Speculation: Expansion draft protected list

[Dead Thing Fan]

Using the 7-3-1 option and assuming no trades before the draft, here is my protected list:

Goal: Mrazek

Dmen: DDK/Ouellet/Sproul

Fwards: Nielsen(NMC)/Nyquist/Tatar/AA/Mantha/Nosek/Sheahan

Available:

Goal: Howard-Possible pick but more likely moved in a trade with retention
Coreau-possible pick

Dmen: Green-Unlikely to be picked due to $6 million cap hit and salary for 1 yr.
Kronwall-Too injured with diminishing skills
Ericsson-See Kronner
McIlrath-Slight possibility to be Vegas pick
Lashoff-Career AHLer
Jensen-very possible Vegas pick

Fwards: Zetts-$7 mil salary this year(not to mention $6.1 mil cap hit) protects Hank
Abby-possible pick would be a long term commitment
Helm-not likely
Tangradi-not likely
Frk-possible
Glendening-possible
Challahan-possible
Street-possible

Vegas likely targets: Coreau-at very least depth tender
Jensen: 3rd pair dman
Frk: Has some skill

Flame away

Click to read more...

 

[Henkka]

It goes really tough with defencemen. I don't really what is the best plan to protect guys.

Forwards are quite easy:

1. Zeta
2. Nielsen (NMC)
3. Nyquist
4. Mantha
5. Athanasiou
6. Tatar
7. Helm
Larkin - safe
Svechnikov - safe
Bertuzzi - safe
---------

Tactically I would leave Abdelkader unprotected, because I think that albatross contract will "protect" him itself, without wasting a protection spot. I'm 99% sure, Vegas won't take him. They want shorter contracts, which would be good to sell, when their own prospect core will start to pan out. Helm's contract would fit better to their plans, and would be lot more probably claimed if left unprotected.

So you protect Helm and gamble with Abdelkader, and they avoid him.

8. Abdelkader
9. Sheahan
10. Glendening
11. Callahan
12. Nosek/Lorito etc.

DEFENCE

1. Green
2. DeKeyser
3. Ouellet
----------
Russo - safe
Hicketts - safe
Cholowski - safe
Hronek - safe
Saarijärvi - safe

These guys have most value. You gamble with Kronwall and Ericsson, maybe their injuries will scare Vegas away. Losing their contracts would not hurt much either.

4. Kronwall
5. Ericsson
6. McIlrath
7. Sproul
8. Lashoff
9. Jensen

We could think that some of our defenceman look good, but they won't. From outside our defence looks crap. There's A LOT MORE BETTER defencemen available in other organizations. I don't think Vegas is gonna pick anybody.

GOALIES:

1.Mrazek
----------
2. Howard
3. Coreau

Quite clear situation. We will celebrate if Vegas will take Howard. But I doubt it. Also Coreau hasn't set the world on fire. Vegas is not gonna pick anybody from here.

***

I think, everything falls to Sheahan or Glendening. There won't be many centers available. I predict the lost guy will be Sheahan.

 

[Ennui]

I like it! Very reasonable based upon future potential, past performance and team needs. I think that the players that are selected for the protected list should be the ones that project to be the most valuable players to the team in 3 to 4 years time, as it will likely take that long to field a competitive team again.

 

[Wood Stick]

I would personally hope for Helm to get taken..

 

[Bench]

Vegas likely targets: Coreau-at very least depth tender
Jensen: 3rd pair dman
Frk: Has some skill

Flame away

Vegas doesn't want any of those players. They'd easily take Mike Green or Helm from your unprotected list. This isn't even a debate.

 

[Jon Cusack]

Mike green will 100% be protected. If they didn't plan on protecting him he would have been traded at the deadline

 

[Bench]

I think, everything falls to Sheahan or Glendening. There won't be many centers available. I predict the lost guy will be Sheahan.

Probably. Sheahan or Helm, is my guess. Depends who the Wings protect. One of them is gone, though.

Seeing as the Wings just passed on trading Sheahan this deadline, maybe they'll protect him.

