Vegas Golden Knights Mock Expansion Draft Roundtable

Vegas Golden Knights Mock Expansion Draft Roundtable (February Edition) – Matt Duscharme and Suraj Sukumar Re-Join Site Expert Ryan Ritchie for Another In-Depth Look at June’s Expansion Draft.  We’ve Included Full Protection Lists for All 30 Teams and Three Separate 30-Man Rosters for the NHL’s 31st Franchise.

Vegas Golden Knights front-office is holding mock expansion drafts throughout the year to prepare for next June. We here at Puck Prose are doing the same thing with in-depth analysis, full protection lists, and much more!

Las Vegas plans to conduct a monthly NHL mock expansion draft to prepare themselves for next June. We here at Puck Prose are looking to do the same thing with detailed analysis that should have us looking at some of the same players that George McPhee and company are as well.

We’re back for a double dose in February as we ramp our expansion draft coverage. Moving forward, we’ll be releasing two expansion roundtables per month. Writers Matt Duscharme and Suraj Sukumar have re-joined site expert Ryan Ritchie to share their projected Vegas Golden Knights roster.

With the collaboration, we’re hoping to give readers a better idea of who might be available next June. Also, fans can get an idea of the expansion draft landscape changes when teams use different formats or protect different players with those highly debatable final spots. If we’re lucky, we might have a few similar picks in terms of protection lists or Vegas roster players. All in all, it’s a good exercise to get a better/more accurate handle on the entire process, which is very different from past expansions.

Truth be told, we can target and identify the vast majority of protected players. Between no-movement clauses and star players, there are only so many spots that are actually debatable. Now, there’s still lots of time for player movement in 2016-17 leading up to the Mar.1 deadline, then another period following the playoffs. To play it safe, for the time being, we’ve chosen to omit certain players for different reasons. Each writer is following their own set of rules in this department with explanations as to why those individuals will be left out.

Rules for Expansion

*The NHL released its list of players who will be exempt from the expansion draft awhile back. Now, some folks are a bit confused it seems. This isn’t a list of players teams must protect (although the majority will need to be). Guys like Ryane Clowe, David Clarkson, and Nathan Horton, for example, are expected to be exempt from needing protection due to their injury status. Basically, any player who missed the previous 60 games heading into the expansion draft will have an automatic exemption, similar to the younger prospects.

All 30 NHL teams have two options to protect players

a) Seven forwards, three defensemen, one goaltender

b) Eight skaters and one goaltender

– All players that own a no-movement clause in their contract must be protected, unless they agree to waive it.

– *All first and second-year professionals are automatically exempt from the expansion draft

*There’s been some gray area to this one so we’d like to help clarify with the best explanation we could find. Before shutting down, General Fanager asked this very question to the NHL, with the following response:

via Sin Bin,

“A Player aged 18 or 19 earns a year of professional experience by playing 10 or more NHL games in a given NHL season.”

“A player aged 20 or older (based on age on December 31 of calendar year in which the season starts) earns a year of professional experience by playing 10 or more Professional Games under a standard player contract in a given League Year.”

General Fanager also wanted answers for European skaters and how the NHL decides to calculate professional years overseas. Here’s the response:

“Professional seasons are expected to only count while a player is under an NHL SPC. A player like Artemi Panarin for instance, who played several “professional seasons” in the KHL prior to signing with the Chicago Blackhawks for the 2015-16 season, is expected to still be exempt from the Expansion Draft. This is because his seasons in the KHL were played before he signed an NHL SPC, so his first “professional season” for purposes of expansion is considered the 2015-16 season.”

Player Exposure Requirements

All clubs must provide a minimum one player that falls under each of the following categories:

1) one defenseman who is under contract for 2017-18 and played in 40 games in 2016-17, or 70 games in 2015-16 and 2016-17 combined.

2) two forwards under contract for 2017-18 and played in 40 games in 2016-17, or 70 games in 2015-16 and 2016-17 combined.

3) one goalie under contract for 2017-18 or RFA

Truth be told, all 30 teams will naturally have players that meet the requirements. There won’t be much planning or thought put into it when most bottom six forwards or bottom pair defenseman go unprotected.

– Players with a career-ending injury, or who have missed the previous 60 games due to injury will be automatically exempt from the expansion draft. This is notable for individuals such as Ryane Clowe (NJ) or David Clarkson (CLB) who some feared would take up a spot due to no-move clauses.

Las Vegas Selection Rules

– Las Vegas must select one player from each of the 30 existing teams.

– They must select at least 14 forwards, nine defense, and three goalies.

– Las Vegas must spend between 60-100 percent of the prior season’s upper cap limit ($43.8-$73.0 million)

– *20 of those 30 selections must be under contract for 2017-18 (only 10 UFAs or RFAs are allowed for that two-day negotiating period)

Honestly, this one doesn’t make a lot of sense. Experts/analysts insist that RFAs don’t count against the 20 under contract, but that’s absurd. If Las Vegas selects an RFA, they own that player’s rights until he’s eligible for free agency, so technically speaking, the player is pretty much under contract. Even if he’s unhappy and wants to flee to the KHL, Vegas still owns him if he ever decides to come back – not as though an RFA is going anywhere.

By the way, that two-day negotiating period set forth during the time Las Vegas is selecting is to ensure they can get all 30 players under contract for 2017-18. Without it, there’d be too much uncertainty with selections. This way if a free agent refuses to join the expansion team, at least they have time to change their selection to someone under contract or another FA that will agree to terms.

