We're now just one day away from the Seattle Expansion Draft and the Kraken officially taking shape to form a roster for its inaugural 2021-22 season.
Teams around the league on Saturday had to submit their protection lists to the NHL offices with the players they did not wish to expose for the Seattle Expansion Draft. The lists for all 30 participating teams in the Expansion Draft were officially released on Sunday with some interesting names left unprotected for Seattle to take.
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The only team that is exempt from participating in the Seattle Expansion Draft is the Vegas Golden Knights.
For more rules on the Expansion Draft, check out the link here:
Now the work begins for some teams trying to keep some of their valuable assets that they do not want the Kraken to take, even though they were forced to expose them for the Expansion Draft. Some teams will work with the Kraken to make a side deal in order to not select a certain player, or maybe even entice Seattle to take a bad contract with some added assets to go with it.
For the purpose of this exercise, we will not be mocking any potential side deals a team may make with the Kraken.
So which players will be heading to Seattle to become a part of the Kraken?
Here is the final Seattle Mock Expansion Draft ahead of Wednesday night's event:
***Done with the help of CapFriendly's Seattle Expansion Draft simulator***
1.) Anaheim Ducks
PROTECTED:
- FW - Rickard Rakell
- FW - Jakob Silfverberg
- FW - Troy Terry
- FW - Isac Lundeström
- FW - Sam Steel
- FW - Max Jones
- FW - Nicolas Deslauriers
- D - Cam Fowler
- D - Hampus Lindholm
- D - Josh Manson
- G - John Gibson
SELECTION: Haydn Fleury - Defense
Fleury was a former first round pick (seventh overall) of the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2014 NHL Draft when Ron Francis was the general manager in Raleigh. Now in Seattle, Francis could look to add the 6-foot-3, 207-pound defenseman to his team once again and add a solid two-way presence on the blue line.
Contract status: One year remaining, $1.3 million (RFA)
Other possible options:
- FW - Danton Heinen
- FW - Derek Grant
- FW - Alexander Volkov
- D - Jacob Larsson
2.) Arizona Coyotes
PROTECTED:
- FW - Clayton Keller
- FW - Phil Kessel (NMC)
- FW - Nick Schmaltz
- FW - Christian Dvorak
- FW - Lawson Crouse
- FW - Johan Larsson
- FW - Conor Garland
- D - Oliver Ekman-Larsson (NMC)
- D - Jakob Chychrun
- D - Kyle Capobianco
- G - Darcy Kuemper
SELECTION: Christian Fischer - Forward
Fischer is a really good two-way depth piece that can play regularly in the lineup in a bottom-six role. The 6-foot-2, 214-pound forward has some flexibility to play some center in a pinch, and is a cheaper option to help Francis stay flexible with the salary cap.
Contract status: One year remaining, $1 million (RFA)
Other possible options:
- FW - Tyler Pitlick
- D - Ilya Lyubushkin
- G - Antti Raanta
3.) Boston Bruins
PROTECTED:
- FW - Patrice Bergeron (NMC)
- FW - David Pastrnak
- FW - Brad Marchand (NMC)
- FW - Charlie Coyle (NMC)
- FW - Craig Smith
- FW - Jake DeBrusk
- FW - Trent Frederic
- D - Charlie McAvoy
- D - Matt Grzelyck
- D - Brandon Carlo
- G - Daniel Vladar
SELECTION: Jakub Zboril - Defense
Zboril is another former first round pick (13th overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft that has yet to find his top game at the NHL level with the Bruins. A change of scenery could be just what the 6-foot, 200-pound defenseman needs, and Francis could cash in on a two-way asset like Zboril as he builds a younger group for his blue line in Seattle.
Contract status: One year remaining, $725,000 (RFA)
Other possible options:
- FW - Ondrej Kase (RFA)
- FW - Nick Ritchie (RFA)
- D - Connor Clifton
- D - Jérémy Lauzon
4.) Buffalo Sabres
PROTECTED:
- FW - Jack Eichel
- FW - Sam Reinhart
- FW - Victor Olofsson
- FW - Anders Bjork
- FW - Tage Thompson
- FW - Rasmus Asplund
- FW - Casey Mittelstadt
- D - Rasmus Dahlin
- D - Henri Jokiharju
- D - Rasmus Ristolainen
- G - Linus Ullmark
SELECTION: Will Borgen - Defense
Borgen is another young defenseman Francis could look to add to his blue line ahead of the 2021-22 season. The 24-year-old is a very solid defensive defender with good size and physical stature at 6-foot-3 and 198 pounds. While he's not going to produce any significant amount of points, he will make up with that by playing responsible hockey in his own end and eating up some key minutes.
