NHL Expansion Draft: Goaltending a Position of Strength

NHL Expansion Draft: Goaltending Will be a Position of Strength for Las Vegas

Next year’s NHL Expansion Draft rules are intended to make the Las Vegas a more competitive team from day one. Given the state of goaltending in today’s NHL, the 31st franchise should have a wealth of options to choose from.

They must select a minimum of three goalies, and could select upwards of five if they so choose. The magic number might be exactly in between at four netminders. Las Vegas could select both a starter and backup under contract, and pair of prospects to mold in the AHL.

It’s still a bit early to project exactly who should be available with players such as Marc-Andre Fleury and Ben Bishop still expected to move, but we can still get a great idea of what the potential options could look like.

There are several debatable scenarios that could change over the next 11 months, but as of right now, these are our borderline saves/protections:

More from Puck Prose

– Protecting Robin Lehner over Linus Ullmark in Buffalo. Expectations being that a fully healthy season will allow him to take hold of the starter role.

– Also saving Calvin Pickard over Semyon Varlamov in Colorado. Given the Russian’s age/contract coupled with Pickard’s emergence, we could see a changing of the guard.

– Logic might suggest Thomas Greiss to be protected in Brooklyn, so long as his hot play continues into 2016-17. That leaves Halak and Berube exposed.

– This next season could dictate what the Philadelphia Flyers do. As of right now, Steve Mason seems like the best fit for protection, although another strong season from Michal Neuvirth or emerging Anthony Stolarz could change things.

NHL Expansion Draft: Goaltending Options

We’ve organized the potential options into four separate categories:

Starter (Potential) – Already a starting goalie, or potential to be one in the near future

Backup Options – Fairly self-explanatory, number two behind the starter

Prospects – A potential future answer in goal that can play in the AHL for now

Exclusion List – Whether it be due to age, contract, or whatever the reason may be, these are the options to avoid

Starter (Potential):

1. Semyon Varlamov (Colorado Avalanche)
2. Joonas Korpisalo (Columbus Blue Jackets)
3. Linus Ullmark (Buffalo Sabres)
4. Jaroslav Halak (New York Islanders)
5. Michal Neuvirth (Philadelphia Flyers)

*Ben Bishop (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Marc-Andre Fleury (Pittsburgh Penguins)

If either remains with their respective club as the lone sacrifice to protect the rest of the roster, both become top options.

Backup Options:

1. James Reimer (Florida Panthers)
2. Mike Condon (Montreal Canadiens)
3. Keith Kinkaid (New Jersey Devils)
4. Darcy Kuemper (Minnesota Wild)
5. Scott Darling (Chicago Blackhawks)
6. Antti Raanta (New York Rangers)
7. Ondrej Pavelec (Winnipeg Jets)
8. Michael Hutchinson (Winnipeg Jets)
9. Al Montoya (Montreal Canadiens)
10. Philipp Grubauer (Washington Capitals)
11. Reto Berra (Florida Panthers)
12. Anton Forsberg (Columbus Blue Jackets)

Prospects:

1. Malcolm Subban (Boston Bruins)
2. Laurent Brossoit (Edmonton Oilers)
3. Jean-Francois Berube (New York Islanders)
4. Marek Mazanec (Nashville Predators)
5. Scott Wedgewood (New Jersey Devils)
6. Garret Sparks/Antoine Bibeau (Toronto Maple Leafs)
7. Oscar Dansk (Columbus Blue Jackets)
8. Chris Driedger (Ottawa Senators)

Next: Mock Expansion Draft: Post-Draft/Free Agency

Exclusion List:

Mike Smith (Arizona Coyotes)
Cam Ward (Carolina Hurricanes)
Kari Lehtonen (Dallas Stars)
Jimmy Howard (Detroit Red Wings)
Craig Anderson (Ottawa Senators)
Ryan Miller (Vancouver Canucks)

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