All 30 NHL teams must submit their protection list by 5pm (et) on Saturday, June 17, 2017 at the very latest. Las Vegas will then have until June 20, 2017 to submit their expansion draft picks. The announcement is expected to be made the following day on June 21st.

Anaheim Ducks

Sadly, the Anaheim Ducks are one of the teams in tough with the expansion draft. One way or another, this organization is bound to lose a quality player. If they choose to save an extra defenseman (the likely choice), it will result in exposed top-six forwards. However, if Anaheim wants to save those forwards, it would cost them a quality top-four d-man. Now, don’t be surprised if GM Bob Murray uses draft picks/or players in order to protect an extra body, but his insistence to go for it in 2016-17 will ultimately cost him.

Protection Lists:

As you can see, the Ducks don’t have a lot of options. They can ask Kevin Bieksa to waive his no-move in hopes of protecting Josh Manson, but that leaves one of Jakob Silfverberg or Rickard Rakell available. If they want to use a 7-3-1 scheme, they can certainly save the necessary forwards, but it leaves a defender available capable of logging 20-plus minutes/night.

If GM Bob Murray still has a job following the 2016-17 season, expect him to very busy leading up to the expansion draft.

– Ryan Ritchie

Q: Does Anaheim need to move a defenseman ahead of the expansion draft?

Well with a 4-4-1 protection scheme the only quality defenseman available would be Josh Manson and Simon Despres. Now given Despres’ injury history, he won’t be that hot of a commodity for Vegas, Manson on the other would be. So instead of losing him for nothing, they may as well get something for him before the March 1^st deadline is over.

– Matt Duscharme

Boston Bruins

Given the Bruins depth up front, a 7-3-1 protection scheme seems to be a given. We all seem to agree that at least eight players are virtual locks. Suraj and I agree on Ryan Spooner and Matt Beleskey, but those are less certain. For example, one could make the argument that Jimmy Hayes must be protected, such as Matt has done.

Protection Lists:

I’ve had the Bruins pegged with the 7-3-1 scheme since the beginning. 10 of those 11 spots have been virtually locked up since we first learned about the expansion draft. The only real debatable slot is that final one up front. It’s basically a battle between Matt Beleskey and Jimmy Hayes. Vegas would have to pay up to select either of these guys, and although Beleskey carries a bigger cap hit, he’s still the logical save.

– Ryan Ritchie

Q: You chose to protect Matt Beleskey in December, Jimmy Hayes in January.  It’s one of the more debatable final spots around the NHL, so why the change of heart this time around?

The reason I switched from Matt Beleskey to Jimmy Hayes is quite simple, Beleskey in all aspects is really just a third line player who can score. And for $3.8 million a year at 28 for a player like that isn’t really worth it. Jimmy Hayes, on the other hand, is pretty much the same player as Beleskey skill-wise, but he’s only making $2.3 million and is also two years younger. So Boston could opt to keep Matt over Jimmy, but in my opinion, Hayes would be the smarter decision granted he costs less and you’re still having the same type of player on your team.

– Matt Duscharme

Buffalo Sabres

As you can see, we all tend to agree that Buffalo will have no choice but to protect four defensemen, despite Kulikov’s UFA status – the Sabres need to protect their investment. That puts them in a tough spot regarding who to save up front. One way or another, it seems Buffalo is destined to lose a forward.

Protection Lists:

Even though Dmitry Kulikov is slated to become a UFA, it’s important to get him protected. Some fans on social media have suggested the Sabres could circumvent the system with a pre-arrangement ensuring a refusal to sign with the expansion club, but those are the type of curious situations that can get the league involved. No instead, we protect Bogosian, Ristolainen, Kulikov, and McCabe, leaving four spots up front. Okposo and O’Reilly are locks, but debate could occur on those other two spots. Although it’s unlikely Las Vegas would have interest in Kane’s character issues, it’s too much of a risk to leave him exposed. With the last spot, I’ve chosen to protect a young 1st rounder still looking to reach his ceiling.  It’s not easy leaving Marcus Foligno exposed as he would be the perfect target for Vegas.

– Ryan Ritchie

Q: For a second month in a row, you’ve opted to leave Sabres F Ryan O’Reilly exposed.  What is the thought process behind that decision?

The reason why I leave O’Reilly exposed is for one reason, Eichel. He’s going to be taking over that team and a player of his skill level is also going to receive a huge pay raise. So when you got two centers making well over $5 million (eventually Eichel will be) and with how much Buffalo is spending on wingers and defense, something has to happen or someone has to go. And O’Reilly seems like the more viable option. You could argue well two top centers is also better than one, while this is often true, for instance Crosby and Malkin. Pittsburgh has had to re tool their team every 3-4 years so it’s not always good. That’s why I choose to leave Ryan unprotected another reason too is because Buffalo can get a solid return for him at the deadline if they wish they go this route. Because like it or not, Eichel was drafted to be that guy, and leaving him on the second line for the next however many years, isn’t really doing him any good, and moving him to the top and O’Reilly on the second, you in turn have a player making north of $7 million on the second line who has a history with injuries.

– Matt Duscharme

Calgary Flames

The Flames could technically use either protection scheme as they’re bound to lose a decent player regardless. Since they’ve got an abundance of forwards and only three defenders that truly need protection, it makes sense to use the 7-3-1 option.

Protection Lists:

In terms of locks for protection, Giordano, Brodie, and Hamilton are guaranteed. Up front, Gaudreau, Monahan, Bennett, and Backlund are virtual locks as well. With seven forwards available for protection, that leaves us three spots to work with. Brouwer and Frolik are impact top-six forwards, which make for sensible saves. I’ve gone with Michael Ferland for the final spot serving as an important role player in the bottom-six. One could make a case for Lance Bouma, Alex Chiasson, or maybe even Hunter Shinkaruk.

