ESPN's mock Vegas expansion draft

[oldschoolcalgary]

yeah, the 'egg on his face' if BT exposes Lazar would be nothing compared the s**t he'd hear if he exposed Ferland...

[Matty81]

Wow I am shocked this is even a discussion. Ferland being protected is an absolute no brainer, he's a 1st liner lately and has been producing pretty consistently there even if he wasn't already a great 3rd/4th liner at a value salary with toughness.

And Lazar... the flames definitely would not have spent a 2nd on him if they weren't going to protect him - Treliving and staff definitely had discussions and already made that call unless they have been scared off since and plan to flip him beforehand.

It's 100% clearly going to be Brouwer - Any minimal value you get from UFAs is in the first year or two. If Vegas takes him it's a win imo getting out of the last two years. If they really want to keep him I'd imagine they will work something out but the contract is too long by at least a year and probably two.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

I think Lazar being left unprotected is a possibility.
I think Brouwer being left unprotected is a possibility.

Ferland being left unprotected is never going to happen unless Treliving already has made a side deal so that Vegas takes somebody else. Ferland is the most valuable of those 3 IMO

[Mister Yamoto]

I would imagine that Ferland figures he is in line for a big raise. I hope he has a big playoffs.

Right now, in terms of importance to team success I'd put Ferland fourth among Flames forwards.

Gaudreau
Monahan
Backlund
Ferland
Frolik

Ferland should be protected, and he should a get better contract than Bennett or Bouma.

[Jason14h]

And Lazar... the flames definitely would not have spent a 2nd on him if they weren't going to protect him -

Again, its essentially trading a 2nd for LV not to pick anyone from your team. A 2nd in a bad draft in the lower half.

Does that really seem to weird as a worst case if he was selected?

[cannon7]

Anyone who thinks the Flames protect Brouwer over Ferland is kidding themselves.

[Caged Great]

I think what they would likely do is leave Brouwer unprotected and give them a prospect or draft pick of some sort not to take him.

[FireGilbert]

It's a no brainer to protect Ferland and you have to think Lazar is also protected after giving up a 2nd for him.

If Brouwer does not step up on the playoffs then it is a very easy decision to expose him. If he does show his worth then I think Treliving will work out a deal where a draft pick goes to Vegas in return for not picking him.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Lol you have no clue bud. Protect Lazar over Ferland? Pass the pipe good sir. Just clueless

Like we have to assume you don't really watch hockey very closely because your assessment of Ferland is so out of whack with reality. Young powerforwards who have offensive skill are rare and valuable commodities. Byron, Colborne and Lazar have shown nowhere near the upside Ferland has shown. I thought this year would shut the Ferland detractors up but a few posters out of touch with reality appear to be clinging to their uninformed opinions on him.

LOL 24 points in 70 games and he's a power forward with skill? I suppose Marcus Granlund is Mike Bossy in your world? You can keep the crack to yourself thanks as seeing what it's done for you quite frankly scares the hell out of me. Look I get he's a fan favourite but I'm afraid he's not nearly the player some fans are propping him up to be here. Maybe a deal is struck between the teams and they pick Stajan. Who knows but the reality is that one of Ferland or Brouwer is left unprotected. Time will tell.

[Heavy Jack]

I see a side deal not to take one of Brouwer/Ferland/Lazar imo. Tree will have some tricks and wizardry for us all to marvel at come the expansion draft imho.

[oldschoolcalgary]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

LOL 24 points in 70 games and he's a power forward with skill? I suppose Marcus Granlund is Mike Bossy in your world? You can keep the crack to yourself thanks as seeing what it's done for you quite frankly scares the hell out of me. Look I get he's a fan favourite but I'm afraid he's not nearly the player some fans are propping him up to be here. Maybe a deal is struck between the teams and they pick Stajan. Who knows but the reality is that one of Ferland or Brouwer is left unprotected. Time will tell.

