There is a thread in the business forum about NHL possibly expanding with two teams. Probably won't happen but for laughs lets have a hypothetical expansion draft using the rules from the 2000 expansion.
You are allowed to protect:
* one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards
or
* two goaltenders, three defensemen, and seven forwards
I choose to protect one goalie, five defensemen and nine forwards
G: Varlamov
D: Erik Johnson
D: Jan Hejda
D: Ryan O'Byrne
D: Ryan Wilson
D: Greg Zanon
F: Paul Stastny
F: David Jones
F: P-A Parentau
F: Matt Duchene
F: Ryan O'Reilly (not under contract, but he'll be)
F: Steve Downie
F: Milan Hejduk
F: Jamie McGinn
F: Cody McLeod
While I could see protecting Giguere at the cost of the last two D and the last two F, I suspect with two new expansion teams they might pick up three of our defensemen and we'll be in trouble, even if they aren't amazing.
Last edited by Freudian: 10-23-2012 at 10:12 PM.
Reason: Tried to sneak in John Mitchell as #10. Sorry.
EJ
O'Bryne
Hejda
Wilson
Hunwick (I might catch flack for this but he actually played better than O'Brien and I'm not sold on Zanon)
Duchene
O'Reilly
Stastny
PAP
Jones
McGinn
Downie
Hejduk
McCleod (I guess we don't really have anyone else to protect if you go with 9 forwards)
We kind of luck out because we don't have to protect Landeskog as he is on a ELC whcih gives us an extra forward to protect.
I wouldn't cry if we lost Giggy, I like him as a backup and mentor but he is getting up there in age and with our prospect pool of goalies, I'd be fine with one of Aitto or Pickard getting 20 or so games behind Varly or even finding a cheap vet replacement to keep those 2 in the AHL.
So basically an expansion team would get a chance at O'Brien, Kobasew. Mitchell, Zanon and Giggy. The only one I'd see for sure getting plucked is Giggy. Then O'Brien and Zanon would be possible casualties.
You are forgetting one glaring rule...
You have to expose 2 forwards with NHL experience (40 games this season or 70 between this and last season) and 1 D. If you protect 2 goalies, you would need a third goalie with NHL experience (no goalie is required to be exposed if you protect just one). Only McCleod and Shane meet those requirements outside the main players. Oddly they were both retained rather than lost to free agency. Both UFA pick ups are close to the needed requirement.
Hunwick (I might catch flack for this but he actually played better than O'Brien and I'm not sold on Zanon)
Nothing wrong with protecting Hunwick, he had an excellent season in '11-12 when actually called upon to lace up the skates. People cannot eliminate '10-11 from their memories, which makes them extremely biased. O'Brien had good stretches but he was a complete and utter mess, and re-signing him for 3 seasons makes me unhappy to say the least (though I guess we can always trade him away).
Logically the last forward spot would be Jones, but given his one-dimensional play, question marks about him returning back to his original skating speed, and mediocre contract, maybe Kobasew instead. Mitchell and Hejduk would be other uninspiring candidates, though Hejduk would probably win based on history.
Nothing wrong with protecting Hunwick, he had an excellent season in '11-12 when actually called upon to lace up the skates. People cannot eliminate '10-11 from their memories, which makes them extremely biased. O'Brien had good stretches but he was a complete and utter mess, and re-signing him for 3 seasons makes me unhappy to say the least (though I guess we can always trade him away).
Logically the last forward spot would be Jones, but given his one-dimensional play, question marks about him returning back to his original skating speed, and mediocre contract, maybe Kobasew instead. Mitchell and Hejduk would be other uninspiring candidates, though Hejduk would probably win based on history.
My mistake. Then Hejduk, Kobasew and Mitchell for those two and the empty spot I guess. Van Der Gulik would be worthwhile protecting but it doesn't seem like the team thinks he belongs in the NHL over a full season.
This just highlights the fact that, that forward list with Landeskog still only accounts for 8 forwards. Hoping Hejduk can play a top 9 role effectively scares me... Which is why I think we are still short one top 9 winger IMO. Hopefully one of the kids can fill that role or one of our centers is going end up with the short straw and a weaker line.
Any expansion draft will be held, at least, slightly differently. Upcoming UFAs may not count towards the experience requirement... as before they were nice pick ups as they could bring in compensation via draft picks. Hejduk would be left unprotected.
Also, players with two years or less of experience would be exempt. A player in their third year of an ELC, with 3 years of "experience", would need to be protected.
This expansion draft will see some interesting variations due to the numerous changes in the past 10+ seasons.
D - Johnson
D - Zanon
D - Wilson
D - O'Brien
D - Hejda
F - Stastny
F - Landeskog
F - Hejduk
F - Parenteau
F - Downie
F - Duchene
F - O'Reilly
F - Jones
F - McLeod
Stastny, Landeskog, and Hejduk need to play on the same line. Sacco should try it if the lockout ends. Power forward (Lando), Playmaker (Stazz) and a sniper in Hejduk. Worth a try.
D - Johnson
D - Zanon
D - Wilson
D - O'Brien
D - Hejda
F - Stastny
F - Landeskog
F - Hejduk
F - Parenteau
F - Downie
F - Duchene
F - O'Reilly
F - Jones
F - McLeod
Stastny, Landeskog, and Hejduk need to play on the same line. Sacco should try it if the lockout ends. Power forward (Lando), Playmaker (Stazz) and a sniper in Hejduk. Worth a try.
In my opinion, the players I have left off would be expendible.
As mediocre as our defense is, it would look a hell of a lot worse if this happened. I see Wilson, O'Byrne and Hejda at least being picked up.
__________________ “It’s embarrassing. I’m embarrassed to be here right now. It’s not even funny. And it’s just embarrassing, the way we, you know, the energy we have in the room and the way we approach practices and the way we approach this game. It’s not how you’re going to win any games in this league." - Jean-Sebastien Giguere, April 8 2013
D - Johnson
D - Zanon
D - Wilson
D - O'Brien
D - Hejda
F - Stastny
F - Landeskog
F - Hejduk
F - Parenteau
F - Downie
F - Duchene
F - O'Reilly
F - Jones
F - McLeod
Stastny, Landeskog, and Hejduk need to play on the same line. Sacco should try it if the lockout ends. Power forward (Lando), Playmaker (Stazz) and a sniper in Hejduk. Worth a try.
No way in hell Jiggy gets protected over Varly unless you forgot we had Varlamov.
I'm surprised by the lack of Hejduk being protected in your guys' posts. Even if he is close to retirement I am 99.45% sure we will protect him.
That's a tough call. Obviously he means a lot to the franchise but do you really protect a guy who plays on the fourth line and realistically should have been scratched a lot of last season?
I think other teams would have the decency to not take him. Also they might not want him.
That's a tough call. Obviously he means a lot to the franchise but do you really protect a guy who plays on the fourth line and realistically should have been scratched a lot of last season?
I think other teams would have the decency to not take him. Also they might not want him.
if anything teams would be more likely to take him, on an expansion team he is definitely top 6, and there tends to be a lack of leadership on those teams in many cases, can't hold out hope that the other team's gm is a decent guy.
I'm surprised by the lack of Hejduk being protected in your guys' posts. Even if he is close to retirement I am 99.45% sure we will protect him.
Hejduk would be an UFA shortly after any expansion draft. He would be left unprotected because any team taking him would get nothing once the next week passes and he re-signs with the Avs. No need to protect UFAs unless you think they may sign with the new team during that week window.