– Ryan Ritchie

Carolina Hurricanes

If the rules would allow for it, the Canes would certainly love to protect extra forwards and maybe save one or two defenseman total. Fact is, most of their quality blueliners that emerged in 2015-16 are automatically exempt.

Protection Lists:

For my list, I’ve decided to protect what GM Ron Francis is building; the younger core players. Given the lack of talent on the back end needing to be saved, I’m going with Faulk, Dahlbeck, and Murphy on the back end. The obvious locks up front are Staal, Skinner, Rask, Lindholm, and Teravainen. Those last two spots are where things get a little fuzzy. Using our philosophy, it makes sense to protect both Brock McGinn and Phil Di Giuseppe. Neither has made the impact that a Nestrasil or Nordstrom has, but they could be major future pieces.

– Ryan Ritchie

Q: Andrej Nestrasil replaces Viktor Stalberg on your Hurricanes protection list.  Some folks have pegged Nestrasil as a decent target for Las Vegas, so what is it about his game that makes him a worthy save on Carolina’s part?

Well if many have pegged him as a person of interest for Vegas, then it’s good that he’s protected. Also, the reason I chose to over Stalberg, is because in one corner you have an aging player with a history of injuries that has never quite matched the hype. But in the other corner you have a player who is just about to enter his prime and is often consistent, so who would you rather protect? Option A or option B? Option B sounds like the smartest decision.

– Matt Duscharme

Chicago Blackhawks

If you’ve tinkered around with the expansion tools, you know that Chicago has locked themselves into seven players (four forwards, three defense, one goalie) with no-movement clauses. That leaves no possibility of using the 4-4-1 scheme to protect a valuable defender, unless of course, Chicago is willing to hand Marcus Kruger to Las Vegas.

Protection Lists:

With only three spots to fill, the work is fairly limited only having to identify three forwards. Marcus Kruger is a must-save, Richard Panik is slowly working his way to a similar status (if he can keep it up), leaving just one spot. Given his emergence this year, Ryan Hartman might have the early lead, but that could always change.

– Ryan Ritchie

Colorado Avalanche

It’s worth noting that 36-year-old defenseman Francois Beauchemin may be asked to waive his no-movement clause if Sakic can convince the veteran Las Vegas will have little interest (as we all have done). If that’s the case, Nikita Zadorov seems to be the next logical choice for protection on the back end in a 7-3-1 scheme.

Protection Lists:

Colorado is somewhat fortunate. They could technically use either protection scheme based on who they deem to be most important. Another big factor could be Francois Beauchemin. If he’s willing to waive his NMC, it sets them up perfectly as you can see. But if they’re forced to save him, the only real decision to make in a 4-4-1 scheme is whether to protect Carl Soderberg or Mikhail Grigorenko with that final spot.

– Ryan Ritchie

Q: Rocco Grimaldi replaces Blake Comeau on your protection list for Colorado. Does that decision change if Comeau, whose name is being bantered around in trade rumors, winds up staying in the Mile High City?

This was simply based on season progression. Looking at both players since the last Expansion Draft article, Grimaldi is showing potential, while Comeau is better off playing for a contender. He is a viable power forward, and could produce with the right linemates. Unfortunately, the Avalanche are a sinking ship right now, and Comeau has nothing to gain from staying aboard.

– Suraj Sukumar

Columbus Blue Jackets

You wouldn’t know it by looking at the standings over previous years, but Columbus boasts one of the deeper groups in the NHL. No matter which protection scheme they choose, they stand to lose a quality player.

Protection Lists:

Working with what’s in front of us at the moment, Scott Hartnell and his NMC are still in the mix. The forced save leaves names like William Karlsson and Lukas Sedlak on the outside looking in. That could change if Jarmo can get Hartnell to either waive his no-move or find another team that wants him.

– Ryan Ritchie

Q: If Scott Hartnell were to waive his no-move clause, it would open up an extra slot the Blue Jackets could desperately use.  You’ve chosen to protect Josh Anderson, but how close is that battle for the final spot with guys like William Karlsson and Lukas Sedlak?

The reason I had Hartnell waive his NMC, is quite simple, Columbus want’s to take the youth route, and after this years season which was mostly lead by their youth, why not continue that trend? Hartnell is an aging player in a young man’s game now. If Vegas were to take him they have a solid second line player who will also help them reach the cap floor. The other reason I chose to do that and protect Josh Anderson is due to the fact, Columbus has a plethora of young talent ready to make the jump next season, and while Josh has played a fair amount of time this season, he’s going to be a regular next year and one of the younger players in the AHL is going to take a spot from someone, so why not build the competition for the final spot between your youth, and the only way to do so is to move out a player, and Hartnell seems the best fit for that. In regards to Sedlak and Karlsson, either of them could take Anderson’s spot on the protection list, that’s how skilled and youthful Columbus has become.

– Matt Duscharme

Dallas Stars

No surprise, one of the hottest protection list debates exists on Dallas’ blue line. Beyond John Klingberg, you’d hesitate to call anyone a lock. They’ve got Stephen Johns, Esa Lindell, Jamie Oleksiak, Dan Hamhuis, Johnny Oduya, Jordie Benn, and Patrik Nemeth (among others) competing for two spots. This is a decision that could go down to the wire in terms of performance in 2016-17.

