For a league that’s been so coy about the possibility of expansion, it’s kind of amazing we know as much as we do about the potential expansion draft.
Each team can only protect one goalie, three defenseman and seven forwards. Players with No Movement Clauses are mandatorily protected. Players with No Trade Clauses aren’t. All players with two or fewer years of professional experience are exempt.
Well, now we’ve got a new one, and it’s one that was a part of many previous Expansion Drafts.
Among the previously unreleased details being distributed, as told to Sportsnet by multiple sources, is an experience criteria attached to the players each team leaves unprotected. A minimum of two forwards and one defenceman must be exposed who have played 40 games the previous season, or a total of 70 over the previous two. -Chris Johnston, Sportsnet.ca
It’s called the 40/70 rule, and it’s excellent for Las Vegas. It means that every single team in the league must leave at least a few experienced players allowing the new Vegas GM to pick and choose from an even stronger pool than the already strong pool we expected.
Deputy Commish Bill Daly has also said teams that do not follow the rules will be subject to strict penalties. More good stuff for us.
Johnston also clarified another rumor that’s been floating around since the Executive Committee meeting.
Players with no-movement clauses on deals that expire June 30, 2017 like Calgary Flames defenceman Dennis Wideman or Minnesota Wild forward Thomas Vanek wouldn’t have to be protected for a draft that is likely to be held a week or two beforehand. -Chris Johnston
That’s bad news for Vegas. The more mandatory protected players the better. This will allow a total of 18 of the 51 players with NMC’s to be free for expansion exposure. Scroll down about half way in this article to see the 18 players.
We already know one thing we’ll be told on June 22nd, wonder how much more of this kind of stuff we’ll learn as well.
Daoloth
Please let me know if the Kings would have to protect Dustin Brown? I think he has a modified NMC or trade thing that limits the amt of teams. So I’m not a 100% sure either way I’ve read people claiming both ways. I don’t know if Gaborik or anybody else would fit into this… I’m pretty sure Kopitar has a NMC along with maybe Quick to make them safe… Kings made one of worst trades in franchise history to keep Gary Galley from Nashville shipping Kimmo Timonen who would go on to play like 30 minutes a night… Unlike their 2nd overall pick Aki Berg or even 4th overall Hickey ever did for them :). Kimmo was like some obscure 10th or 12th round pick.
BTW NHL 2017 has some sorta mode that is akin to an Expansion Draft that was taken from the Madden game. I don’t play those games anymore so I wouldn’t explain it well but PHT had a story on it and others…
JJ
No, I can tell you with certainty that the Kings are not forced to protect Brown and can expose him. Further, even those that do have full no movement clauses (meaning they must be protected) can be asked to waive those without any violation of rules by their current teams.
I am a huge long time Kings fan who actually had season seats in Brown’s first year and in my opinion it would be a huge mistake for LV, whom I will have season seats for and treat as my 1B team to the Kings, to take on that horrible contract. I have this view for a couple of reasons. One reason being is that I don’t think Brown would be good to start off as the mouth piece/face of the organization, assuming that they take him with an eye toward him being captain. The reality is that Brown, at least outwardly, has the personality of a wet dish rag. That’s not trying to insult him, but rather just calling it what it is. My point being that whomever is the initial captain needs to have some charisma. Not going to happen but think somebody along the lines of a Shane Doan. The second reason is that the reality is that Brown’s production is not anywhere commensurate with what he is getting paid to do. The contract was given with an expectation that he’d be in the 25g/55pts range per year. Again think Doan production. No team in the league would take on that contract by itself. The Kings can’t trade him for anything right now unless they incentivize the deal with picks or prospects. Therefore, why would LV take on that horrible contract? Makes no sense. There’s no chance selling me on the rebuttal of “Well he captained the Kings to two cups and leadership is extremely valuable”. It’s not worth almost $6mm per year valuable. No chance. The captain of a team is important but it’s really become some mythical/sensationalized creation of the media. The reality is good teams have a lot of “leaders” on them, not just one mythical player who wears the coveted C and can move heaven and earth to lift his team to victory.
I respect Brown a lot for what he did for the Kings and would be thrilled if they could rid themselves of that contract, without having to give away good prospects and picks, but at the same time I don’t want LV to pile up bad contracts for guys that are on the decline. The NHL is a young man’s game. It’s about speed and not about squeezing every last drop out of a declining player.
Daoloth
I agree with what say about Brown, I’m hoping Kings can ditch him… I don’t think he would be a Captain for Vegas, just a 3rd/4th line player with his current skill set. The game changed, hits Brown used to get paid to deliver now cost him games to suspensions. I was very vocal about the Kings not signing Brown to that contract. I talked about how his production would dip to what he is at now not be anywhere near the 40 or 50 point range. He is getting a higher cap hit than Carter who I think should be Captain along with Quick… Seguin only was 5.75M on Cap while Brown is 5.85M just to give people an idea… I thought he had a fair contract already, at most he was worth 3-4M or Stewart type money. If Kings wanted to pay him for the past he should have got a 2 year 12M payoff then give him 8 years 23M if you want to keep him for life.
