NHL Mock Expansion Draft: Post-Draft/Free Agency Edition

NHL Mock Expansion Draft: Early Projections – Post-Draft/Free Agency Edition

Thanks to the helpful NHL Mock Expansion Draft tool at generalfanager.com, fans now have the ability to put on their GM hats to project which players could end up in Las Vegas next year.

Of course, it’s still a bit early to accurately predict the end result. After all, one major trade (i.e. Ben Bishop/Marc-Andre Fleury) could change who a team protects. Still, we can look around the NHL and identify teams in vulnerable situations that are bound to lose a quality player no matter what.

For my first NHL Mock Expansion Draft, I will follow both the actual rules set in place, including a few personal rules for more realistic accuracy.

Important Expansion Draft Rules

– Las Vegas must select at least 14 forwards, 9 defense, 3 goalies

– One selection from all 30 teams

– Minimum 20 players under contract for 17/18 (RFAs considered under contract)

– Expansion club must spend between 60-100 percent of salary cap (min. 43.8 million dollars)

Personal NHL Mock Expansion Rules/Notes

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– Special omissions for particular players. Ben Bishop/Marc-Andre Fleury are bound to be traded, and likely protected. Rick Nash is a UFA next summer, NYR may opt not to protect him (or he could be traded). Winnipeg is facing tough decisions with Jacob Trouba, but we expect them to move one of Myers/or Trouba.

– We also asked a pair of players to waive their no-movement clause, expecting their respective teams to shed the contract somehow – Dan Girardi (NYR) and David Clarkson (CLB)

– Arizona is the only team protecting 4F-4D-1G, they don’t have a lot to protect up front and risk losing one of Michael Stone or Connor Murphy otherwise.

– Opting to protect Calvin Pickard over Semyon Varlamov in Colorado

– Protecting Charles Hudon opposed to David Desharnais in Montreal

– This was a tough one, but we’re banking on Eric Staal having a nice bounce back year, and opt to protect him instead of Jason Zucker.

– Calle Jarnkrok and Miikka Salomaki secure final two protection spots in Nashville, leaving Mike Fisher, Colton Sissons, Austin Watson, and Viktor Arvidsson exposed.

– We’re opting to protect Andrew Hammond opposed to Craig Anderson in Ottawa.

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It’s also important to remember there will be a delicate balance to ensure Las Vegas can both dress a competitive NHL club, while selecting a handful of younger prospects with future potential who are initially AHL bound.

They could realistically select 30 NHL quality players, but that would make little sense with a 23-man roster and future to start building.

That means Las Vegas won’t necessarily target the top player on each team because they won’t have enough room.

NHL Mock Expansion Draft Results

Projected Salary Cap: $48,940,475

Next: Tough Protection Decisions in Expansion

Pick Philosophy

First, we selected four goalies;  Our starter, backup, and two prospects.

Next, we identified which teams had either top options or limited players to select from and began filling out our roster from there.

After filling out a projected 23-man roster, we used the remaining spots to target prospects/AHL depth talent.

The thought process is that by selecting a few more NHL quality bodies on top of the 23-man roster, it would ultimately allow Las Vegas to package players for upgrades/draft picks. With a 50-man roster to fill, the 31st franchise needs a few extra picks to build their farm system.