Protection Lists:

For this list, we’re assuming GM Jim Nill has every intent to keep his top talent together since they’re in the middle of a Stanley Cup window. That means protecting the likes of Cody Eakin, Radek Faksa, Brett Ritchie, and Antoine Roussel. On the blue line, there are a handful of players of similar talent level that could be debated upon. Logical selections have gotta be Klingberg and Johns. That third slot is a wild-card between Nemeth, Lindell, Oleksiak, Benn, and Hamhuis – Lindell is leading that group so far.

– Ryan Ritchie

Q: You’ve switched from a 7-3-1 protection scheme to a 4-4-1 in Dallas. Reasoning? Explanation?

Last mock I had Dallas as a 7-3-1 scheme because then there were only small glimpses of Lindell, Johns, and Oleksiak, but as the season has rolled on so has my opinion on Dallas’ defense which is why I went with a 4-4-1 scheme. This way Dallas can protect Klingberg, Lindell, Oleksiak and Johns instead of leaving one of their top defenseman exposed, cause Dallas doesn’t have a d-core like they did last year, so holding onto talent from the back end for this team is very crucial now.

– Matt Duscharme

Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings would likely love to save upwards of four, maybe even five defensemen with a couple of guys just starting to make an impact. Unfortunately, they’ve got far too many forwards to take care of, leaving them with the 7-3-1 scheme.

Protection Lists:

My thought process behind the list is preserving the most important players, even though it leaves a few key guys on the outside looking in. The Red Wings would surely love to protect Athanasiou, Helm, and Glendening, among others, but numbers don’t seem to support it. To save any of those forwards, it means exposing the likes of Riley Sheahan or Anthony Mantha. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Red Wings make a move which allows them to save Athanasiou, Sheahan, and Mantha

The toughest selection was that final defensive slot. We’ve opted to go with Niklas Kronwall this time around – thinking it might be unwise to leave the 35-year-old unprotected, despite his age. Detroit would probably love to protect Nick Jensen, Ryan Sproul, and Xavier Ouellet as well, so who knows which direction they head in.

– Ryan Ritchie

Q: You’ve opted to switch Ryan Sproul in favor of Danny DeKeyser in Detroit. Surely, the Red Wings would love to protect both. Any chance the Red Wings explore the possibility of leaving an aging Niklas Kronwall exposed? or, is it too risky?

I think the leadership of a Kronwall is too good to part with. We have seen plenty of teams struggle without the right experience on the roster, and Kronwall provides just that. DeKeyser is a hefty contract based on his production, and the Red Wings have plenty to gain from a younger, right-handed shooter like Sproul. Of the three, DeKeyser is the one who should be risked on the market.

– Suraj Sukumar

Edmonton Oilers

GM Peter Chiarelli has set himself up beautifully for the expansion draft. The Oilers are one of the few teams where a 7-3-1 scheme will protect just the right players, leaving few guys available that would be a devastating loss. The only real potential to have quality talent plucked is between the pipes with top prospect Laurent Brossoit – although the more Talbot performs, the easier that loss would be to deal with.

Protection Lists:

nine of 11 spots are spoken for even though only three actual NMC’s exist. Eberle, Lucic, Nugent-Hopkins, Draisaitl, and Pouliot are virtual locks up front. Sekera, Klefbom, and Larsson are the only defensemen that need protection, leaving just two forward spots up for grabs. If Edmonton wants to keep the current group together that is having so much success, it makes sense to protect both Zack Kassian and Patrick Maroon.

– Ryan Ritchie

Florida Panthers

While the Panthers could lose a decent player in the expansion draft, they’re not in the uncomfortable position that many other clubs find themselves in. As it stands, the 7-3-1 scheme protects just the right players, leaving maybe one or two guys exposed that you’d probably like to keep, but are at least replaceable.

Protection Lists:

Just entering their Stanley Cup window, Florida must protect it’s most important players. Barkov, Trocheck, Bjugstad, Huberdeau, and Smith are obvious locks. Marchessault is working his way into a lock based off his hot start, and we’re including veteran Jussi Jokinen. Many are projecting he be left unprotected, but the dude just tallied 61 points in 2015-16, let’s be real here. On the back end, I’ve opted to protect Jason Demers instead of Alex Petrovic this time around. Florida could go either way here.

– Ryan Ritchie

Los Angeles Kings

Here’s a team that could logically use either protection scheme (7-3-1 or 4-4-1). If they want to save a few extra forwards (i.e. Trevor Lewis, Dwight King, Kyle Clifford, etc.), it’ll cost them a defender such as Derek Forbort. However, if they should a 4-4-1 scheme to protect the likes of Doughty, Martinez, Muzzin, and Forbort, it leaves a few interesting players available that could interest George McPhee.

Protection Lists:

Given the emergence of Derek Forbort, it looks like all three of us have switched for the 4-4-1 protection scheme. Obvious locks include Jonathan Quick between the pipes, Drew Doughty, Alec Martinez, Jake Muzzin, and Derek Forbort on the back end. Looking to the four spots up front, I’ve opted to go with Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter, Tyler Toffoli, and Tanner Pearson. The thought process is that Vegas won’t have much interest in Marian Gaborik and his hefty price tag coupled with a nasty injury history. I’m sure they’d love to protect Kyle Clifford and Andy Andreoff as well, but one of those guys could be your potential loss in June.

– Ryan Ritchie

Minnesota Wild

The Wild have long been pegged as a team that is destined to hand the Vegas Golden Knights one of their key players. This is because Minnesota has an overabundance of defenders and not enough room to protect them all even if they were to use a 4-4-1 scheme. It’s an interesting scenario because much of what is carrying this club is their defensive presence, but you’ve gotta wonder if they feel the pressure to move a blueliner ahead of March 1st. Only time will tell.

