The Flames Expansion Draft Protection/Exposure/Exempt Thread

[JiriHrdina]

Bottom line we don't lose anyone of real value.
Advantages of being an asset poor franchise!

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

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



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.

Hathaway's exempt. I can't see Chiasson or Versteeg bumping out any of the forwards protected on that graphic. As widely discussed, which goalie to re-sign (and therefore protect) seems to be the biggest variable for the remainder of the season. The only other one is a defenseman that meets the exposure requirements - Jokipakka could be re-signed, or a D could be acquired to tick this box.

[Johnny Rotten]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Bottom line we don't lose anyone of real value.
Advantages of being an asset poor franchise!

At the NHL level, maybe, but I think the Flames' prospect pool is fairly solid, at least.

[Robbob]

^^I agree. If there is another expansion draft in 3 years I think there is more talent exposed.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by Johnny Rotten

At the NHL level, maybe, but I think the Flames' prospect pool is fairly solid, at least.

It is average at best - lacking truly elite bluechip prospects at almost every position.
Good depth. Some intrigue, but it is nothing more than almost every other organization has.
This is in part due to the fact they have graduated a lot of high end first rounders. But there's nothing particular special about the prospect base.

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

It is average at best - lacking truly elite bluechip prospects at almost every position.
Good depth. Some intrigue, but it is nothing more than almost every other organization has.
This is in part due to the fact they have graduated a lot of high end first rounders. But there's nothing particular special about the prospect base.

No team has blue chip prospects at every position, most have 1 maybe. If we are going around calling every first round pick a blue chip prospect then Rasmus should be considered one as he is out producing other Dmen who were picked in the top 2 rounds in his draft year. Flames have solid defensive depth, especially with the emergence of Fox (putting up historic level numbers for a freshman). Tkachuk is too good to be considered a prospect. Considering what the Flames had prior to the last 4 drafts the current crop of prospects looks much more promising than anything the Flames had prior to the 2013 draft (excluding the anomoly Gaudreau)

[Funkhouser]

For me the only questions remaining are:
(1) do we leave Brower exposed? A valuable piece, but regaining his cap space could be a blessing in disguise IMO
(2) who will be our protected goalie seeing as we have no signed starter for next season?

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Bottom line we don't lose anyone of real value.
Advantages of being an asset poor franchise!

Yeah the list of available Flames players look like players who would go unclaimed on waivers. Absolutely no one I am worried about losing. If every team's list look like that, Vegas will be truly horrible.

[Sylvanfan]

As much as Vegas should be better than other expansion teams. They are coming into a NHL where the existing 30 teams are closer to each other in talent than they were in any expansion since the league had 21 teams.

Once you factor in some of the other eligibility rules, and the ages of players who currently make up the game. The Vegas franchise is going to be in tough to start just like every other expansion team.

[Johnny Rotten]

Originally Posted by Beninho

No team has blue chip prospects at every position, most have 1 maybe. If we are going around calling every first round pick a blue chip prospect then Rasmus should be considered one as he is out producing other Dmen who were picked in the top 2 rounds in his draft year. Flames have solid defensive depth, especially with the emergence of Fox (putting up historic level numbers for a freshman). Tkachuk is too good to be considered a prospect. Considering what the Flames had prior to the last 4 drafts the current crop of prospects looks much more promising than anything the Flames had prior to the 2013 draft (excluding the anomoly Gaudreau)

That's my thinking. The farm club is winning mostly because of their young guys, which the team is primarily composed of, not a bunch of 28-year-olds.

High-end talent? Yes, there are no Barzals and Stromes, but enough young guys that have a chance to play here or could be packaged and parlayed into something else.

(Sorry for getting this thread off track, BTW.)

[powderjunkie]

Looking at that expansion tool, it looks like there is a real dearth of quality centremen.

Crazy idea - the Sedin's opt out of their NMC so one can be picked, and Vegas trades for the other one. Not exactly the biggest stars in the league any more, but there might be some promotional value in 'Swedish twins' for Vegas, and they get an otherwise hard to find #1 centre out of it.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

Looking at that expansion tool, it looks like there is a real dearth of quality centremen.

Crazy idea - the Sedin's opt out of their NMC so one can be picked, and Vegas trades for the other one. Not exactly the biggest stars in the league any more, but there might be some promotional value in 'Swedish twins' for Vegas, and they get an otherwise hard to find #1 centre out of it.

Why would Vegas want the Sedins? They are a shadow of their former selves when it comes to skill. Cripes they can no longer cycle with the puck in the oppositions end of the ice. Too slow for todays speed of the game.

[Captaincanada80]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

Looking at that expansion tool, it looks like there is a real dearth of quality centremen.

Crazy idea - the Sedin's opt out of their NMC so one can be picked, and Vegas trades for the other one. Not exactly the biggest stars in the league any more, but there might be some promotional value in 'Swedish twins' for Vegas, and they get an otherwise hard to find #1 centre out of it.

I see it differently after playing with the tool.

- I think that they will be strong in net (especially if they can overpay for bishop)

Ben Bishop TBL (Select and sign to long term contract)
Calvin Pickard COL
Matt Murray PIT ( or Hold PIT hostage for not choosing)

- On defense, they can load up on 3-4 guys and be very strong as a group and then use the excess ones to trade for stronger forwards. Just to list a few & obviously things may change between now and the draft.

