The Flames Expansion Draft Protection/Exposure/Exempt Thread

[shadowlord]

Official NHL expansion draft exempt list contains surprises:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/o...ins-surprises/

Teams without any players that they’re required to protect: Calgary, San Jose, St. Louis, Washington.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

I guess we will have to agree to disagree but I really don't see any situation where Vegas would take Stajan.

Vegas needs to draft 20 players under contract and have to commit 43.8 million between those 20 (or more) players. There are not going to be a bunch of high priced players available for them to draft either, so guys that are moderately overpaid like Stajan may be appealing as they are on short teerm contracts. Plus Stajan is great with young players and amazing in the community, for a team trying to connect with the community someone like Stajan could do more for the franchise off the ice than other guys can do on the ice.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

Vegas needs to draft 20 players under contract and have to commit 43.8 million between those 20 (or more) players. There are not going to be a bunch of high priced players available for them to draft either, so guys that are moderately overpaid like Stajan may be appealing as they are on short teerm contracts. Plus Stajan is great with young players and amazing in the community, for a team trying to connect with the community someone like Stajan could do more for the franchise off the ice than other guys can do on the ice.

Not going to be bunch of high priced players available? How do you figure that?

[Karl]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Not going to be bunch of high priced players available? How do you figure that?

I'm guessing he meant not going to be a bunch of good or decent high priced players available.

[Party Elephant]

Won't Vegas be extra inclined to use their cap space to go after some big fish UFAs?

[dying4acup]

From what I see VGK must add minimum in expansion draft, but they can negotiate and sign UFAs before the draft, and give up the right to draft from teams.

So MAF and Nash have to be protected, what big attractive contracts are available, and what unattractive last year big money contracts are available?

The reason I ask is that, if you can't draft a Nash and Fluery, and you need to fill 30m in payroll, I'm looking for ending contracts from teams with few assets (like the Flames).

[Fighting Banana Slug]

So FWIW, Button came up with the following. There are a few obvious issues, most notably MAF, but I think it does show what we all thought: Some decent goalies, some depth at D and a pu-pu platter of F.

Goalies:
M.A. Fleury
Lack
Korpisalo

Defence (not necessarily the pairings, just saving space):
Davidson/Brodin
Orlov/Petrovic
Sbisa/Klein
Forbort/Nesterov
C. Miller/Nemeth
Pulock/Schenn
T. Van Riemsdyk

Forwards:
Dzingel/Perrault/Silfverberg
Nieto/Jarnkrok/Read
Bouma/Grigerenko/Mantha
Smith-Pelley/Larson/Reaves
De La Rose/Rychel

While I think Button is likely wrong on a number of spots, I don't think it is out of the question that they pick Bouma, Stajan, or perhaps a F. Hamilton, depending on how the season goes.

[DJones]

Originally Posted by Party Elephant

Won't Vegas be extra inclined to use their cap space to go after some big fish UFAs?

Ya I'd take the best player at the best value in the draft and then over pay for a few short term UFAs.

[You Need a Thneed]

Stajan is a very plausible choice for Vegas to take. They will need some veterans, and some salary. They will certainly be taking a couple Stajan-like players. Sure you could try to get some similar type players in free agency, but the other 30 teams in the league are going to be competing with you for the best ones. And they would rather have such a player without lots of money and term left on thier contract.

[sureLoss]

Should be noted that Jokipakka now has enough games played to satisfy the defence man exposure requirement.

All that the Flames need to do is sign him to a contract extension and they will meet all the exposure requirements required for the expansion draft

Edit: They also need Bouma to play 13 more games if he and Stakan are going to satisfy the forward requirements

[Vulcan]

My guess is they could take Shinkaruk. He's got upside and doesn't need waivers next season. It gives them flexibility to keep him or stock their farm and ready for a call up.

[ClubFlames]

If you had to pick one, who would we rather have Vegas choose? Jokipakka or Kulak?

[bigrangy]

^Jokipakka, not close. I love him but I don't see a #4 d-man there and Kulak still hasn't shown that he won't be one.

[Monahan For Mayor]

Originally Posted by ClubFlames

If you had to pick one, who would we rather have Vegas choose? Jokipakka or Kulak?

I'd rather Kulak. His game is more dynamic than Kevin. If they both hot their ceilings Kulak is the more valuable player.

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by Monahan For Mayor

I'd rather Kulak. His game is more dynamic than Kevin. If they both hot their ceilings Kulak is the more valuable player.

So, you'd rather have Vegas pick Jokipakka then.

[Mass_nerder]

I would much rather Vegas take Kevin.
I think it's pretty clear he's a #6.
Kulak has looked a little off the last few weeks, but I think there's a lot of potential there still.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Mass_nerder

I would much rather Vegas take Kevin.
I think it's pretty clear he's a #6.
Kulak has looked a little off the last few weeks, but I think there's a lot of potential there still.

This. I don't think Kevin will be anything more than a #6 guy. Kulak has top 4 upside.

[lazypucker]

If the Flames can fleece somebody to take on a bad contract (of course the money has to work out as well) that need to be protected like from Chicago or Rangers they should make the trade and use the 7th forward spot for it.

[Badgers Nose]

Stajan is gone for sure. Solid centre plays up and down the lineup and helps hit the cap floor.

How do the TSN guys think Flames can protect Kulak?

[tvp2003]

Thought I'd bump this -- two months since the OP, with Sureloss providing the following update on Nov 21:

Originally Posted by sureLoss

TSN's projected protection list for the Flames. They believe the Flames are the 2nd best positioned Canadian team after Toronto. The only question for them is who the goalie the Flames will protect and for now they are putting in Elliott. They also said management may be exploring for ways to protect Kulak.




video for all the Canadian teams here:
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/tsn-hock...pansion~999572

They project Winnipeg as the Canadian team potentially losing the most in the expansion draft.

As noted above, Jokipakka is now expansion eligible, and unless you think the can slide into the top 4 (I don't), it's unlikely that the Flames take any steps to keep him here as a 5/6 guy.

As for the forwards, I still think you protect Ferland over guys like Bouma and Stajan, but what about Chiasson, Versteeg (if he re-signs prior to the draft), or even Hathaway?

As for the goalies, there is already a thread for it but I expect Johnson gets re-signed soon, and Elliott either gets traded at the deadline or ends up as a UFA on July 1.