Protection Lists:

One way or another, the Wild are likely to lose one of two defensemen. Because of that, Minnesota can make life a little easier on themselves. Sure, they could use a 4-4-1 protection scheme and choose who to keep between Jonas Brodin or Marco Scandella. Then again, it’ll cost them three valuable exposed forwards to do so. Why not use the 7-3-1 format, protect Suter, Dumba, and Spurgeon, and let Las Vegas decide which top-four defender they’d prefer. At least that way, Minnesota can protect a few extra bodies.

Having three extra forward slots means the Wild don’t need to choose between saving Coyle or Granlund. They can save both, plus Nino Niederreiter. That 7th slot is where things get interesting. We’ve opted for an emerging Eric Staal, but other names that could contend are Jason Zucker, Erik Haula, Teemu Pulkkinen, Zac Dalpe, and Tyler Graovac.

– Ryan Ritchie

Q: Transferring to a 7-3-1 scheme in Minnesota, you were forced to leave an extra defender exposed.  No matter what, it seems the Wild are destined to lose a quality d-man. What is your take on the outlook of the Wild’s defensive conundrum heading into the expansion?

As everyone knows, Minnesota’s offensive core is outstanding with a lot of talent so a 7-3-1 scheme is needed to protect all of their skilled forwards moving ahead. But the bad side of that is either Spurgeon, Dumba or Scandella will be left open for picking. Spurgeon to me has always been the best defenseman out of the three with the most potential upside with Dumba very close behind him. And granted where Minnesota is placed in the standings means they’ll most likely have a bottom 15 pick in this years draft, so sending a conditional pick to Vegas to protect either Dumba or Scandella seems to be a great option as well. But one can be moved for a prospect defenseman and the other can be protected with the pick. So if Minnesota was to go that route and use what I would use, they still have two of there three best defenseman with a solid defensive prospect who will make up for the player they chose to move. But if they decide to go 4-4-1 well a lot of offensive talent is going to be left exposed and its easier to figure out what to do with three defenseman than it is seven forwards.

– Matt Duscharme

Montreal Canadiens

This is admittedly one of the toughest teams to figure out. They could make an argument for using either protection scheme, and tend to have a large number of players vying for very few spots. It makes those final 2-3 forward slots a difficult choice.

Protection Lists:

On the back end, Weber, Petry, and Beaulieu are logical choices to protect. Personally, I’d prefer to save the three extra forwards opposed to keeping Emelin. I’m not even sure Las Vegas would be interested in the Russian defender.

Up front, the Habs may opt to leave Plekanec unprotected to see if they could shed the contract, but it might be wise to save the longtime Montreal forward. It also makes sense to save their newest investment in Andrew Shaw. That leaves two slots for (2) Alex Radulov, David Desharnais, Torrey Mitchell, Paul Byron, Brian Flynn, Phillip Danault, Daniel Carr, Jacob de La Rose, Sven Adrighetto, and Charles Hudon. I’m leaning towards Hudon and Radulov at this point. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Habs opt to give Radulov a nice extension somewhere in the near future.

– Ryan Ritchie

Q: Sven Andrighetto replaces Charles Hudon for that final forward spot in Montreal. How close is that battle for the final slot, and who else is vying for protection?

Definitely too close to call right now. However, Andrighetto’s production at the NHL level right now is something to keep in mind. Barring an injury or a return to the AHL, Andrighetto should be able to hold that spot for the rest of the season, unless Hudon makes the jump and performs similarly. For now, we will give the edge to Andrighetto. Not to mention, that is a great looking name on a jersey.

– Suraj Sukumar

Nashville Predators

Welcome Preds fans to that exclusive club of teams bound to provide one of the better selections to Las Vegas. The conundrum is this: use a 7-3-1 scheme and lose D Mattias Ekholm, or use a 4-4-1 scheme and lose one of Colin Wilson, Craig Smith, Viktor Arvidsson, Calle Jarnkrork, the list goes on.

Protection Lists:

Assuming things stay relatively normal without significant change, the 4-4-1 scheme makes a little more sense. Ekholm is far more valuable than any one of those forwards that Nashville could lose. Some have suggested James Neal be left unprotected due to his contract, but that would be a mistake for the Preds, he’s a quality goal scorer. The only real debate is who to protect with that fourth and final slot up front. Logic would have told us the fight was between Colin Wilson and Craig Smith, but it seems Viktor Arvidsson has leap-frogged both after an impressive start on Nashville’s top line.

– Ryan Ritchie

New Jersey Devils

GM Ray Shero has options at this point. Depending on how he feels, the Devils could use either protection scheme. The debate becomes, would you rather save D Jon Merill/or John Moore or Devante-Smith Pelly and Mike Cammalleri plus one other forward.

Truth be told, if I’m GM George McPhee, my eyes are set squarely on goaltenders Keith Kinkaid and Scott Wedgewood.

Protection Lists:

Switching to a 4-4-1 scheme this time around, we’ve still got Cory Schneider between the pipes, as well as Andy Greene, Damon Severson, John Moore, and now Jon Merrill on the back end. That means I’ve only got four forwards spots to work with, which leaves the likes of Mike Cammalleri exposed. Instead, I’m choosing to protect Taylor Hall, Travis Zajac, Adam Henrique, and Kyle Palmieri.

– Ryan Ritchie

Q: You’ve opted to move to a 4-4-1 protection scheme for the Devils. Jon Merrill replaces Cammalleri, Smith-Pelly, and Bennett. Was this decision performance/money related? I’m interested to hear the thought process behind the switch.

