Expansion Draft (Button picks Vegas team)

[Beville]

Dzingel has shown more in these 18 games than Lazar has in his entire NHL career.

Amen to that

Keep that man!

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

There's also another consideration: Officiating. Is the league going to give Vegas a bit of help by letting more interference and obstruction slip back into the game? Or, will the league tighten up a bit and call it by the rulebook?

That will greatly affect who you'd let be exposed, and who you need to keep....and who Vegas would likely select.

 

[Micklebot]

Button stipulated that a big part of his strategy would be ensuring the team had cap flexibility to take advantage of an eventual strong 2018 free agent market.

I don't think teams can really depend on a strong 2018 free agent market because guys almost always get extended before hitting free agency, but so long as the owner is fine with a slow approach to building the team, there is a lot of benefit to trying to take on as little cap as possible within reason.

Look at what teams with cap flexibility were able to accomplish this past off season. Arizona got a top 10 caliber prospect for taking on David Bolland. Carolina got Teravainen at minimal cost because they took on Bickell.

Vegas will be adding a huge chunk of cap space to the league. They have to redistribute about 44 million of that cap space to the rest of the league via selecting players in the expansion draft, but the less they distribute around the better because it puts them at an advantage in trading for other teams cap casualties (RFAs that need new contracts like Saad) or signing free agents in the rare case that someone like Tavares actually hits the open market.

Emelin is UFA in 2018, so he'd work perfectly for that strategy, plus he likely has far better trade value than a guy that passed through waivers. de La Rose over Emelin is just a poor decision, unless I guess maybe the team was already over the cap and needed cheap players?

 

[arglebargle]

Dzingel has shown more in these 18 games than Lazar has in his entire NHL career.

Pretty much. I'd rather not lose Lazar but he hasn't even shown flashes...

 

[Super Cake]

Here is how we protect Methot.

Move Karlsson to forward and protect him as a forward. Then protect Ceci, Methot and Phaneuf for defenseman.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Expose Ryan, and with such an abysmal roster, and a need to reach cap-floor, they'll likely take him cause he'll be one of their best forwards.

Lol, how funny would it be if Ryan and Silfverberg ended up on LV's top line together hahaha.

 

[Countdown0]

So, assuming the draft was next week, who on the team would we protect?

My picks are as follows...

Forwards:
Turris
Stone
Hoffman
Dzingel
Brassard
Ryan (yes, even if we don't have to)
Pageau

Defense:
Karlsson (no one saw that coming, rite )
Methot
Phaneuf**
**Ceci (** meaning, if we can expose Phaneuf, do so and protect Ceci)

Should note that I'm only protecting Methot over Ceci here based on the current play. If Ceci rights the ship before the time to lock in our protections came around, I'd definitely protect Ceci instead.

Goalie:
Anderson

I don't think we really have another goalie worth protecting. Maybe they take Hammond or Condon, but if they do, then we don't lose out on any of the skaters we want to keep but can't.

 

[WadeRedden]

Would we protect Lazar over Dzingel?

Not a chance. Dzingel has shown way more than Lazar has at the NHL level and even if his offensive output slows his speed will make him a more valuable asset as a bottom-six player. People really need to forget about Lazar's first-round pedigree. That was based on an evaluation that took place three years ago. Later-round drafts picks like Hoffman, Stone, and of course the great Daniel Alfredsson have all passed blue-chip prospects throughout their careers. You have to earn your stripes in the NHL and Lazar has failed to do so thus far which will likely result in the Sens having to expose him.

 

[Boud]

No way we protect Lazar over Dzingel that would be stupid.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

Assuming Bobby has to be protected:

Forwards:
Turris
Ryan
Hoffman
Stone
Dzingel
Brassard
Pageau

Defensemen:
Karlsson
Ceci
Phaneuf

Goalie:
Anderson

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

Assuming Bobby has to be protected:

Forwards:
Turris
Ryan
Hoffman
Stone
Dzingel
Brassard
Pageau

Defensemen:
Karlsson
Ceci
Phaneuf

Goalie:
Anderson

I think it's pretty much been confirmed that this is not the case. Bobby can be exposed.