Central Mock Expansion Draft
Columbus Blue Jackets
Protection list 7-3-1
Forwards 7
Cam Atkinson
Oliver Bjorkstrand
Patrick Laine
Jack Roslovic
Gustav Nyquist
Max Domi
Kevin Stenlund
Defensemen 3
Seth Jones
Zach Wereinski
Vladislav Gavrikov
Goalie 1
Jonas Korpisalo
Key Exposures
Forwards
Eric Robinson
Bonne Jenner
Nathan Gerbe
Defensemen
Dean Kukan
Scott Harrington
Gabriel Carlsson
Goalie
Matiss Kivleniks
The Jackets may have the most straight forward protection list in the League. If they have not traded Laine or Domi by the expansion draft then the top 6 are a lock with the final spot coming between Stenlund, Robinson, and Jenner. However even though Robinson is a good young player and Jenner brings veteran leadership after the year Stenlund had I think they will protect him. On Defense it is very simple, protect Wereinski, Jones if he has not been traded yet, and Gavrikov while they will protect Korpisalo in net. It will really come down to weather the Kraken want Kukan or Robinson and I think they select Robinson. Eric Robinson can be a middle six forward for the Kraken and a good source for points in my opinion as he will be entering the Final year of his contract with a cap hit of $.975 Thousand and expires a UFA after having 8 Goals and 10 Points in 56 games.
Selection
LW Eric Robinson
Detroit Red Wings
Protection list 7-3-1
Forwards 7
Dylan Larkin
Tyler Burtuzzi
Jakub Vrana
Michael Rasmussen
Robby Fabbri
Vladislav Namestnikov
Givani Smith
Defensemen 3
Filip Hronek
Troy Stecher
Dennis Chlowski
Goalie 1
Thomas Griess
Key Exposures
Forwards
Adam Erne
Richard Panik
Evgeny Svechnikov
Luke Glendening (UFA)
Bobby Ryan (UFA)
Defensemen
Gustav Lindstrom
Danny Dekeyser
Marc Staal (UFA)
Goalie
Jonathan Bernier (UFA)
The Redwings have a couple of decisions to make on their protection list. Rasmussen, Larkin, Bertuzzi, Vrana, and Fabbri are all locks but the last two spots are up in the air. I have Namestnikov and Smith being protected over Svechnikov and Erne because Namestnikov can score and is a veteran presence and Smith has shown he has very good upside on the Offensive side and in my opinion those are the two better players to protect. Stecher and Hronek are locks on the protection list but it really comes down to Lindstrom or Chlowski for the third protection spot but with Chlowski having more experience he is the one protected and with Greiss currently the best signed goalie they protect him. In my opinion it will be between Erne, Svechnikov, Lindstrom and Bernier but I have them taking Adam Erne. Erne is a bottom six forward who can kill penalty’s and is a pending RFA who had 11 Goals and 20 Points in 45 games.
Selection
LW,RW Adam Erne
Chicago Blackhawks
Protection list 7-3-1
Forwards 7
Jonathan Toews (NMC)
Patrick Kane (NMC)
Alex Debrincat
Dylan Strome
Alex Nylander
Brandon Hagel
Ryan Carpenter
Defensemen 3
Duncan Keith (NMC)
Connor Murphy
Nikita Zadorov
Goalie 1
Kevin Lankinen
Key Exposures
Forwards
Adam Gaudette
Brett Connolly
David Kampf
Vinne Hinostroza (UFA)
Defensemen
Calvin De Haan
Riley Stillman
Goalies
Malcom Subban
Colin Delia
Chicago is in pretty good shape heading into the expansion draft. Everyone I protected in the forwards slot will probably be protected except for Carpenter who with Gaudette and Kampf are all probably possibilities to be protected. I give the advantage to carpenter because he is under contract for next season (as the other two are pending RFA’s) and Carpenter has more experience and I choose to protect him. Murphy, Keith, and Zadorov are all likely locks to be protected with highly valuable D-Men De Haan and Stillman being exposed and Lankinen showing how valuable he was as a youngster for the Blackhawks will be protected. De Haan, Stillman, and Subban are all possible selection’s but I choose Subban. Subban can be a third string goalie and was good for Vegas in their expansion season and has 1 year left on his contract before becoming a UFA at $.850 Thousand dollars after having a 3.20 GAA and a .900 SV% in 16 games.
