[Alberta_Beef]

The new CBA has changed things so much I am not so sure that an expansion draft would be at all like those rules were back then.

Back then teams made under the table deals to be compensated for not picking certain players, or would draft certain players just to trade them. The league would most definitely not allow this kind of thing today.

Another thing that was done (at least in 1998) was pending UFAs were chosen by the expansion clubs that they knew they had no chance to sign just so that they received an compensatory draft pick for losing the players (Nashville received 2nd round picks for losing Mike Ritcher and Uwe Krupp to free agency), this would no longer be a factor anymore either so there is no reason for a team to protect a pending UFA unless they knew he was going to re-sign.

Lastly and most importantly is the now oh so common no movement clause. Would clubs be forced to protect any player with a NMC? Could the player agree to waive his NMC to enter the expansion draft?

The NMC aspect could have massive implications. For example JS Giguere with the Avs has a full NMC in his contract, if the Avs are forced to protect him in an expansion draft (despite being a pending UFA) it would pretty much force them to protect 2 goaltenders so they don't lose Varlamov. Under the old rules this would mean the team could only protect 2 goaltenders, 3 defensemen and 7 forwards instead of 1 goaltender, 5 defensemen and 9 forwards.

Man this could get fun!