Contract status: Restricted free agent
Other possible options:
- FW - Zemgus Girgensons
- FW - Cody Eakin
- D - Colin Miller
5.) Calgary Flames
PROTECTED:
- FW - Matthew Tkachuk
- FW - Johnny Gaudreau
- FW - Sean Monahan
- FW - Mikael Backlund
- FW - Elias Lindholm
- FW - Andrew Mangiapane
- FW - Dillon Dubé
- D - Noah Hanifin
- D - Rasmus Andersson
- D - Christopher Tanev
- G - Jacob Markström (NMC)
SELECTION: Mark Giordano - Defense
While the Kraken defense could look very young, Giordano would not only serve a great role as a veteran leader of the group, but also serve as, potentially, the first captain of the franchise. The 37-year-old still appears to have plenty of game in him, and while he'd be leaving the Flames organization, maybe he serves as that veteran spark plug like Marc-Andre Fleury did for the Golden Knights in the 2017-18 season. The writing appears to be one the wall for Giordano's departure from Calgary.
Contract status: One year remaining, $6.75 million (UFA)
Other possible options:
- D - Oliver Kylington (RFA)
6.) Carolina Hurricanes
PROTECTED:
- FW - Sebastian Aho
- FW - Jordan Staal (NMC)
- FW - Teuvo Teräväinen
- FW - Warren Foegele
- FW - Vincent Trocheck
- FW - Jesper Fast
- FW - Andrei Svechnikov
- D - Jaccob Slavin
- D - Brett Pesce
- D - Brady Skjei
- G - Alex Nedeljkovic
SELECTION: Jake Bean - Defense
Bean is another defenseman Francis is very familiar with, having selected him 13th overall in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft. Bean is the type of offensive defenseman that will give other teams headaches with his play with the puck. The 6-foot-1 and 185-pound defender is crafty and shifty on his feet, and would be a stellar addition to the Seattle blue line.
Contract status: Restricted free agent
Other possible options:
- FW - Nino Niederreiter
- FW - Morgan Geekie
- D - Dougie Hamilton (UFA)
- D - Jake Gardiner
7.) Chicago Blackhawks
PROTECTED:
- FW - Jonathan Toews (NMC)
- FW - Patrick Kane (NMC)
- FW - Alex DeBrincat
- FW - Dylan Strome
- FW - David Kämpf
- FW - Henrik Borgström
- FW - Brandon Hagel
- D - Connor Murphy
- D - Riley Stillman
- D - Caleb Jones
- G - Kevin Lankinen
SELECTION: Nikita Zadorov
The 6-foot-6, 236-pound defenseman would be a lumbering addition for Francis and the Seattle defensive group. Zadorov plays a very rough-and-tumble style of play, while also contributing some nice offensive production in a bottom-four role on the blue line.
Contract status: Restricted free agent
Other possible options:
- FW - Vinnie Hinostroza (UFA)
- FW - Adam Gaudette (RFA)
- D - Calvin de Hann
- G - Malcolm Subban
8.) Colorado Avalanche
PROTECTED:
- FW - Mikko Rantanen
- FW - Nathan MacKinnon
- FW - Valeri Nichushkin
- FW - André Burakovsky
- FW - Nazem Kadri
- FW - Logan O'Connor
- FW - Tyson Jost
- D - Samuel Girard
- D - Devon Toews
- D - Cale Makar
- G - Philipp Grubauer
SELECTION: J.T. Compher - Forward
While the idea of signing free agent-to-be Gabriel Landeskog to a contract and making him the Avalanche pick is enticing, it seems more likely he will head to the free agent market on July 28. Meanwhile, J.T. Compher is a very solid pick down the middle for the Avalanche to serve as a middle-six center. The 26-year-old is a complete two-way forward who can play well at both ends of the ice, and play key minutes on the power play and penalty kill.