Selection
G Malcom Subban
Dallas Stars
Protection list 7-3-1
Forwards 7
Tyler Seguin (NMC)
Alex Radulov (NMC)
Jamis Benn (NMC)
Roope Hintz
Dennis Gurianov
Joe Pavelski
Radek Faksa
Defensemen 3
John Klingberg
Miro Heiskanen
Elsa Lindell
Goalies 1
Ben Bishop (NMC)
Key Exposures
Forwards
Jason Dickinson
Nick Caamano
Tanner Kero
Defensemen
Jamie Oleksiak (UFA)
Joel Hanley
Andrej Sekera
Goalie
Anton Khudobin
Dallas is probably the best to predict their protection list. All seven forwards are going to be protected Benn Seguin and Radulov have NMC’s Gurianov and Hintz are toung players who can score while Pavelski and Faksa are older players who can provide scoring. Their best three defensemen Heiskanen, Klingberg and Lindell are all locks to be protected even though Oleksiak (Pending UFA) is worthy of protection he will be exposed and because of Bishops NMC he will be protected. It in my opinion will come down to Khudobin, Oleksiak, or Dickinson but I would choose the young forward Jason Dickinson. Dickinson can be a bottom six forward for the Kraken and is a pending RFA after having 7 Goals and 15 Points in 51 games this season.
Selection
C,LW Jason Dickinson
Nashville Predators
Protection list 4-4-1
Forwards 4
Filip Forsberg
Viktor Advidsson
Calle Jarnkrok
Luke Kunin
Defensemen 4
Roman Josi
Ryan Ellis
Matias Ekholm
Dante Fabbro
Goalie 1
Juuse Saros
Key Exposures
Forwards
Matt Duchene
Ryan Johansen
Colton Sissons
Mikael Granlund (UFA)
Rocco Grimaldi
Defensemen
Alex Carrier
Matt Benning
Mark Borowiecki
Goalies
Pekka Rinne (UFA)
Connor Ingram
The Predators have a lot to figure out and are a prime candidate for trading with Seattle. Because they have one of the best top 4 defenses in the league they go the 8 skater route. Advidsson and Forsberg are locks while Kunin and Jarnkrok should also be protected. Because of Duchene and Johansen’s contracts they expose them to hopefully get out of their contracts while Sissons and Grimaldi are middle six forwards. Ekholm, Fabbro, Josi, and Ellis should all be protected for the next expansion draft but Carrier’s play will probably draw him into the conversation and with Rinne a UFA and how well Saros played down the stretch and in the playoffs he will be protected. It should come down between Sissons and Carrier for who gets selected but Nashville makes a trade giving up the #18 overall pick at the draft, a 5th in 2022 and Mathieu Oliver to select Ryan Johansen. Johansen has a hefty four years left on his contract for $8 Million dollars and at this point is probably a middle six forward on the team after he had after he had 7 Goals and 22 Points in 48 games. As for the trade they can get a good future player with #18 overall pick, the 5th gives them draft capital and Oliver can be a physical presence on the bottom Six or in the minors.
Selection
C,RW Ryan Johansen
Trade attached
Nashville trades Mathieu Oliver, 2022 5RD and their first round pick (#18) for expansion considerations
Florida Panthers
Protection list 7-3-1
Forwards 7
Jonathan Huberdeau (NMC)
Alex Barkov
Carter Verhaeghe
Sam Bennett
Anthony Duclair
Frank Vatrano
Patric Hornqvist
Defensemen 3
Arron Ekblad
Mackenzie Weegar
Gustav Forsling
Goalie 1
Sergei Bobrovsky (NMC)
Key Exposures
Forwards
Mason Marchment
Noel Acciari
Ryan Lomberg
Defensemen
Radko Gudas
Markus Nutivaara
Keith Yandle (NMC Waived)
Anton Stralman
Goalie
Chris Driedger (UFA)
Florida could still under go some changes to their protection list. Everyone except for Patrick Hornqvist is a lock to be protected as he and Mason Marchment are probably in contention for the last protection spot. Marchment is a good young bottom six forward and has shown flashes of production but Hornqvist even though he is older than Marchment was a big part of there production this year and that is why I protected Hornqvist. On Defense Weegar and Ekblad both are locks for the protection list but the third spot is up for grabs. Keith Yandle has a NMC and would have to be protected but I think after being scratched in the playoffs he will agree to waive his NMC and then that would leave one spot and I have chosen Forsling as he had a productive season with the Panthers and Goalie Bobrovsky because of his NMC will be protected by Florida. It will come down to Driedger, Marchment, and Gudas but because Driedger is a pending UFA and can sign him in Free Agency I think they will select Gudas. Gudas can play on the second or third D-Pair and would bring physicality to their defence and has 2 years left on his contract at $2.5 Million dollars and had 2 Goals and 11 Points in 54 games.
