Vegas Golden Knights Expansion Draft Strategy: Pacific Division
By Trin Potratz
ANAHEIM DUCKS
The Anaheim Ducks will have a difficult decision to make right from the beginning in deciding which format they will stick with.
Do they risk losing Jakob Silfverberg to Vegas in order to protect four of their young defensemen? Or do they try to convince Kevin Bieksa to waive his NMC is order to keep Cam Fowler, Sami Vatanen and Hampus Lindholm? Do they dig into their deep prospect pool in order to convince the Golden Knights to look past either Silfverberg or one of the aforementioned defensemen?
Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, Ryan Kesler and Kevin Bieksa all have No Movement Clause’s, so they need to be protected. Considering the Ducks have the likes of Brandon Montour, Shea Theodore and Jacob Larsson in the pipeline on the blueline, I would be willing to lose one of those premier defensemen.
However, I truly believe the Ducks could convince Kevin Bieksa to waive his no-trade clause with the likeliness that the player doesn’t draw any interest from the Golden Knights. This allows me to protect Rickard Rakell, Jakob Silfverberg, Andrew Cogliano and prospect Nicolas Kerdiles up front on the forward ranks. Antoine Vermette, Jared Boll, Logan Shaw and Chris Wagner then meet the requirements for exposure.
On the blueline, Fowler, Vatanen and Lindholm are protected and Bieksa waives his NMC. Josh Manson meets the exposure requirement.
Of course John Gibson is protected as the goaltender, and Dustin Tokarski‘s recent contract extension allows him to meet the exposure requirements.
PROTECTED: Ryan Getzlaf, Ryan Kesler, Corey Perry, Rickard Rakel, Jakob Silfverberg, Andrew Cogliano, Nicolas Kerdiles, Sami Vatanen, Hampus Lindholm, Cam Fowler, John Gibson
NOTABLE EXPOSED: Antoine Vermette, Nate Thompson, Patrick Eaves, Nick Sorensen, Logan Shaw, Jared Boll, Josh Manson, Simon Despres, Korbinian Holzer, Jonathan Bernier