Contract status: Two years remaining, $3.5 million AAV (UFA)
Other possible options:
- FW - Gabriel Landeskog (UFA)
- FW - Joonas Donskoi
- FW - Matt Calvert (UFA)
- D - Dennis Gilbert (RFA)
9.) Columbus Blue Jackets
PROTECTED:
- FW - Cam Atkinson
- FW - Gustav Nyquist
- FW - Patrik Laine
- FW - Boone Jenner
- FW - Oliver Bjorkstrand
- FW - Jack Roslovic
- FW - Eric Robinson
- D - Seth Jones
- D - Zach Werenski
- D - Vladislav Gavrikov
- G - Joonas Korpisalo
SELECTION: Max Domi - Forward
While Domi is likely to miss the first month of the 2021-22 season following offseason shoulder surgery, this certainly is an interesting option for the Kraken to contemplate. The 26-year-old is a bit of a streaky offensive player, but when he's on top of his game, there's little stopping him. Domi can play a physical style of game, while also contributing in a top-six role for many teams in the NHL, primarily on the wing.
Contract status: One year remaining, $5.3 million (UFA)
Other possible options:
- FW - Kevin Stenlund
- D - Dean Kukan
- D - Gabriel Carlsson
10.) Dallas Stars
PROTECTED:
- FW - Tyler Seguin (NMC)
- FW - Jamie Benn (NMC)
- FW - Alexander Radulov (NMC)
- FW - Radek Faksa
- FW - Denis Gurianov
- FW - Roope Hintz
- FW - Joe Pavelski
- D - Esa Lindell
- D - John Klingberg
- D - Miro Heiskanen
- G - Anton Khudobin
SELECTION: Ben Bishop - Goalie
There are certainly questions surrounding Bishop with his health, especially after missing the past season due to a knee injury. However, when healthy, Bishop has been one of the better goaltenders in the NHL. If he is 100% healthy and good to go for the Kraken at the start of the season, he'd be a nice addition as the likely No. 1 goalie. Francis could also look to flip Bishop after the Expansion Draft and get more assets from elsewhere if another team comes calling.
Contract status: Two years remaining, $4.916 million AAV (UFA)
Other possible options:
- FW - Adam Mascherin (RFA)
- FW - Tanner Kero
- FW - Nicholas Caamano (RFA)
- FW - Joel L'Esperance
11.) Detroit Red Wings
PROTECTED:
- FW - Dylan Larkin
- FW - Tyler Bertuzzi
- FW - Jakub Vrána
- FW - Robby Fabbri
- FW - Adam Erne
- FW - Givani Smith
- FW - Michael Rasmussen
- D - Nick Leddy
- D - Gustav Lindström
- D - Filip Hronek
- G - Thomas Greiss
SELECTION: Dennis Cholowski - Defense
Cholowski still has a lot of offensive upside to his game, but the 23-year-old defenseman still has yet to really live up to the expectations he had coming out of the 2016 NHL Draft. A change of scenery, and maybe returning back to the Pacific Northwest could give Cholowski the boost of confidence he needs to step up his game.
Contract status: Restricted free agent
Other possible options:
- FW - Vladislav Namestnikov
- FW - Evgeny Svechnikov
- D - Troy Stecher
- D - Christian Djoos
12.) Edmonton Oilers
PROTECTED:
- FW - Connor McDavid
- FW - Leon Draisaitl
- FW - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
- FW - Zack Kassian
- FW - Jesse Puljujärvi
- FW - Kailer Yamamoto
- FW - Josh Archibald
- D - Darnell Nurse
- D - Duncan Keith (NMC)
- D - Ethan Bear
- G - Stuart Skinner
SELECTION: Dominik Kahun - Forward
If Kahun is the selection for the Kraken from Edmonton, it would be his fifth team in the NHL in his four seasons in North America. While that would be a red flag for many teams, Kahun brings some very solid depth as a middle-six forward in the NHL. The 26-year-old native of Germany still has plenty to prove at this level.
Contract status: Restricted free agent
Other possible options:
- FW - Jujhar Khaira (RFA)
- FW - Tyler Benson (RFA)
- FW - Devin Shore
- D - William Lagesson
13.) Florida Panthers
PROTECTED:
- FW - Aleksander Barkov
- FW - Jonathan Huberdeau (NMC)
- FW - Patric Hörnqvist
- FW - Sam Bennett
- FW - Anthony Duclair
- FW - Carter Verhaeghe
- FW - Mason Marchment
- D - Aaron Ekblad
- D - Gustav Forsling
- D - MacKenzie Weegar
- G - Sergei Bobrovsky (NMC)
SELECTION: Chris Driedger - Goalie
It has been widely reported that Driedger is going to be the pick for the Kraken from Florida, depending on whether he agrees to sign a free agent contract in Seattle. The 27-year-old netminder has not had much of a sample size at the NHL level, but put up very impressive numbers in his 2020-21 campaign with a 14-6-3 record with a 2.07 goals-against average, a .927 save percentage and three shutouts.
