Speculation: Expansion draft protected list

[Birko19]

Dmen: Green-Unlikely to be picked due to $6 million cap hit and salary for 1 yr.
Helm-not likely

Those two would be picked up in a heart beat. When healthy, Green is a legit top pairing and he only has next season under contract, they can even consider trading him at the deadline as a rental if they don't make it. Helm would be one of their best options as a bottom-6 guy.

 

[chances14]

I am pretty confident that the wings will not be protecting kronwall and i doubt vegas is even remotely interested in him

I think holland will have to leave one of abdelkader or helm unprotected. if he leaves helm unprotected, i can certainly see vegas picking him up. If it's abdelkader, I think it will be howard that is picked up provided holland does the sensible thing and protects mrazek

 

[Vatican Roulette]

I am pretty confident that the wings will not be protecting kronwall and i doubt vegas is even remotely interested in him

I think holland will have to leave one of abdelkader or helm unprotected. if he leaves helm unprotected, i can certainly see vegas picking him up. If it's abdelkader, I think it will be howard that is picked up provided holland does the sensible thing and protects mrazek

I wonder if Detroit really thinks Mrazek is the goalie going forward.

I'm not saying expose him, but I wonder if they would entertain trading him to Vegas.

 

[Inspiration]

Abdelkader will probably be the one protected, but Helm is the better player with a lower cap hit and shorter term on his contract. If you have to chose between the two, protecting Helm seems obvious. Granted, I wouldn't lose any sleep if the Wings lost either player in the expansion draft.

 

[Vatican Roulette]

Abdelkader will probably be the one protected, but Helm is the better player with a lower cap hit and shorter term on his contract. If you have to chose between the two, protecting Helm seems obvious. Granted, I wouldn't lose any sleep if the Wings lost either player in the expansion draft.

A nepotism conundrum if I've ever seen one.

 

[Winger98]

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.

It would seem odd to not move Sheahan when they had the chance just to lose him to the expansion draft. Odd or stupid, not sure which. We'll know if he's dealt at some point after the season and before the draft, I guess.

 

[PelagicJoe]

Protect the following

Nielsen
Z
Tatar
Nyquist
Larkin
AA
Mantha

Green
DDK
....who cares

Mrazek.

Which kids are automatically safe?

 

[FlashyG]

Protect the following

Nielsen
Z
Tatar
Nyquist
Larkin
AA
Mantha

Green
DDK
....who cares

Mrazek.

Which kids are automatically safe?

Larkin is exempt. No need to protect him.

 

[r0bert8841]

I am pretty confident that the wings will not be protecting kronwall and i doubt vegas is even remotely interested in him

I think holland will have to leave one of abdelkader or helm unprotected. if he leaves helm unprotected, i can certainly see vegas picking him up. If it's abdelkader, I think it will be howard that is picked up provided holland does the sensible thing and protects mrazek

How could you be confident in that?! While I don't agree with Holland all the time, he is pretty predicable. And protecting his veterans despite all logic is the same move we have seen him make many times.

 

[19 for president]

What they should do:

Z, Tatar, Nyquist, AA, Mantha, Nielson, Sheahan
Green, DD, XO
Mrazek

Leaving Glenny, Helm, Abs, Howie, E, and Kronner exposed. Then we hope they take one of E, Helm, or Abby. Considering how slim the forward pickings are I think Helm or Abby goes.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

Protect the following

Nielsen
Z
Tatar
Nyquist
Larkin
AA
Mantha

Green
DDK
....who cares

Mrazek.

Which kids are automatically safe?

Larkin is exempt so he doesn't need protecting.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

Protect the following.

Forwards

1 Nielsen (NMC)
2 Zetterberg
3 Nyquist
4 Tatar
5 Abdelkader
6 Mantha
7 Anthanasiou

Exposing Helm, Sheahan Glendening

Defenseman.

1 DeKeyser
2 Green.
3 Ouellet

Exposing Sproul, Jensen, Kronwall, Ericsson, McIlrath.

Goalies.

1 Mrazek.

Exposing Howard and Coreau.

 

[Winger98]

If we're not protecting Sheahan we need to deal him. I'm fine losing someone like Glendening to the draft, but by most accounts Sheahan still has some value around the league, if not to us.

 

[Birko19]

I see you guys protecting Nielsen, is it because of his NMC or because you guys like him? If his NMC does not interfere, I don't see why we would want to protect him.

Up front it's Zetterberg, Mantha, Nyquist, Tatar, Anthanasiou, Abdelkader, and Sheahan if we can expose Nielsen, if not then Sheahan is the one I'd expose, though I hope they find a way to deal him before that.