After acquiring Taylor Hall, the Devils have a lot more wiggle room up front. With the current price tags surrounding defensemen, especially young ones, the Devils need to hold on to players like Merrill. He is a good-sized defenseman, and fits the Devils system perfectly. They are already invested in several players for the near future, and they must build around them to be successful immediately. Smith-Pelly and Bennett do not fit those plans, and are looking more like bottom-six players on very good teams.

– Suraj Sukumar

New York Islanders

The New York Islanders are another team destined to hand the NHL’s 31st franchise a decent player. As it stands, they’ve got way too many defenseman with the likes of Johnny Boychuk, Nick Leddy, Travis Hamonic, Calvin de Haan, Thomas Hickey, and Ryan Pulock. Long story short, the Isles risk losing a piece on the back end.

Protection Lists:

Here’s another team that is difficult to figure out. With reason to save upwards of five defensemen, GM Garth Snow needs to make some difficult decisions. My thought process is this: If the Isles want to protect Ryan Pulock (might be wise), they could use a 4-4-1 scheme leaving both Hickey and de Haan unprotected. Then again, the highly touted prospect is yet to make any type of impact so we’re willing to bet other players rank higher on Las Vegas’ list. Given the amount of quality forwards in need of protection, Garth Snow mid as well use the 7-3-1 format and let George McPhee likely select one of Calvin de Haan or Thomas Hickey.

I was leaning towards protecting Jaroslav Halak at the start of the season after his impressive World Cup performance. Trade rumors and a demotion, however, suggest he may have an expiration date. Given the recent extension to Thomas Greiss, it seems the Isles have decided who they’ll protect.

In terms of locks to be protected, Boychuk, Leddy, and Hamonic make up the back end. Up front, Tavares, Ladd, Lee, Strome, and Nelson are safe. That leaves a couple of spots for the likes of Casey Cizikas, Josh Bailey, Shane Prince, Mikhail Grabovski, Nikolai Kulemin, the list goes on. We’ve opted to protect Cizikas and Bailey.

– Ryan Ritchie

Q: You mentioned the possibility of Travis Hamonic being dealt by the Islanders. Who might be interested/good fit? Who might the Isles target in return from those teams?

I think the Winnipeg Jets was his most desirable home, but they seem to have quieted the noise surrounding Jacob Trouba. However, if that door did open again, the right pieces could finalize that deal. There is a lot more potential surrounding Trouba, but the Islanders have plenty of defensemen and forwards to go around. If they can find the right balance of players and picks, this could be a great fit for both teams.

– Suraj Sukumar

New York Rangers

Things got interesting a few months back when the NHL announced that Rick Nash was among the names of those who needed protection in the expansion draft. Prior to that, many had pegged Nash as a player to be left exposed, and possibly selected by Vegas. Now with the inclusion of Rick Nash, the NY Rangers stands to leave a quality forward exposed.

Protection Lists:

Many of the Rangers protection slots are already accounted for. For example, King Henrik carries that NMC in goal, and so do Girardi and Staal on the back end. With just a single defensive spot open, the obvious selection is Ryan McDonagh. Looking up front, locks to be saved include Nash, Stepan, Kreider, Zuccarello, and Zibanejad. You might even say that J.T. Miller is a borderline must-save, leaving just one spot for the likes of Kevin Hayes, Michael Grabner, Brandon Pirri, Oscar Lindberg, Jesper Fast, the list goes on. I’ve gone with Hayes, but that could change between now and June.

– Ryan Ritchie

Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators could use a 4-4-1 protection scheme in order to protect their top four defensive group, but it just won’t be feasible with a plethora of forwards available. It seems Marc Methot could be the odd-man out on the back end, which may or may not interest Las Vegas in his early 30s. Don’t be surprised if the Sens use a conditional pick or prospects to get additional protection for Methot.

Protection Lists:

In the 7-3-1 format, there are five forwards that could be considered virtual locks to be saved: Bobby Ryan, Mike Hoffman, Derick Brassard, Mark Stone, and Kyle Turris. Things get interesting in the battle for those last two spots. J-G Pageau seems like a logical save, leaving a fight between Curtis Lazar, Zack Smith, and Ryan Dzingel for that last spot. It’s interesting because Lazar was the highest investment via the draft. Dzingel is the standout performer of the trio. But Zack Smith is the one who earned an early extension. For that reason alone, it looks like Smith could occupy that final spot.

– Ryan Ritchie

Q: Ryan Dzingel has replaced Curtis Lazar for that final spot up front in Ottawa. While Dzingel has emerged in 2016-17, Lazar has left some muttering the words “bust”. Is it too early to call Lazar a bust? Should the Golden Knights be looking at him as a guy who could emerge with a change of scenery?

The Ottawa Senators have a lot of talent up front. Lazar looked great at the World Junior Championships, but has struggled tremendously in the NHL. He did break his pointless streak with an assist late in January, but there is simply little faith in the young forward at the moment. Based on the Senators have little to offer from a prospect perspective, Lazar could be a great snag for the Golden Knights. The second half of the season will dictate his future in the NHL.

– Suraj Sukumar

Philadelphia Flyers

Philly has a lot of tough decisions to make in expansion. Who do they protect between the pipes? Which defenders beyond the Ghost need to be saved? Which forwards occupy those last couple of spots in a seven forward scheme? We’ve done our best to tackle these questions.

Protection Lists:

I’m opting to protect Steve Mason right now. Both Mason and Neuvirth are UFAs next summer, while 22-year-old Anthony Stolarz also remains as an option. At this point, it looks like Mason could earn another contract, but we’ll have to see how the season plays out.