Contract status: Unrestricted free agent
Other possible options:
- FW - Frank Vatrano
- FW - Noel Acciari
- FW - Ryan Lomberg
- D - Radko Gudas
14.) Los Angeles Kings
PROTECTED:
- FW - Anze Kopitar
- FW - Viktor Arvidsson
- FW - Alex Iafallo
- FW - Adiran Kempe
- FW - Dustin Brown
- FW - Lias Andersson
- FW - Trevor Moore
- D - Drew Doughty (NMC)
- D - Matt Roy
- D - Sean Walker
- G - Cal Petersen
SELECTION: Carl Grundström - Forward
Grundström is a solid two-way presence in the forward group who works extremely hard night-in and night-out at both ends of the ice. The 23-year-old is built very well to play a strong physical game, while also possessing a good arsenal of offensive skills to be a contributor to the bottom-six.
Contract status: One year remaining, $725,000 (RFA)
Other possible options:
- FW - Brendan Lemieux
- FW - Andreas Athanasiou (RFA)
- FW - Austin Wagner
- FW - Blake Lizotte
- D - Olli Määttä
15.) Minnesota Wild
PROTECTED:
- FW - Mats Zuccarello (NMC)
- FW - Kevin Fiala
- FW - Marcus Foligno
- FW - Jordan Greenway
- FW - Nico Sturm
- FW - Ryan Hartman
- FW - Joel Eriksson Ek
- D - Jared Spurgeon (NMC)
- D - Matt Dumba
- D - Jonas Brodin (NMC)
- G - Cam Talbot
SELECTION: Carson Soucy - Defense
After a few years of developing in the American Hockey League, Soucy has become a very good bottom-four defensive option for the Wild over the past two seasons. The 26-year-old brings size and strength to the blue line at 6-foot-5 and 212 pounds, is a reliable player in the defensive end, but can also be a solid defenseman heading back the other way with 31 points (8+23) in 105 games.
Contract status: Two years remaining, $2.75 million AAV (UFA)
Other possible options:
- FW - Nick Bjugstad
- G - Kaapo Kähkönen
16.) Montreal Canadiens
PROTECTED:
- FW - Josh Anderson
- FW - Tyler Toffoli
- FW - Brendan Gallagher (NMC)
- FW - Joel Armia
- FW - Jake Evans
- FW - Artturi Lehkonen
- FW - Jesperi Kotkaniemi
- D - Ben Chiarot
- D - Jeff Petry (NMC)
- D - Joel Edmundson
- G - Jake Allen
SELECTION: Paul Byron - Forward
While the idea of selecting Carey Price is certainly one the Kraken will take plenty of time to think about, it just doesn't seem like a move Francis will want to risk with taking up salary cap space. However, Byron still makes a ton of sense for Seattle as a very reliable bottom-six forward that can play plenty of key minutes and is one of the best penalty killers in the NHL.
Contract status: Two years remaining, $3.4 million AAV (UFA)
Other possible options:
- FW - Jonathan Drouin
- D - Brett Kulak
- G - Carey Price
17.) Nashville Predators
PROTECTED:
- FW - Filip Forsberg
- FW - Tanner Jeannot
- FW - Luke Kunin
- D - Roman Josi (NMC)
- D - Philippe Myers
- D - Mattias Ekholm
- D - Dante Fabbro
- D - Alexandre Carrier
- G - Juuse Saros
SELECTION: Calle Järnkrok - Forward
Järnkrok has been a very solid offensive contributor for the Predators over the years as a top-six/middle-six forward. The 29-year-old has averaged nearly 31 points over the last six seasons, while also averaging 14 goals and 17 assists. Järnkrok can immediately jump into the Kraken lineup as a solid top-six forward and contribute some key minutes on the power play.