 

[jkutswings]

I'd sooner protect even Glendening than Helm, and let Vegas take a bad contact.

Definitely protect Green; barring a trainwreck of a year for him, he should be one of, if not the most desirable deadline trade chip in the league.

 

[Dead Thing Fan]

Green

Mike green will 100% be protected. If they didn't plan on protecting him he would have been traded at the deadline

Green was always more likely to be traded after the ED, when the team that traded for him wouldn't have to protect him. Why would Vegas draft an older player at a very hefty cap hit who would walk in one yr? Don't think the cap hit makes it worthwhile even for a potential trade deadline deal to a playoff bound team.

 

[Henkka]

Why would Vegas draft an older player at a very hefty cap hit who would walk in one yr? Don't think the cap hit makes it worthwhile even for a potential trade deadline deal to a playoff bound team.

Same reason we signed Vanek.

"Sign" and trade.

Green will be traded at next deadline, if he plays on a team which will suck.

 

[Bench]

Green was always more likely to be traded after the ED, when the team that traded for him wouldn't have to protect him. Why would Vegas draft an older player at a very hefty cap hit who would walk in one yr? Don't think the cap hit makes it worthwhile even for a potential trade deadline deal to a playoff bound team.

Dude, they aren't taking Nick "I'm in the NHL now!" Jensen over Mike Green. You're way overthinking this.

 

[ashenhigh]

Green was always more likely to be traded after the ED, when the team that traded for him wouldn't have to protect him. Why would Vegas draft an older player at a very hefty cap hit who would walk in one yr? Don't think the cap hit makes it worthwhile even for a potential trade deadline deal to a playoff bound team.

You are missing a huge point in your thinking. Vegas needs to hit the cap floor. They would love to take on some expensive, short term contracts. Mike Green would absolutely be taken by Vegas if left unprotected.

This expansion draft for Vegas is not so much about building a long term team to compete for a cup, they are building a foundation of an early roster to get going in the NHL. Don't confuse the NHL Draft with an Expansion Draft.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

I think for Holland this will be easy

Mrazek

Green
Dekeyser
Ouellet

Zetterberg
Mantha
Nielsen
AA
Nyquist
Tatar
Abdlekader

I think one of Tatar or nyquist will get traded and sheahan will take that forward spot

If it's a dman they're traded for, then that dman takes ouellet' spot

Helm
Howard
Ericsson
Kronwall
Glendening

Will all be left unprotected

 

[r0bert8841]

I really don't think Holland will leave Kronwall unexposed. But maybe I'm wrong.

 

[Heaton]

I really don't think Holland will leave Kronwall unexposed. But maybe I'm wrong.

You're right, he'll protect Kronwall. He's going to protect Z and all of the alternate captains.

 

[SoupNazi]

Green was always more likely to be traded after the ED, when the team that traded for him wouldn't have to protect him. Why would Vegas draft an older player at a very hefty cap hit who would walk in one yr? Don't think the cap hit makes it worthwhile even for a potential trade deadline deal to a playoff bound team.

Vegas needs to hit the cap floor, and they'll do that with expensive contracts. Plus, they can flip him for a hefty return at the deadline. We can protect him and flip him at the deadline and get those assets ourselves.

 

[silkyjohnson50]

Protect Green as mentioned. That's essentially protecting a 1st rd pick assuming we're not in the 8th seed at this time next season.

I'm 100% for not protecting Abdelkader.

 

[Vladdy84]

You're right, he'll protect Kronwall. He's going to protect Z and all of the alternate captains.

There's no point in protecting Kronwall. He's worthless damaged goods and no way him and his albatross of a contract is going to get picked up.

 

[InGusWeTrust]

You also certainly protect Zetterberg over Nosek.

1. Zetterberg
2. Nielsen
3. Mantha
4. Anthansiou
5. Nyquist
6. Tatar
7. Helm

1.Green
2.Ouellett
3.DeKeyser

1.Mrazek

I take Helm because Abdelkader's contract is bad and Glendenning can easily be replaced. Sheahan is probably the guy taken. one more year left, RFA, big body center. Hope they take Abby and his contract though.

