[News] Proposed expansion draft rules. Expansion decision expected before 2016 draft.

[taco.vidal]

This is going to be a test of how smart and clever teams are. Teams who figure it out will likely be able to make some great asset management deals and come out ahead while those that cant will suffer and possibly lose a key piece in terms if a valuable player.
I really look forward to seeing how this plays out. I can see fans of some of the less clever teams being upset with how things play out and accusing the smarter teams of 'cheating' the system.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Benched

if NMC are exempt, can you add a NMC to a player retroactively?


And if that's the ruling, hand Johnny and Mony NMCs so you don't have to protect them

Won't work, NTC/NMCs can only be given in years in which a player would have been UFA.

[topfiverecords]

Darren Dreger @DarrenDreger
Expansion draft potential. Each team has option of protecting 3d, 7F and I goalie or 8 skaters +1 goalie. Expansion determined before draft

You know Edmonton asked for this because they don't have any D to protect.

[Benched]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Won't work, NTC/NMCs can only be given in years in which a player would have been UFA.

Ah! thanks for clarifying SureLoss.

[saillias]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

I disagree.

If the draft were held right now:

The Isles would have to leave one of Hamonic, Leddy, Boychuk or De Haaan exposed.

The Preds would have to leave one of Weber, Josi, Ekholm or Ellis exposed

The Ducks would have to leave one of Fowler, Lindholm, Vatanen or Depres exposed

The Bolts would have to leave one of Hedman, Stralman, Garrison or Sustr exposed

Take the worst guy off all those lists and you have a pretty good top 4 defense, and that's just off the top of my head, and not even digging into forwards.

De Haan - Ellis
Depres - Sustr

I'd take that as a rebuilding defense any day.

Interesting points. I think a Nashville might need to make a hard decision on Weber there.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Won't work, NTC/NMCs can only be given in years in which a player would have been UFA.

Also, renegotiating contracts is not permitted.

[TheScorpion]

I can see us protecting:

Monahan
Gaudreau
Bennett
Backlund
Frolik
Shinkaruk
Okposo - if we sign him

Giordano
Hamilton
Brodie

Fleury - if we trade for him

Man, this will suck.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by saillias

Interesting points. I think a Nashville might need to make a hard decision on Weber there.

Believe it was mentioned above that Nashville is a candidate to the 8 skaters scenario. Neal, Forsberg, Johnasen, Craig Smith (or perhaps Fiala).

Actually seems like the team's like Dallas and Nashville who sent European guys to the AHL last year like Honka and Fiala may end up getting screwed because of it if the two years pro thing is true.

[JJ1532]

I'm not sure what the sentiment is amongst people on here, but I really hope expansion doesn't happen, especially not in Vegas. Don't see how it would work long term. We already have enough teams in weak hockey markets without parachuting another one in.

Just think that the reasons that the stronger and bigger sports markets have stayed away should be reason enough for the NHL to give Vegas a wide berth. If Quebec or Seattle(and I saw why Seattle is not happening for the forseeable future) were the places mentioned, I'd probably be happy with the idea, because you could see both cities adopting NHL teams. But not another desert town.

[DJones]

If one of our defense steps up big next year I wouldn't mind going the eight skaters/ four defense route.

[mikephoen]

One thing to remember is that teams with good management will be able to navigate these waters much better than teams with bad management. The more complicated the system gets, the better for smart GMs, as the dummies get more chances to hang themselves.

Imagine if Jim Benning was the Flames GM! He couldn't even remember to do the trade deadline day paper transactions to let some of his younger guys play in the AHL playoffs. Imagine how he could botch the deals that need to be made leading up to an expansion draft.

[polak]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

You understand that the decision doesn't have to be made today right?

Obviously, if Ferland doesn't progress over the next two years then, no they wouldn't likely protect him. Same with Poirier and Shinkaruk (which was the original point that you quoted).

Yes I know, but we're talking about the hypothetical if we did have to. For all we know Ferland is traded anyways.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by JJ1532

I'm not sure what the sentiment is amongst people on here, but I really hope expansion doesn't happen, especially not in Vegas. Don't see how it would work long term. We already have enough teams in weak hockey markets without parachuting another one in.

Just think that the reasons that the stronger and bigger sports markets have stayed away should be reason enough for the NHL to give Vegas a wide berth. If Quebec or Seattle(and I saw why Seattle is not happening for the forseeable future) were the places mentioned, I'd probably be happy with the idea, because you could see both cities adopting NHL teams. But not another desert town.

Personally I don't really care. Arizona's struggles don't effect my fandom of the NHL one way or the other. If Vegas succeeds or not - doesn't matter to me. My opinion of hockey didn't change when the Thrashers moved to Winnipeg.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Don't think Poirier and Shinkaruk have done enough to be protected ahead of actual NHLers.

Originally Posted by MattyC

People are freaking out a little too much IMO. Yes we can only protect those players, but that doesn't mean the other players are necessarily taken...

This is a pretty important point that I think people are missing, and which will clearly affect which players a team will choose to protect vs. those they expose. I don't think it is at all likely that players like Poirer, Shinkaruk, or Kyllington make this list, and not because they are not among the most valuable players to the Flames moving forward.

The Flames will be making this decision based on all the other protected lists of every other team, and projecting whom they believe are most likely to be selected by an expansion team. In all likelihood, given the size of the pool of available players, AHL/NHL 'tweeners like these three will be pretty far down on an expansion team's list. I think the Flames could very reasonably leave them all exposed and not lose a single one of them.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by JJ1532

...If Quebec or Seattle(and I saw why Seattle is not happening for the forseeable future) were the places mentioned, I'd probably be happy with the idea, because you could see both cities adopting NHL teams. But not another desert town.

But the reason why QC and Seattle are not in this conversation now while Vegas is is precisely because one city has come forward with a significant demonstration of long-term viability where the others have not. One city already has a NHL building and by all reports a strong commitment of season ticket sales while the other two have not. Call me crazy, but I am much more confident in these tangible demonstrations than whatever I can imagine taking place for another market place.

[Poe969]

I honestly don't get why so many people are including Shinkaruk on their protected lists. If it's 8 skaters, it can be D heavy and include Gio, Brodie, Hamilton, Hamonic if we can land him and in all honesty I'd protect Jokipakka over Shinkaruk if I had to. I think any expansion team would prefer NHL ready players over guys who might make the team.

I'm wondering if this will increase the trades at the draft or if more or less NTC's/NMC's will be given out on July 1st.

[Benched]

Does anyone expect the 'at least 25% of last years cap to be exposed' to be an issue?

like, MAYBE pittsburgh if they protect Crosby/Malkin/Kessel/Letang/Fleury are protecting a large chunk of the cap already...but I can't see it being that big a deal for most teams...

[Poe969]

I don't think the pens would protect Kessell...if anything they might try to get the other team to take him off their hands.

[MolsonInBothHands]

If you are picked from in the expansion draft, do you then get to pick?

[N-E-B]

Call me crazy if you want to, but depending on how things play out this could be a great way to free ourselves of the Giordano contract. I'm worried that will be a bad deal for the last few years of it.

For the record I love Gio, just not his contract.