Las Vegas NHL expansion franchise owner Bill Foley is holding a 4pm et news conference on Wednesday to introduce the team's first general manager. TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie reports that former Washington Capitals GM George McPhee is the odds-on favourite to land the job.

McPhee served as general manager of the Capitals for 17 seasons beginning in 1997-98. The Capitals reached the playoffs 10 times during McPhee's tenure, including six straight seasons from 2007-08 to 2012-13. 

Under McPhee, the team captured seven Southeast Division championships, the 2009-10 President’s Trophy and Washington's first trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 1998.

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Prior to joining the Capitals, McPhee spent five seasons as the Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations, as well as Alternate Governor for the Vancouver Canucks. Throughout his tenure with the Canucks, the team had four trips to the playoffs, a division championship and a berth in the 1994 Stanley Cup Final.

McPhee was also part of the management group that helped guide Team Canada to an undefeated record and the eventual gold medal at the 2015 World Championship and worked last season in the New York Islanders' front office.

McPhee had a seven-year NHL playing career with the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and the league's board of governors unanimously accepted an expansion bid from las Vegas last month, with the new team set to begin play in the 2017-18 season.

The team, which will play in the Western Conference, will begin to build its roster with an expansion draft next June. Las Vegas will pick one player from each of the other 30 NHL clubs.