NHL Expansion Draft: Metropolitan Division Post-Deadline Outlook

Carolina Hurricanes

(7-3-1 Protection List)

Forwards: Jordan Staal (NMC), Jeff Skinner, Victor Rask, Elias Lindholm, Teuvo Teravainen, Phil Di Giuseppe, Brock McGinn
Defense: Justin Faulk, Klas Dahlbeck, Trevor Carrick
Goalie: Cam Ward

Notable Players Exposed: F Lee Stempniak, F Joakim Nordstrom, F Jay McClement (UFA), F Andrej Nestrasil (RFA), D Ryan Murphy, D Matt Tennyson, G Eddie Lack

Candidate to be Protected via Trade (conditional pick, prospect, player): n/a

Given the Canes lack of top-end talent, GM Ron Francis can rest easy heading into the NHL Expansion Draft. And since so many defenders are automatically exempt due to their relatively young age, there’s no reason for Carolina to consider using the 4-4-1 protection scheme. That doesn’t mean there won’t be internal debate on how to fill out those last couple spots both up front and on the back end, but for the most part, the Canes are a fairly easy team to sort out.

Guys like Staal, Skinner, Rask, Lindholm, and Teravainen are all locks to protected. That leaves just two forward spots up front. While some folks may opt to protect someone like Lee Stempniak, Joakim Nordstrom, or Andrej Nestrasil, I’d argue it’s more important to protect what Francis has been building. That means protecting a pair of quality prospects in Brock McGinn and Phil Di Giuseppe.

On the back, Justin Faulk is the only must-save. That leaves the likes of Klas Dahlbeck, Trevor Carrick, Ryan Murphy, and Matt Tennyson all vying for those final two spots. Dahlbeck seems like a logical second save, but there’s a serious debate beyond that. Do the Canes protect Ryan Murphy, a guy that has largely disappointed after showing so much early promise? Or, do they protect another prospect? In my opinion, Carolina would be wise to select the latter. Trevor Carrick has made major strides down in AHL Charlotte this season becoming much more defensively responsible.