The protection lists are in, and the Vegas Golden Knights are on the clock to determine who will be selected in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. Each team will lose one player off their roster, either through an expansion selection or the Golden Knights signing a free agent.
Vegas must select at least 20 players who are under contract for the 2017-18 season and a minimum of 14 forwards, 9 defensemen and 3 goaltenders. The contracts of the selected players must fall between 60% ($43.8MM) and 100% ($73MM) of the 2016-17 salary cap. The entire rules for the selection process can be found here.
Here at PHR Zach Leach, Brian La Rose, Mike Furlano, Nate Brown, Seth Lawrence, Holger Stolzenberg and I all submitted what we thought the Vegas expansion selections would look like, and below is the projected roster based on those predictions. This made for a pretty interesting lineup, selecting a surplus of NHL defensemen and goaltenders in order to collect assets for the summer.
Forwards (15):
James Neal (NSH)
Cody Eakin (DAL)
David Perron (STL)
Jamie McGinn (ARZ)
Brock Nelson (NYI)
William Karlsson (CBJ)
Hunter Shinkaruk (CGY)
Kerby Rychel (TOR)
Marko Dano (WPG)
Jon Marchessault (FLA)
Charles Hudon (MTL)
Nicolas Kerdiles (ANA)
Beau Bennett (NJD)
Brendan Gaunce (VAN)
Taylor Leier (PHI)
Defensemen (10):
Marc Methot (OTT)
Brenden Dillon (SJS)
Mathew Dumba (MIN)
Brayden McNabb (LAK)
Colin Miller (BOS)
Klas Dahlbeck (CAR)
Trevor van Riemsdyk (CHI)
Griffin Reinhart (EDM)
Jake Dotchin (TB)
Nate Schmidt (WSH)
Goaltenders (5):
Marc-Andre Fleury (PIT)
Petr Mrazek (DET)
Antti Raanta (NYR)
Calvin Pickard (COL)
Linus Ullmark (BUF)
Obviously, some of the expected side deals were taken into account with Anaheim being the clearest example. Both Sami Vatanen and Josh Manson were not selected, as it is almost a given that Anaheim has some sort of a protection deal with the Golden Knights. That said, as GM George McPhee said today, nothing is final until it’s final.
Here are the honorable mentions, made up of players that received more than one vote but were still not the majority choice:
Sami Vatanen (ANA), Josh Manson (ANA), Alexander Burmistrov (ARZ), Malcolm Subban (BOS), William Carrier (BUF), Eddie Lack (CAR), Mikhail Grigorenko (COL), Jack Johnson (CBJ), Dan Hamhuis (DAL), Iiro Pakarinen (EDM), Christian Folin (MIN), Ryan Strome (NYI), Thomas Hickey (NYI), Michael Grabner (NYR), Bobby Ryan (OTT), Paul Martin (SJ) Nail Yakupov (STL), Dmitrij Jaskin (STL), Cedric Paquette (TB), Andrey Pedan (VAN), Philipp Grubauer (WSH).
We came to a unanimous decision on only three players, with Trevor van Riemsdyk, Marc-Andre Fleury and Marko Dano receiving votes from all seven writers. That uncertainty will make the next few days even more interesting, as surprises and closed-door dealings will be sure to make June 21st a wild night. Make sure to leave your choices in the comments, and what you think the chances of this team would be next season.
Damn I was hoping to see Dustin Brown on that list. But he sucks so bad he didn’t even make Honorable mention list.
Brown did not get a single vote. Clifford and Lewis both received one, while McNabb got the other five.
Did prospects like Fast and Lindberg from the Rangers get any votes at all?
They did not. Raanta received five votes, Grabner two. I’m also not sure I’d call either one a prospect anymore.
I can’t see them taking Methot over Bobby Ryan, unless they balk at Ryan’s contract.
Which is likely.
Really? It’s not like there’s a glut of FA’s that they’re going to need that money for and passing up the best goal scorer available for a grindy defenseman isn’t going to put a lot of butts in the seats while they struggle before all their young players that they draft come up.
No one is going to buy tix to watch Bobby Ryan… he only plays full out when he wants to
People will buy tickets if this team can score and be somewhat competitive and adding a guy who averages 30 goals is part of that. I’m not saying he’s unbelievable but he’s a veteran goal scorer who’s still got something in the tank and certainly more valuable to an expansion team than Methot. The money shouldn’t really matter since they’ll have cap space.
My bad on further research he hasn’t been that close to 30 goals in awhile but I still think he’s more valuable than Methot to this team.
The best goal scorer available? Are you on glue?
I would have thought Pakarinen rather than Reinhardt but it’s close. I’m predicting about 25 wins.
I would take Subban over Miller, more upside just needs a change of scenery and a chance.
As a Bruins fan I hope you’re right, really would hate to lose Colin.
Most people have them losing Colin Miller. Sorry.
Bruins fans seem to be united in fear of losing him. Can’t say I’ve noticed him. What type of player is he?
Puck moving offensive dman who’s been really great on the power play who’s really just begun to come into his own. It wouldn’t be devastating to lose him with Krug and Mcavoy both being similar players but from what I’ve seen I think he’s got a lot of upside.
I’m definitely prepared to lose him but I’ll keep holding my breath that they’d rather take a flier on being able to turn Malcom Subban around.
Yeah he’s also like 24 I believe, and he was one of the main pieces from the Lucic trade. He’s got good upside too.
No Oshie or Shattenkirk? Perhaps afraid they won’t resign for term?
Why would you take a URFA? Why not just sign them
Not guaranteed they’d sign when other teams are able to negotiate as well.
Side deal for either Cam Ward or Eddie Lack? I think so!
Any chance they go after Luongo or Jagr? I know they’re up there in both salary and age, but you’d give Vegas a marketable star.
Not Luongo just because there are so many options, but I could see Jagr if they don’t take Marchessault.
This is my version of the Knights. Built to make the playoffs this year while still compiling plenty of assets. Figure on trading 2 G, 2 D and 3-4 F from this list for pick, prospects, etc. I assumed side deals with TOR ANH CBJ and NYI. Also, while I would want and take Ryan and Staal to build a real first line, I’d still try to squeeze the Sens and Wild to “protect” Methot and Dumba first.
Ryan Staal Neal
Perron Shipachev Strome
Raffl Eakin Stempniak
Dano Karlsson Chaisson
Richardson Fehr Smith-Pelley
B. Gaunce H. Samuelsson
Martin Demers
Stoner Bogosian
McNabb Dotchin
Davidson TVR
C. Miller Oullett
Fleury
Grubauer
Raanta
Pickard
What’s your salary cap look like?
Just a bit over, but that’s with 30 players on the roster. Once down to 23, it would be under with some room to spare.
I can’t imagine they wouldn’t take Dumba.
There’s supposedly a side deal in place, but nothings certain until the list is submitted.