Mattias Ekholm NSH
Jacob Trouba WPG (likely to be traded or find a way to protect)
Connor Murphy ARI
Karl Alzner WSH (UFA select prior to draft and sign for long term contract)
Cam Fowler ANA (likely to be traded or find a way to protect)
Jonas Brodin MIN
Alex Petrovic FLA
Jake McCabe BUF
Griffin Reinhart EDM
Mirco Mueller SJS

- Choose the younger forwards still growing and developing and hope that you can score by comity. Choose 1 or 2 players from this group as your leadership/veterans to steer the ship in the proper direction. Hopefully Draft your face of franchise on the offensive side of things that can step in and contribute right away

Patrik Berglund STL C
Alexander Wennberg CBJ C (Likely find a way for protection)
Jacob Josefson NJD C
Zack Smith OTT C
Andreas Athanasiou DET C
Markus Granlund VAN C
Dennis Rasmussen CHI C
Micheal Ferland CGY LW
Kyle Clifford LAK LW
Paul Byron MTL LW
Jimmy Hayes BOS RW
Brett Ritchie DAL RW
Cal Clutterbuck NYI RW
Connor Brown TOR RW
Michael Grabner NYR RW (Likely find a way for protection)
Lee Stempniak CAR RW
Matt Read PHI RW

That would be my approach for a balanced team looking to the future and remaining competitive for the short term.

Forwards: 17 (14 min)
Defense:10 (9 min)
Goalies:3 (3 min)
Total Players: 30 of 30# UC17 :26 (20 min)
Salary Cap: $73,000,000 Cap Hit: $61,246,667
Salary Space: $11,753,333
Salary Cap%: 84 (60% to 100%)

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Dion

Why would Vegas want the Sedins? They are a shadow of their former selves when it comes to skill. Cripes they can no longer cycle with the puck in the oppositions end of the ice. Too slow for todays speed of the game.

In addition to the reasons I said in my post, it's $14M on the cap in year one, that disappears/cuts in half if they re-sign in year 2. Makes it easier for them to load up on ELCs and RFAs in the draft.

They aren't getting a #1 or #2 C in the draft, and this could be among the lowest acquisition costs.

[Roof-Daddy]

****BUMP****

Updated with the latest trades/signings of Bartkowski, Lazar, Stone, Kostka and with Jokipakka leaving.

Forwards

1. Gaudreau
2. Monahan
3. Bennett (RFA)
4. Backlund
5. Frolik
6. Brouwer
7. *To be determined from list of exposed forwards*

Exempt - Tkachuk, Pribyl, Klimchuk, Jankowski, Mangiapane, Pollock, Smith, Carroll
Exposed - Lazar (RFA), Stajan, Bouma, Ferland (RFA), Chiasson (RFA), Shinkaruk (ELC), F. Hamilton, Poirier (ELC), Vey (RFA), Hathaway (RFA)
UFA's -Bollig, Versteeg

Also Exempt W/O contract - Harrison (NCAA), Karnaukhov (KHL), Tuulola (WHL), Dube (WHL), Phillips (WHL), Lindstrom (Swe), Mattson (USHL)

Defense

1. Giordano
2. Brodie
3. Hamilton

Exempt - Kylington, Andersson, Kanzig
Exposed - Bartkowski, Kulak (RFA), Wotherspoon (RFA), Culkin (RFA), Morrison (RFA)
UFA's - Stone, Wideman, Engelland, Smid, Kostka

Also Exempt W/O contract - Rafikov (KHL), Ollas-Mattsson (Swe), Hickey (NCAA), Bruce (OHL), Falkovsky (ECHL)

Goalies

1. *To be determined*

Exempt - Gillies, Rittich (RFA), McDonald, Schneider
Exposed - McCollum
UFA's - Elliot, Johnson

Also Exempt W/O contract - Parsons (OHL)

Still no goalie to protect, but that's not a problem. Goaltending market will likely be wide open this off season. Will probably see Elliot re-signed and protected if he keeps going like he has been.

Hopefully re-sign Stone right after the expansion draft if he keeps his play up too.

Some think Brouwer might get dropped from protection, but I don't see it. Maybe if Lazar comes in and looks really good down the stretch, combined with Ferland continuing his stellar play on the top line.

[Tacoman]

I don't see any way we leave Ferland unprotected. Whether he's playing first line or fourth he is the age, size, skill set and salary range that we desperately need. Much moreso than Brouwer in my opinion. I think the only question remaining is Lazar or Brouwer.

[PepsiFree]

Ferland is a bigger lock for protection than Brouwer

[belsarius]

If Stone is left as a UFA and LV signs him does that count as a player taken from us or can they sign him and then select one of our exposed players?

[Roof-Daddy]

Maybe the Flames trade LV a pick and/or prospect to select Stajan or Bouma in the expansion draft, which would effectively protect all of Ferland, Lazar, Brouwer.

It would also allow them to go ahead and extend Stone whenever they want if that were the case.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by belsarius

If Stone is left as a UFA and LV signs him does that count as a player taken from us or can they sign him and then select one of our exposed players?

He's a UFA, they can sign him and then they still get to select another one of our unprotected players.