On the blue line, a max of four defensemen could potentially use protection and that number dips to three if the Flyers let Michael Del Zotto walk into free agency. Philly is trending towards a younger back end, so I’ve opted to protect Gostisbehere, Gudas, and Manning.

Five forwards are virtual locks for Philadelphia: Claude Giroux (NMC), Jakub Voracek, Sean Couturier, Wayne Simmonds, and Brayden Schenn. That leaves two forward spots for a number of players. This is where the debate will be as I’ve chosen Scott Laughton and Michael Raffl. Those selections leave Matt Read, Dale Weise, Nick Cousins, Taylor Leier, and P.E. Bellemare on the outside looking in.

– Ryan Ritchie

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins still have a lot of work to do ahead of the expansion draft. They need to trade Marc-Andre Fleury, or risk having to buy him out in the summer. They’ve also got a headache on the back end, which has only gotten worse over time. Heading into 2016-17, it seemed Pittsburgh would need to make a tough decision between protecting Brian Dumoulin or Derrick Pouliot. Instead what they got was an emerging Justin Schultz to further complicate matters. It’ll be interesting to see what the Pens do moving forward.

Protection Lists:

This is pure speculation, but something tells me that Pittsburgh will do a good job at hiding Pouliot the rest of 2016-17. He started the year on the long-term IR, and if they force him down to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for most/or all of the season, it becomes increasingly difficult for Las Vegas to select a player with limited NHL experience.

With Pouliot on the sidelines, Pittsburgh can save Letang, Maatta, and Schultz. That leaves Ian Cole, Trevor Daley, and Brian Dumoulin available.

Picking six of the seven forwards was fairly simple. Malkin, Crosby, and Kessel have no-move clauses. Hornqvist, Bonino, and Hagelin might be considered that next tier of forwards, which leaves just one opening up front. Here’s where the serious debate begins as we’re choosing between Bryan Rust, Scott Wilson, Tom Kuhnhackl, and Garrett Wilson (among others).

– Ryan Ritchie

Q: It seems Justin Schultz continues to shine, forcing all three of us to use a protection slot on a guy who seemed his next stop was Europe. The Penguins were already facing a difficult decision between Brian Dumoulin and Derrick Pouliot on the back end heading into 2016-17. Should Pens fans be worried about losing a young, quality defender in the expansion draft?

100%. If there is anything Vegas should be chasing from current teams, it is going to be defense. However, if they want to be successful right away, they could look towards more experienced players, which would work in the Penguins’ favor. I still think Marc-Andre Fleury has a big part to play. If he does not get traded, and the Penguins are able to convince him to waive his NMC, the Golden Knights could go for the Stanley Cup-winning goaltender. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out closer to the NHL trade deadline.

– Suraj Sukumar

Even if Pittsburgh or ourselves decided a 4-4-1 scheme instead of a 7-3-1, Pittsburgh would still be losing either Dumoulin or Pouliot. So regardless of the Pens decision, fans should definitely be worried about losing a quality young defenseman. The only way they could possibly overcome it is to do a 4-4-1 scheme and use a conditional pick to protect the left over defensemen.

– Matt Duscharme

San Jose Sharks

Let the debate begin! Truth be told, the Sharks have a number of similar quality players that just happen to fall in that gray area where only a limited amount can be protected at each position. So, those final few spots up front and last spot on the blue line has multiple players vying to be saved.

The debate goes further than just players though. San Jose needs to figure out whether they plan to protect seven forwards or four-plus defenseman. The 7-3-1 scheme is most likely, but that could change depending how SJ does in 2016-17.

*Important note: Suraj and I are omitting Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. Both are slated to become UFAs and I don’t think they’d be interested in either – Suraj thinks otherwise as you’ll see later on. San Jose can save the two forward spots with a safe gamble that Thornton/Marleau go untouched. The only way these lists change is if SJ reaches an extension with either before the end of the year.

Protection Lists:

This time around, I’ve opted to switch to a 4-4-1 protection scheme. Martin Jones is a lock between the pipes. On the blue line, I’m going with Brent Burns, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Breden Dillon, and Dylan DeMelo. That leaves just four spots up front. Without the need to protect Thornton or Marleau, we’re technically only losing the ability to protect one forward that would have previously slipped in with the 7-3-1 scheme. Joe Pavelski, Tomas Hertl, and Logan Couture are must-save forwards, leaving just one spot for debate. I think Melker Karlsson is worth protecting given his age/skill-set, but one could make an argument for the likes of Joel Ward, Chris Tierney, or Barclay Goodrow (among others).
– Ryan Ritchie

St. Louis Blues

The Blues are in a tough position. If they want to save seven forwards, they likely stand to lose a quality defender. Should they choose to protect four or more defenseman, quality forwards become available. One way or another, St. Louis stands to lose a decent player unless they can wheel and deal in June to protect a few extra bodies via trade.

Protection Lists:

The way I see it is this: Four forwards, two defensemen, and goalie Jake Allen all require protection. That leaves three forwards and one d-man to fill out our list.

Looking to the back end, three players are vying for that last spot; Joel Edmundson, Petteri Lindbohm, and Carl Gunnarsson. Given his age and cap hit, it might be safe to assume Gunnarsson will be on the outside looking in. It seems Edmundson might have the early lead on Lindbohm, but we’ll have to see how the new season plays out.

Up front, those last three spots are tough to pick. Still available at this point is Paul Stastny, David Perron, Patrik Berglund (UFA), Nail Yakupov, and Dmitrij Jaskin. How exactly is St. Louis supposed to pick between that group? Right now, it seems Stastny and Jaskin might be the top two.