They could take Coreau, There are multiple goalies available in the draft like MAF, Varly..Bishop is an UFA, Dallas tenders. I think Howard won't be taken because of his injury riddled season. If he played a full healthy season at the rate he was playing I'd be comfortable saying that he would be our front runner at being picked.

 

[Heaton]

There's no point in protecting Kronwall. He's worthless damaged goods and no way him and his albatross of a contract is going to get picked up.

Doesn't matter, Holland will view it as a respect thing.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

no way he protects kronwall over ouellet or jensen

not a chance

their is a HUGE difference between kronwall and zetterberg both in terms of health, talent, meaning to the organization and most importantly time left with this franchise(playing and afterwards)

maybe he trades vegas a pick to "not draft kronwall" or he does some strange managerial work whereby kronwall is not cleared to play so vegas knows this

but either way vegas wouldnt select kronwall anyhow

i just cant see holland exposing ALL of our young NHL dmen

 

[Chris 84]

if mike green was unprotected then there isn't even a discussion to be had about who vegas would take

1/ he would be one of the best available players
2/ he gives them some name value
3/ veteran presence on a team which will probably look quite young/inexperienced
4/ they could move him next year for something of value
5/ he helps them reach the cap floor

trying to predict holland's moves....

mrazek

green, dekeyser, kronwall

zetterberg, nielsen, tatar, nyquist, mantha, athanasiou, abby/helm (or we trade tatar and protect both abby and helm...)

 

[Chris 84]

no way he protects kronwall over ouellet or jensen

not a chance

their is a HUGE difference between kronwall and zetterberg both in terms of health, talent, meaning to the organization and most importantly time left with this franchise(playing and afterwards)

maybe he trades vegas a pick to "not draft kronwall" or he does some strange managerial work whereby kronwall is not cleared to play so vegas knows this

but either way vegas wouldnt select kronwall anyhow

i just cant see holland exposing ALL of our young NHL dmen

i dunno. i can see holland exposing them all cos vegas can only take one of them anyway and i dont think any of them have emerged as head and shoulders above the others.

but yeah, as i said elsewhere, i can definitely see one of our draft picks being used to ensure a sheahan, a helm or a kronwall isn't picked even if they are left exposed.

 

[FlashyG]

if mike green was unprotected then there isn't even a discussion to be had about who vegas would take

1/ he would be one of the best available players
2/ he gives them some name value
3/ veteran presence on a team which will probably look quite young/inexperienced
4/ they could move him next year for something of value
5/ he helps them reach the cap floor

trying to predict holland's moves....

mrazek

green, dekeyser, kronwall

zetterberg, nielsen, tatar, nyquist, mantha, athanasiou, abby/helm (or we trade tatar and protect both abby and helm...)

Not to mention Vegas' GM is the guy who drafted Mike Green.

If he's unprotected Green might be the easiest choice the team makes in the expansion draft.

I think Holland will end up protecting some of the vet's I'd expose but I'd take this opportunity to try and get Vegas to take a bad contract off us.

I'd protect

Neilson, Zetterberg, Nyquist, Tatar, Mantha, Athanasiou, and Glendening. - It's not that I'm all that high on Glendening, but he makes a lot less and has a easily defined role on the team. If not him I'd probably protect Sheahan over Helm or Abby, just because offloading one of their contracts would be helpful for the future.

Green, Dekeyser, Ouellet - I'm gambling they won't take Jensen, though I doubt its a huge gamble. There are going to be far better Defenceman available from other teams

Mrazek. - Easy choice despite his inconsistent play.

 

[Mount Suribachi]

Leave Howard, Kronwall, Ericsson, Helm and Abdelkader unprotected. With a bit of luck Vegas will help us by taking one of our albatross contracts. Losing any one of those 5 would be addition by subtraction - 43 & 8 can still play, but their contracts will hinder our ability to do a 3-5 year rebuild.