Contract status: One year remaining, $2 million (UFA)
Other possible options:
- FW - Matt Duchene
- FW - Ryan Johansen
- FW - Rocco Grimaldi
- FW - Nick Cousins
- FW - Yakov Trenin
18.) New Jersey Devils
PROTECTED:
- FW - Nico Hischier
- FW - Janne Kuokkanen
- FW - Miles Wood
- FW - Jesper Bratt
- FW - Pavel Zacha
- FW - Michael McLeod
- FW - Yegor Sharangovich
- D - Damon Severson
- D - Jonas Siegenthaler
- D - Ryan Graves
- G - Mackenzie Blackwood
SELECTION: Nathan Bastian - Forward
Bastian is still a bit unproven at the NHL level, but he has shown flashes of potential to be a very solid power forward in the long-term picture. The 6-foot-4, 207-pound winger is still young at the age of 23, and has proven that he's not afraid to go to the dirty areas to get the job done for his team.
Contract status: Two years remaining, $714,166 AAV (RFA)
Other possible options:
- FW - Andreas Johnsson
- D - P.K. Subban
- D - Will Butcher
19.) New York Islanders
PROTECTED:
- FW - Mathew Barzal
- FW - Anders Lee
- FW - Cal Clutterbuck
- FW - Jean-Gabriel Pageau
- FW - Brock Nelson
- FW - Anthony Beauvillier
- FW - Matt Martin
- D - Ryan Pulock
- D - Adam Pelech
- D - Scott Mayfield
- G - Semyon Varlamov
SELECTION: Kieffer Bellows - Forward
While there are some very intriguing names available from the Islanders like Jordan Eberle and Josh Bailey, it's possible to see general manager Lou Lamiorello make a side deal with the Kraken to keep their main core of player in tact for a Stanley Cup run this season. If that's the case, he may persuade Francis to take a former first round pick (19th overall) in the 2016 NHL Draft in Bellows. The 23-year-old has some serious potential as a goal scoring winger in the league, but his time in the NHL has been limited. Maybe a team like Seattle would be willing to give him a chance.
Contract status: Restricted free agent
Other possible options:
- FW - Jordan Eberle
- FW - Josh Bailey
- FW - Otto Koivula (RFA)
- FW - Michael Dal Colle (RFA)
- D - Sebastian Aho
20.) New York Rangers
PROTECTED:
- FW - Artemi Panarin (NMC)
- FW - Chris Kreider (NMC)
- FW - Mika Zibanejad (NMC)
- FW - Ryan Strome
- FW - Pavel Buchnevich
- FW - Filip Chytil
- FW - Kevin Rooney
- D - Jacob Trouba (NMC)
- D - Ryan Lindgren
- D - Libor Hájek
- G - Alexander Georgiev
SELECTION: Colin Blackwell - Forward
Blackwell has blossomed over the years as an incredibly serviceable bottom six-forward at the NHL level. The 28-year-old has underrated offensive skill, while also being hard to play against at both ends of the ice. It will be interesting to see what he could potentially do as a bottom-six asset in Seattle.
Contract status: One year remaining, $725,000 (UFA)
Other possible options:
- FW - Julien Gauthier
- D - Anthony Bitetto
- G - Keith Kinkaid
21.) Ottawa Senators
PROTECTED:
- FW - Austin Watson
- FW - Colin White
- FW - Connor Brown
- FW - Nick Paul
- FW - Brady Tkachuk
- FW - Drake Batherson
- FW - Logan Brown
- D - Thomas Chabot
- D - NIkita Zaitsev
- D - Victor Mete
- G - Filip Gustavsson
SELECTION: Chris Tierney - Forward
Since entering the Ottawa lineup after being acquired as part of the Erik Karlsson deal, Tierney has played very well as a depth piece down the middle for the Senators. The 27-year-old has averaged nearly 30 points per-season in his seven-year career, with many of those seasons playing as a third or fourth line center. Who's to say he can't produce those type of numbers with the Kraken?
Contract status: One year remaining, $3.5 million (UFA)
Other possible options:
- FW - Evgenii Dadonov
- FW - Michael Amadio (RFA)
- D - Joshua Brown
- G - Matt Murray
- G - Joey Daccord
22.) Philadelphia Flyers
PROTECTED:
- FW - Claude Giroux (NMC)
- FW - Kevin Hayes (NMC)
- FW - Travis Konecny
- FW - Sean Couturier
- FW - Oskar Lindblom
- FW - Scott Laughton
- FW - Nicolas Aubé-Kubel
- D - Ivan Provorov
- D - Travis Sanheim
- D - Ryan Ellis
- G - Carter Hart
SELECTION: Robert Hägg - Defense
While a player like Jakub Voracek could be an interesting name to add, given the way he played under Dave Hakstol when he was the head coach of the Flyers, Hägg is not a bad option for the Kraken to add to the blue line. The 26-year-old Swedish defenseman has established himself well enough as a two-way player in the NHL with the ability to defend well and also pack a punch offensively. Hägg can serve the Kraken well in a bottom-four role.
