NHL Expansion Draft: Vancouver Canucks Primer
The Vancouver Canucks will have some interesting decisions to make on who to protect in the expansion draft coming up. Will they go seven forwards, three defenseman, and one goaltender or will they go eight skaters (forwards/defenseman) and one goaltender.…
NHL Expansion Draft: Nashville Predators Primer
After a rousing and surprising postseason run Nashville’s expansion strategy is clear – protect that blue line. The Predators’ top-four defensive core may be the best in the game, and they’ll need to adopt the eight skaters/one goalie protection plan…
NHL Expansion Draft: Detroit Red Wings Primer
The Red Wings are not in a terribly vulnerable position when it comes to the expansion draft, since they have a number of veterans with sizable cap hits that they can expose with Vegas having little or no interest in…
NHL Expansion Draft: New York Rangers Primer
The New York Rangers have easy decisions at forward and defense in theory. Early on, there was some talk of protecting eight skaters and one goalie. That would include four defensemen and four forwards. However, from a numbers standpoint, the…
NHL Expansion Draft: Buffalo Sabres Primer
The Sabres benefit from having core players like Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart, who are exempt because they have played less than three years of professional hockey. GM Jason Botterill may use the expansion draft to try to shed a…
NHL Expansion Draft: Minnesota Wild Primer
The Wild are just too deep to make this simple. Unless they’re crafty they’ll end up exposing at least one valuable forward as well as a quality defenseman, and they’re understandably the target of much trade talk as the expansion…
NHL Expansion Draft: Philadelphia Flyers Primer
Veteran blueliner Andrew MacDonald is somewhat intriguing. The likelihood for Philadelphia is that they try to dangle him in the hopes that Las Vegas will take him. MacDonald spent some time in the minors last season, so not an easy…
NHL Expansion Draft: Boston Bruins Primer
The Bruins are one of many teams in the NHL who will likely protect seven forwards, three defensemen and one goaltender, since going with eight skaters (which teams with deep defensive corps) will leave one of their top goal scorers…
NHL Expansion Draft: Chicago Blackhawks Primer
With four no-movement clauses among their forwards, three on defense and one at goalie, Chicago has most of their protected slots spoken for. Then again, I doubt they’d leave any of the eight unprotected. Forward Decisions Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews,…
NHL Expansion Draft: New Jersey Devils Primer
The scenarios run wild for the New Jersey Devils in theory but the reality is different. Early on, there was some talk of protecting eight skaters and one goalie. That would include four defensemen and four forwards. However, from a…
NHL Expansion Draft – Winnipeg Jets Primer
Veteran blueliner Toby Enstrom holds all the cards. If he’s willing to waive his no movement clause the Jets can protect seven forwards, three defensemen and a goalie. If not, unless they are willing to forgo $4.2M-plus in cap space…
NHL Expansion Draft Strategy: Arizona Coyotes and the Los Angeles Kings
In the upcoming expansion draft NHL teams can protect either seven forwards, three defensemen, and one goalie or eight skaters (in reality four forwards and four defensemen) and one goalie. The latter option seems less popular, as it permits teams…