Exposing Giordano certainly sounds extremely silly to everyone at this point. Nobody is (or should) be running Giordano out of town. I don't think I have read that in this thread.
What people are speculating on is a bunch of 'what ifs'. I know my post in particular was (or at least should have been) abundantly clear.
If the expansion draft was this year, or even next year - it is an absolute no-brainer that Giordano gets included.
2, 3 and 4 years? The landscape can be very different. You can only protect 3 defencemen. Do you protect an asset that would probably be winding down, or do you protect an asset that is close to surpassing Giordano at that point instead, and who could be both cost-controlled and a backbone of the defence for a decade to come?
Nobody is saying that Kylington, Hickey, Andersson or anyone else in particular WILL be surpassing Giordano. Nobody knows that right now for sure. The point is that it COULD be a possibility, and I believe the Flames would try and act in the best way possible with regards to asset management. If that means trading Giordano, then they would do so. If it means trading whomever is about to usurp Giordano, they would do so. If worst comes to worst, and you simply have to leave somebody exposed, then I do think it does become a valid point of discussion.
Just depends on how quickly and how well the defensive prospects develop, and how quickly Giordano starts winding down. I think he has many good years left, but I do think he will start dropping in the depth chart before his contract expires. When that is with relation to the expansion draft, and how other prospects (or even trade targets/UFA signings) are performing in relation to him is the question.
My whole point is that it is an extremely easy exercise for the Flames to come up with their protected list today. I think it better be a difficult list to come up with by the time the expansion draft hits (for forwards and defencemen at least, and hopefully goalies as well). That will just mean that the rebuild is going well and the team is ready to compete. It doesn't mean that Giordano sucks and should be run out of town. At that time, he may very well be an easy choice to protect.
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