Contract status: One year remaining, $1.6 million (UFA)
Other possible options:
- FW - Jakub Voracek
- FW - James van Riemsdyk
- FW - German Rubstov
- D - Justin Braun
23.) Pittsburgh Penguins
PROTECTED:
- FW - Sidney Crosby (NMC)
- FW - Evgeni Malkin (NMC)
- FW - Jeff Carter
- FW - Jake Guentzel
- FW - Bryan Rust
- FW - Kasperi Kapanen
- FW - Teddy Blueger
- D - Kris Letang (NMC)
- D - Brian Dumoulin
- D - Michael Matheson
- G - Tristan Jarry
SELECTION: Zach Aston-Reese - Forward
Aston-Reese is a nice option for the Kraken to add a physical presence to their bottom-six of the lineup. While the 6-foot, 205-pound winger can punish a team with his rough and physical style of play, the 26-year-old is also a very serviceable player to jump up the lineup when needed and chip in with plenty of offense.
Contract status: Restricted free agent
Other possible options:
- FW - Jason Zucker
- FW - Sam Lafferty
- FW - Anthony Angello
- D - Marcus Pettersson
- D - Mark Friedman
- G - Casey DeSmith
24.) San Jose Sharks
PROTECTED:
- FW - Logan Couture
- FW - Evander Kane
- FW - Timo Meier
- FW - Kevin Labanc
- FW - Tomas Hertl
- FW - Rüdolfs Balcers
- FW - Jonathan Dahlén
- D - Erik Karlsson (NMC)
- D - Brent Burns
- D - Marc-Édouard Vlasic (NMC)
- G - Adin Hill
SELECTION: Ryan Donato
Since entering the NHL, Donato has not quite lived up to the expectations after a solid collegiate career at Harvard University. The 25-year-old can put the puck in the back of the net as a center, but there are other areas of his game that need some better consistency going forward. Maybe the Kraken can get the most out of Donato with his selection from San Jose.
Contract status: Restricted free agent
Other possible options:
- FW - Dylan Gambrell
- FW - Matt Nieto
- D - Radim Simek
- D - Christian Jaros (RFA)
- G - Martin Jones
25.) St. Louis Blues
PROTECTED:
- FW - Ryan O'Reilly
- FW - David Perron
- FW - Brayden Schenn
- FW - Oskar Sundqvist
- FW - Ivan Barbashev
- FW - Jordan Kyrou
- FW - Robert Thomas
- D - Justin Faulk
- D - Torey Krug
- D - Colton Parayko
- G - Jordan Binnington
SELECTION: Vladimir Tarasenko
Although Tarasenko's recent injury history is a concern with multiple shoulder surgeries, he is still a dynamic offensive playmaker when fully healthy. Tarasenko can be an instant offensive dynamo for the Kraken in Year 1 in the NHL, that is if Francis does not ship him off to garner more assets from elsewhere.
Contract status: Two years remaining, $7.5 million AAV (UFA)
Other possible options:
- FW - Sammy Blais
- FW - Mackenzie MacEachern
- D - Vince Dunn
- D - Marco Scandella
- G - Ville Husso
26.) Tampa Bay Lightning
PROTECTED:
- FW - Nikita Kucherov (NMC)
- FW - Steven Stamkos (NMC)
- FW - Brayden Point
- FW - Anthony Cirelli
- D - Victor Hedman (NMC)
- D - Erik Cernak
- D - Mikhail Sergachev
- D - Ryan McDonagh
- G - Andrei Vasilevskiy
SELECTION: Yanni Gourde - Forward
Fresh off a second-straight Stanley Cup title, Gourde would be looked at as, potentially, the first franchise player of the Kraken. The center is a dynamic playmaker that can play top line minutes right away, and also get some valuable time both on the power play and penalty kill. Don't be surprised if Gourde is not the only player from the Lightning that will don a Kraken jersey next season.