Vegas at least would have his salary decrease from 6M, 5M, into 4M range as contract goes on. Maybe Kings would have to trade them Brown or another player for them to agree to take him off their hands… Most likely I think Vegas will be able to pick from guys like McNabb, Forbort, and Gravel… Gravel might have the most upside since he plays (as lefty) the right side D on Ontario… I expect Kings will protect Muzzin, Martinez, and Drew… Unless they pickup a D-man that isn’t already on the roster like Cody Franson or Trouba to play the right side. If they resigned Lucic, then protected 8 players they would have to expose somebody like Pearson.
Kings are my favorite team, many players I liked from Kelly Hrudey to Palffy ended up on there… I liked the 88 style jersey the most, Carter is my favorite player, Tyler is second, then Pearson is 3rd. Voynov had been my 3rd favorite but I soured on him a bit in 2013/14 as Pearson showed that heart/hustle that had me demand him to play in Post Season over like Jordan Nolan… Sharks are my 2nd Favorite by a distance to Kings like the little brother or something. I have a Jeff Friesen home white Jersey since I had him on Fantasy Team was always a favorite player. Burns is my favorite Shark since I had him on Fantasy Keeper League back when played on Minnesota like I had Carter on Flyers. Logan is a very close second, if he gets 11 goals to beat Friesen’s 10 when Devils won cup it might be a happy ending for San Jose… Third is Pavelski, though I really liked Jones on the Kings and trade upset me… Losing Miller the hardest shot/fastest Skater to that awful deal when they got no right shooting talent there was abysmal. Vegas I plan to be my 3rd favorite team, I’ve wanted them to get a team for over 5 years. Felt NHL would be a great fit, I watched the outdoor game at Caesar’s which had some ice issues ;).
Teams will have a year to try to trade away players they can’t protect. Yet looking at a few of them, it will be hard to protect the Defense… Voynov being gone helps the Kings since having to protect him would have cost them. Greene was too slow in 2014 along with being Injury prone signing him for 4 years was another major mistake. Its funny they had reports claiming Toronto or some other team would pay Brown if Kings didn’t. Even that Clarkson deal is something I long for compared to Brown’s without an agent got.
Honestly he is awful, Vegas would be better off without him. I just want the Kings to get rid of him so bad to free up that cap space. I expect the Kings to buy Brown out in 2 years if they can’t find a sucker to take him. Having a 2 time Cup Champion might appeal to somebody. HE did play well in 2012 Post Season as to why I think they over paid him combined with 2013 saying he would have scored 30 goals. None of that had validity since goalies were so bad without a training camp it allowed for weak goals early in season especially.
I’m just glad Kings fans finally see Brown clearly… I’d get hit with so many death threats or attacks for not wanting him over paid. They had articles in paper how he is due a big raise where I’m like based on what reality? I’d rather they sign Sean Avery haha, he gave Brown the business all the time :). He would probably get Boo’d off the ice if Vegas had him :). Its funny when he is face of the Franchise I think of Moe when he won the Duff contest. They put all those stickers over his face it was so ugly :). Kings won 2 Cups, never had a T-shirt dueling head to head like the Pavelski vs. Crosby they made this year :). If the Kings have to protect Brown it could lead to them losing somebody I want to keep which is my main concern ;). Maybe Brown w/ a 1st or 2nd rounder would be the answer… Otherwise I’d look into if the Kings take the cap hit if he retires. He had 27 points, Burns had 27 goals who was paid about the same Cap hit…
Vegas should be able to build a solid expansion team… Islanders had Tim Thomas for his contract to get them to the cap floor… So I expect there will be some trades involving prospects or picks to get Vegas to take some bad Brown type deals. Todays game you really need 4 lines that can be rolled out not like the Enforcer lines of 5-10 years ago ;). As bad as Brown is he can play both wings while being a gritty 4th liner that produces 20-30 points. Zubrus is 37 playing on Sharks 4th line so it would be reasonable even if his pay was high… It would be like Mike Richards before they bought him out playing 3rd and 4th lines.
Ken Boehlke
From what we can tell, modified NMCs are essentially NTCs. My guess is Brown could be left exposed. We will have to wait and see though.
Daoloth
Thanks Kings will probably expose Gaborik, Brown, and Mcnabb to meet the 2 forwards and 1 D. Even if guys like Auger, Amadio, Gravel, Forbort, and Dowd play entire season they should be draft exempt. Unless use the same system as Kings even if they keep Schenn I don’t think they will take him. Is it still the option of 8 skaters and 1 goalie too? Also is it limited to 1 player taken from each team or anything where they get to protect another player if not. I read it would be 1 per team, finding right shooting D will likely be the hardest position…
Looking over trades/moves teams made I think they knew the expansion draft was coming 100%. They will probably be some exemption for players who signed contract after 35 like Jagr, Jumbo Joe, and Marleau. If Gaborik has a good year he might be the guy they take. Dillon seems the most likely player for San Jose to lose in my view they protect Braun, Burns, NMC Vlasic.
Dom
Ok my….how 2 years can change the retoric…lol