– Ryan Ritchie

Q: Ty Rattie was claimed off waivers by Carolina, leaving an extra forward spot for the Blues. Aside from your pick, which other players are candidates for a possible save and how close is that battle between the likes of Jaskin, Berglund, Yakupov, etc?

I am a big Ty Rattie fan, and I’m glad to see him get an opportunity with the Hurricanes. As for the Blues, they need to focus on the now, and players like Jaskin and Yakupov are still major question marks. I like Jaskin’s physical and defensive play, but Berglund’s overall ability could edge out both youngsters. For now, Jaskin gets the nod after making a good transition to the pros, and costing just $1 million next season. It would be nice to see Yakupov save his career in Las Vegas anyway.

– Suraj Sukumar

Well, Yakupov hasn’t shown St. Louis anything since coming over in the deal, so in my opinion losing him wouldn’t be a big deal. Berglund, on the other hand, is a key player the Blues need down the middle and Jaskin is a solid fourth line winger. But with that being said, fourth line fringe wingers aren’t hard to find so he can easily be replaced as well. So going forward the key player St. Louis needs to focus on out of the three is Berglund.

– Matt Duscharme

Tampa Bay Lightning

Even though they’re one of the deepest teams that promise to hand Las Vegas a top selection, the Lightning’s protection list is arguably the easiest to determine. Their seven forward spots are locked in, which leaves debate for maybe one or two spots on the back end.

Ben Bishop will be omitted until he finds a new home. It’s unclear if he’ll stick around the entire year or not, but at some point, he will be moved. The 22-year-old Andrei Vasilevskiy is the logical save between the pipes.

Protection Lists:

As mentioned, the forward spots are all accounted for. Between NMC’s for Stamkos, Callahan, and Filppula, it leaves just enough room to protect Kucherov, Johnson, Palat, and Drouin. Little can be done to save the likes of Alex Killorn, Vladislav Namestnikov, or J.T. Brown.

Hedman is a lock on the back end obviously. The only real debate is the last two d-slots. I’m assuming Steve Yzerman might favor the likes of Sustr and Stralman over veterans Garrison and Coburn. Slater Koekkoek might also be in the mix.

– Ryan Ritchie

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs are one of the few teams that could use either protection scheme and have it make little difference to the quality of player left available. Given the fact there’s a handful of younger forwards who could have a future in Toronto, it might make sense to use the traditional 7-3-1 option.

Protection Lists:

In terms of locks for protections, goaltender Frederik Andersen, defenders Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner, and forwards Nazem Kadri, James van Riemsdyk, Leo Komarov, and Connor Brown are safe bets. For those final three forward spots, we’re opting with Brendan Leipsic, Matt Martin, and Josh Leivo.

For that final spot on the blue line, I’ve selected Connor Carrick. Some may opt for Martin Marincin, as I did back in November. The more you watch him play though, the less worthy of a protection spot he seems to be.

– Ryan Ritchie

Q: The Maple Leafs clearly need some help on the right side of the back end.  Which defenders would Toronto be wise to target, and who would you be willing to give up to acquire that upgrade?

All the talk about van Riemsdyk being moved for a defenseman doesn’t sit well with me, he’s been a solid scorer for the Leafs and is consistent every game. Moving him for a right handed defenseman just for a possible first-round exit from the playoffs wouldn’t be a smart decision. Him, Bozak, and Marner play absolutely well together, and that’s not something that should be broken up, but if Gretzky can be moved, anything can happen. For Toronto to acquire a defenseman without using JVR as a key stone of the deal, the Leafs would have to move a couple prospects in doing so. And that doesn’t really serve justice to the “proper youth rebuild” they want to achieve cause moving out younger players with talent for a defenseman over 25 or even higher is a step backwards. But that’s what it would take, either JVR and a couple of picks, or a few solid prospects and a pick, so either option isn’t a good one. The best move would be waiting until free agency and seeing what’s on the market, and if Edmonton doesn’t offer Russell a contract by then, why not take another shot at him?

– Matt Duscharme

Vancouver Canucks

Well, if you’re a Canucks fan, at least you can take comfort in the fact that all necessary players will be protected. That being said, it has a lot to more to do with the mess GM Jim Benning has created in Vancouver with a lack of talent. Not all hope is lost though. They’ve got some exciting pieces in the system that include Thatcher Demko, Brock Boeser, Cole Cassels, and Guillaume Brisebois (among others). With a few good moves, this organization could quickly get back on track.

Protection Lists:

Despite the strong start, it seems veteran Ryan Miller is on his way out with an expiring contract. Vancouver needs to protect Markstrom and future in goal circles around top prospect Thatcher Demko. 2016-17 is simply about making sure Markstrom can handle a large workload. Demko will need support at the start of his career and injuries are always possible.

On the blue line, Edler, Tanev, and Gudbranson are the logical saves at this point. Some speculation has suggested that Vancouver may opt to trade Edler to continue the trend towards a younger team, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Up front, the Sedin twins and Eriksson own no-move clauses and require protection. The next three players that need protection are Bo Horvat, Brandon Sutter, and Jannik Hansen, leaving a single spot. Left available is Alex Burrows, Derek Dorsett, Sven Baertschi, Anton Rodin, and Markus Granlund (among others). Whoever impresses the most from Rodin, Beartschi, and Granlund in 2016-17 is the likely save. Our money is on Rodin at this point even though he’s still on the injured reserve.

– Ryan Ritchie

Washington Capitals