Contract status: Four years remaining, $5.167 million AAV (UFA)
Other possible options:
- FW - Ondrej Palat
- FW - Tyler Johnson
- FW - Alex Killorn
- FW - Patrick Maroon
- FW - Mathieu Joseph
- D - Jan Rutta
- D - Cal Foote (RFA)
27.) Toronto Maple Leafs
PROTECTED:
- FW - Auston Matthews
- FW - John Tavares (NMC)
- FW - Mitchell Marner
- FW - William Nylander
- D - Jake Muzzin
- D - Morgan Rielly
- D - T.J. Brodie
- D - Justin Holl
- G - Jack Campbell
SELECTION: Alex Kerfoot - Forward
Kerfoot is certainly an attractive piece available for Seattle in the Expansion Draft with his top-six forward capabilities. He can play center, play the wing, be utilized on the power play, while also being a reliable shutdown forward who can play the penalty kill. In a more suitable role, Kerfoot could flourish even more with the Kraken.
Contract status: Two years remaining, $3.5 million AAV (UFA)
Other possible options:
- FW - Jared McCann
- FW - Pierre Engvall
- D - Travis Dermott
- G - Frederik Andersen (UFA)
28.) Vancouver Canucks
PROTECTED:
- FW - Brock Boeser
- FW - Bo Horvat
- FW - J.T. Miller
- FW - Tanner Pearson
- FW - Tyler Motte
- FW - Elias Pettersson
- FW - Jason Dickinson
- D - Tyler Myers
- D - Nate Schmidt
- D - Olli Juolevi
- G - Thatcher Demko
SELECTION: Jonah Gadjovich - Forward
Gadjovich is a former second round pick (55th overall) in the 2017 NHL Draft, and has really developed well over the past few seasons in the Canucks organization. The 22-year-old is a well-sized, hard working goal scorer who has only played one game at the NHL level, but with some more refinement with the Kraken, maybe one day down the road he can become a full-time NHL player.
Contract status: One year remaining, $783,333 (RFA)
Other possible options:
- FW - Jay Beagle
- FW - Zack MacEwen
- D - Madison Bowey
- G - Braden Holtby
29.) Washington Capitals
PROTECTED:
- FW - Daniel Sprong
- FW - Nicklas Bäckström (NMC)
- FW - Evgeny Kuznetsov
- FW - T.J. Oshie
- FW - Anthony Mantha
- FW - Tom Wilson
- FW - Lars Eller
- D - John Carlson
- D - Dmitry Orlov
- D - Trevor van Riemsdyk
- G - Ilya Samsonov
SELECTION: Vitek Vanecek - Goalie
Vanecek really impressed many in his first full season at the NHL level after several years playing in the AHL. The 25-year-old managed to play well filling in Ilya Samsonov for most of the 2020-21 season, posting a 21-10-4 record with a 2.69 goals-against average, a .908 save percentage and two shutouts. Vanecek may be the right piece to serve as Seattle's third goaltender behind Driedger and, in this case, Bishop.
Contract status: One year remaining, $716,667 (RFA)
Other possible options:
- FW - Garnet Hathaway
- FW - Nic Dowd
- FW - Conor Sheary
- D - Justin Schultz
- D - Trevor van Riemsdyk
- D - Brenden Dillon
30.) Winnipeg Jets
PROTECTED:
- FW - Blake Wheeler (NMC)
- FW - Mark Scheifele
- FW - Kyle Conner
- FW - Nikolaj Ehlers
- FW - Pierre-Luc Dubois
- FW - Adam Lowry
- FW - Andrew Copp
- D - Josh Morrissey
- D - Logan Stanley
- D - Neal Pionk
- G - Connor Hellebuyck
SELECTION: Dylan DeMelo - Defense
DeMelo has developed nicely as a right-handed defensemen over parts of the last seven seasons in the NHL. While the 28-year-old is not going to put up any massive amount of points, he is still very serviceable as a two-way defender. If he's taken by the Kraken, it may be his big chance to become a top-pair defenseman at the NHL level.
Contract status: Three years remaining, $3 million AAV (UFA)
Other possible options:
- FW - Mason Appleton
- FW - Jansen Harkins
- D - Nathan Beaulieu
- D - Sami Niku
Projected Lines:
Forwards:
Domi - Gourde - Taransenko
Järnkrok - Kerfoot - Fischer
Kahun - Compher - Byron
Aston-Reese - Tierney - Blackwell
Extras: Bastian, Bellows, Donato, Gadjovich, Grundström
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Defense:
Giordano (C) - DeMelo
Bean - Zadorov
Hägg - Fleury
Extras: Borgen, Cholowski, Soucy, Zboril
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Goalies:
1.) Bishop
2.) Driedger
3.) Vanacek
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