodore (seven years, $36.4 million) now to hope their trajectory as players continue rising like the salary cap and each become terrific bargains 3-4 years from now.

The perceived upside of both makes it a practical wager.

“I want to (eventually) be a guy who people say is underpaid,” said Theodore. “Some might say in the future, ‘That was a bad contract to sign.’ I don’t see it that way. I love it here. I love my teammates. I love the organization. I love everything about it. You can’t get that everywhere. It’s good to see George believing in players like myself and (Tuch).”

There are other kinds of belief. Karlsson at 25 chose to gamble on himself with a one-year bridge deal for $5.25 million, and could really upset the whole equal distribution of wealth theory with another season like last.

I suppose that wouldn’t play well in and around the Caracas Cathedral.

Coming into focus

You can see it forming. How the Knights are locking up young players. The faith being put in veterans (Max Pacioretty, Paul Stastny) signed to replace those departed, new faces who still must prove healthy and productive enough to label such moves as correct. The staunch support of a 27-year old Schmidt — financially and otherwise — in the face of a positive drug test.

Sometimes, a guy even begins to out-perform a deal.

Ryan Reaves re-signed with Vegas for two years at an annual value of $2.775 million.

The fourth line forward who couldn’t get on the ice in Pittsburgh before being dealt to the Knights scored his second goal of the season Wednesday night.

His career high is seven. He’s on pace for 18.

Ryan Reaves — offensive juggernaut.

Now that’s when you know a contract is really working out.

Contact columnist Ed Graney at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on Twitter.