But he's also a guy that's been in the NHL for all of 2 and a quarter years....he has always had good tools, 96 points in 69 WHL games in his draft year.

he could be putting it all together at this point in his development

we'll see who is left unprotected, but i'd be surprised, and really disappointed, if its Ferland...while protecting Lazar and Brouwer

[Matty81]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

Again, its essentially trading a 2nd for LV not to pick anyone from your team. A 2nd in a bad draft in the lower half.

Does that really seem to weird as a worst case if he was selected?

To me yeah it would be super weird.

The logic that you burn a 2nd rounder to make sure you don't lose a player like Stajan or Bouma, (or I guess Wotherspoon, Kulak or Shinkaruk) depth players with very little trade value doesn't make much sense to me. If the acquisition cost was a 4th I could see the "bait" theory but at the price of a 2nd it seems too far fetched when the Flames didn't have to expose anybody with any value trade wise.

None of those players seems likely to bring back anything more than a mid round pick in a trade. Bouma and Stajan are UFAs next summer and the rest are AHLers.

I'm the first one to be skeptical of mgmt but there is no way they were stupid enough to burn a 2nd in this kind of scenario. It's not a great draft but 2nds always are valuable currency at the draft table or in trade.

[calgaryblood]

I don't even think Vegas takes Lazar even if he is left unprotected. He is a project and one Vegas might not want to deal with.

People talk about Lazar like he's a sure shot NHL player. He's on the verge of being a bust unless he has a major turn around. That was true in Ottawa and him changing cities hasn't changed that.

[bob-loblaw]

If Ferland wasn't on the top line for the past 15-20 games, would we still want to protect him?

[Tiger]

ferland is like lance bouma, It is hard not to like the play at the time and over value the guy. But these are the types of players that will kill your cap (lance bouma) if you keep them long term. He is a first liner because we have no depth on RW. these are the guys you have to make a tough choice and let them go and have a AHL player promoted to take their place (which is hard to imagine because he is on the first line now, but shouldn't be that level)

[Reggie Dunlop]

Vegas also has to stock an AHL team (and to a lesser extent a part an ECHL team). They haven't really been successful on the NCAA free agent front, which they should have been aggressively pursuing.

[Vinny01]

There is no chance at all Ferland is exposed. In my opinion either Brouwer is exposed or Lazar is (with a side deal with Vegas not to take him).

Even before he broke out on the top line I had doubts they would expose him. The Organization has long believed that Ferland was more than a 4th line banger. He gave us a taste in 2015 and the most recent run has solidified his position with the organization going forward. He has the ability to play on all lines, provide some toughness, and has underrated hands

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

LOL 24 points in 70 games and he's a power forward with skill? I suppose Marcus Granlund is Mike Bossy in your world? You can keep the crack to yourself thanks as seeing what it's done for you quite frankly scares the hell out of me. Look I get he's a fan favourite but I'm afraid he's not nearly the player some fans are propping him up to be here. Maybe a deal is struck between the teams and they pick Stajan. Who knows but the reality is that one of Ferland or Brouwer is left unprotected. Time will tell.

I see most respondents to your preposterous post holding realistic hope that Ferland can one day become a power forward based on his current developmental trajectory. Of course you think everyone is delusional, since you are the only person in this thread who is convinced that Ferland has already fulfilled his NHL potential.

I honestly have a difficult time believing that you have actually been watching Ferland play at all this season based on this post. He is far, far better with reams more potential than you are giving him credit. It is honestly astonishing.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by bob-loblaw

If Ferland wasn't on the top line for the past 15-20 games, would we still want to protect him?

Yes.

But he is on the top line.

And why is he on the top line? Because other players - including Brouwer - couldn't cut it.

Ferland is cutting it. And that is a big deal.

There is absolutely no chance that Ferland is left unprotected. None.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Vegas also has to stock an AHL team (and to a lesser extent a part an ECHL team). They haven't really been successful on the NCAA free agent front, which they should have been aggressively pursuing.

I saw an interview a few months ago where McPhee said they probably won't have their own AHL team for the first couple of years. They'll have a few extra guys who they can call up if need be, but they'll just make deals with other teams for AHL spots for those players.