NHL Expansion Draft: Metropolitan Division Post-Deadline Outlook
By Ryan Ritchie
NHL Expansion Draft: The trade deadline has come and gone, and although it was relatively quiet, we saw plenty of movement that affects June’s Expansion Draft. We’ll explore the new landscape over the next few days in this five-part series looking at each division, and finish up with yet another 30-man Vegas Golden Knights roster projection.
With the March 1st trade deadline come and gone, the focus now turns to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, an NHL expansion draft in June, and the NHL Entry Draft just days later. The next few months promise to be very exciting for hockey fans alike. Top teams will compete for a chance to raise Lord Stanley. Those who miss the playoffs will be looking forward to a top lottery pick in the draft. And the Vegas Golden Knights will officially join the league as the NHL’s 31st franchise.
It’s been 17 years since the league last expanded back in 2000. It was still a very different NHL in that pre-lockout era. The rules were strict and prospect pools were not nearly as rich as they’re today. In turn, the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild were treated to a team of aging veterans and were essentially forced to build from the ground up themselves.
The Vegas Golden Knights shouldn’t have that problem. The NHL is determined to give George McPhee and company a much more competitive club from day one. With the looser rules, a focus towards drafting/developing the last 15 years, and an overall deeper talent pool (no more 4th line enforcers), Las Vegas has a chance to a build a serious contender early on in their existence.
As expected, the trade deadline offered a lot of movement that directly affects the NHL expansion draft. Over the next few days, we’re gonna to take a look at those changes in a five-part series featuring all four divisions. We’ll finish things off with a 30-man projected roster for the Vegas Golden Knights. Let’s start by looking at the Eastern Conference’s Metropolitan Division.