Selection
RD Radko Gudas
Carolina Hurricanes
Protection list 7-3-1
Forwards 7
Sebastian Aho
Teavu Teravainen
Andrei Svechnikov
Vincent Trocheck
Warren Foegele
Jordan Staal (NMC)
Nino Niederriter
Defensemen 3
Jacob Slavin
Jake Bean
Brady Skjei
Goalie 1
Alex Nedeljkovic
Key Exposures
Forwards
Jesper Fast
Steven Lorentz
Brock McGinn (UFA)
Morgan Geekie
Defensemen
Dougie Hamilton (UFA)
Brett Pesce
Jake Gardiner
Goalies
Petr Mrazek (UFA)
James Reimer (UFA)
Carolina has a lot to do on it’s protection list. They probably will protect all the forwards I protected except maybe Niederriter as I could see Carolina protect Fast in stead but for the moment I am pretty sure they will protect Niederriter. On the Defense it is really difficult to predict. Slavin and Bean are probably going to be protected and I would say that Skjei would probably beat out Pesce for the third and Final protection spot but if they wind up resigning Hamilton before the expansion draft than Hamilton would be protected and Skjei would be exposed but right now I have Skjei protected and after a stealer season for young Goalie Nedejkovic he gets the protection spot in net. It comes down to Pesce or Fast but the Canes make a trade and send Seattle their fourth round pick (#123) at the draft to stay away from the big name players and select Steven Lorentz. Lorentz is capable of playing in the bottom six or being a spare to start the season and has one year on his contract at $.725 Thousand dollars and had 2 Goals and 8 Points in 45 games this year.
Selection
C,LW Steven Lorentz
Trade attached
Carolina sends Seattle their 2021 4RD pick (#123) for expansion considerations
Tampa Bay Lightning
Protection list 4-4-1
Forwards 4
Nikita Kucherov (NMC)
Steven Stamkos (NMC)
Brayden Point
Anthony Cirelli
Defensemen 4
Viktor Hedman (NMC)
Mikhail Sergachev
Erik Cernak
Ryan McDonagh
Goalie 1
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Key Exposures
Forwards
Ondrej Palat
Alex Killorn
Yanni Gourde
Tyler Johnson
Blake Coleman (UFA)
Defensemen
Cal Foote
Jan Rutta
Goalie
Curtis McElhinney (UFA)
Tampa Bay is going to have their protection list and make a trade with the Kraken. I think they will go with the 8 skater because it doesn’t matter they will be making a trade. All four forwards are locks in ether scenario but had I gone with seven forwards Gourde, Killorn, and Palat would have also been protected. On defense Hedman and Sergachev are locks with Cernak is also probably safe, and had I gone the 3 defensemen route would have only protected these three but because their are 4 I am also protecting McDonagh, over Foote who I am leaving exposed and in net Vasilevskiy is being protected no doubt about it. The Kraken probably would take one of Killorn, Palat, Gourde but they make a trade. The Lightning trade their first round pick in 2022 their third round pick in 2023 and young D-Men Cal Foote for taking Washington native Tyler Johnson. Johnson is a middle six forward who is good but not living up to his contract which has 3 years left at $5 Million per year and he had 8 Goals and 22 Points. They can get high level prospects with the 2022 1RD and 2023 3RD, but the real value of this trade is Foote who can develop into a top 4 defensemen in a year or two for the Kraken.
Selection
RW,C Tyler Johnson
Trade attached
Tampa Bay trade their 2022 1RD, 2023 3RD, and Cal Foote for expansion considerations
Central Expansion Picks
G Malcom Subban Chicago
RD Radko Gudas Florida
C,LW Steven Lorentz Carolina
LW,RW Adam Erne Detroit
RW,C Tyler Johnson Tampa Bay
C,LW Jason Dickinson Dallas
C,RW Ryan Johansen Nashville
LW Eric Robinson Columbus
Central Trade Attachements
Nashville’s 2021 1RD and 2022 5RD, Carolina’s 2021 4RD, Tampa Bay’s 2022 1RD and 2023 3RD, and Mathieu Oliver and Cal Foote.
Review
From Chicago Subban can be their third stringer and AHL starter, Gudas can be a physical presence on the second or third pair, Lorentz can either start in the AHL or be a spare to start the season, Erne can be a fourth line producer, while Johnson, Dickinson, Johansen, and Robinson are all in my book top 9 Forwards, for the Kraken in my scenario Dickinson and Johnson are third liners while Johansen and Robinson are top 6 most likely first liners.
Starting Lineup
Robinson-Johansen-Appleton
X———X———X
Johnson-Dickinson——X
Watson—X——Erne
Giordano——-X
Dermott——-X
X———Gudas
Allen
X
Spares
Lorentz-Benson-Subban-Holtby
Oliver-Foote
And leave a comment below as I would love your opinion
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