On defense I'm less concerned. If I had it my way it's DeKeyser, Ouellet, and Sproul, but knowing Holland, he'll probably protect Kronwall and maybe even Ericsson.

 

[Run the Jewels]

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.

Green would be a great asset for Vegas for a number of reasons:

• He's a good hockey player, clearly our best offensive d-man. :shudders:
• He has one year on his contract so enough time to figure out if you want to extend him.
• Will have great value at the TDL next year. Seriously, Brendan Smith, who was routinely a healthy scratch, generated the best return. :shudders:

There's no way the Wings don't protect Green. You would be giving away one of your best assets for nothing. That's not the Ken Holland we know, who routinely overpays for his own mediocre players.

I see you guys protecting Nielsen, is it because of his NMC or because you guys like him? If his NMC does not interfere, I don't see why we would want to protect him.

Up front it's Zetterberg, Mantha, Nyquist, Tatar, Anthanasiou, Abdelkader, and Sheahan if we can expose Nielsen, if not then Sheahan is the one I'd expose, though I hope they find a way to deal him before that.

On defense I'm less concerned. If I had it my way it's DeKeyser, Ouellet, and Sproul, but knowing Holland, he'll probably protect Kronwall and maybe even Ericsson.

With Neilsen you simply need guys who can play hockey at the NHL level. That's how bad our prospect pool and roster is right now. I'd be more inclined to expose Abby simply because he'll never come close to living up to that contract and at his age and style of play there will be a steep dropoff. I'd also consider exposing Sheahan as he's probably going to be a bottom 6 defensive pivot. Nice guy to have on your roster but not essential when you have so few guys who can actually score at the NHL level. Neilsen is a scoring line pivot who can put up 50 or so points. You don't just give those guys away.

What they should do:

Z, Tatar, Nyquist, AA, Mantha, Nielson, Sheahan
Green, DD, XO
Mrazek

Leaving Glenny, Helm, Abs, Howie, E, and Kronner exposed. Then we hope they take one of E, Helm, or Abby. Considering how slim the forward pickings are I think Helm or Abby goes.

Yeah, I agree with this. I'd expose Abby before I'd expose Helm. And I'd expose Helm before I'd expose Sheahan. That would be my exact pecking order with those guys.

 

[ZDH]

I'll vomit a bit if he protects Abdelkader. Vegas will have no interest in taking one of the worst contracts in the league....

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

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

Isn't Green still under his NTC so he'd have to be protected?

 

[Birko19]

With Neilsen you simply need guys who can play hockey at the NHL level. That's how bad our prospect pool and roster is right now. I'd be more inclined to expose Abby simply because he'll never come close to living up to that contract and at his age and style of play there will be a steep dropoff. I'd also consider exposing Sheahan as he's probably going to be a bottom 6 defensive pivot. Nice guy to have on your roster but not essential when you have so few guys who can actually score at the NHL level. Neilsen is a scoring line pivot who can put up 50 or so points. You don't just give those guys away.

If Nielsen was 5 years younger, I'd agree with you, but with his current age, contract, and our tanking line-up, exposing him should be a no brainer.

 

[Bondurant]

I wouldn't be shocked if Vegas took Z if left unprotected. Not only will Vegas be building a team but they'll be on the prowl for a name. Keep Z in the D. Protect him.

 

[Birko19]

I wouldn't be shocked if Vegas took Z if left unprotected. Not only will Vegas be building a team but they'll be on the prowl for a name. Keep Z in the D. Protect him.

Why would we unprotect Zetterberg? They'd take him in a heartbeat, even if he's declining, he'd be a big name for them and someone to build a foundation on for the next 2 to 3 years. I don't think Kenny will expose him.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

I wouldn't be shocked if Vegas took Z if left unprotected. Not only will Vegas be building a team but they'll be on the prowl for a name. Keep Z in the D. Protect him.

That's how I feel. I tend to think this team is overly loyal and fans aren't used to losing players because there's been so few trades over the years, but from a purely emotional level it would bum me out to lose Zetterberg.

I know from a contract level it would make sense but that guy is the heart and soul of this team. Seeing what he's done this season without Datsyuk and very little help only affirms his compete level. Virtually everyone has regressed but Z has actually bounced back. Though it'll be even tougher now because he has even less help post deadline.

Z was one of the few guys on the team who didn't have a NTC, because his contract was essentially one. But the guy deserves to stay if he wants. (again, I know this is a purely emotional argument).

 

[Run the Jewels]

If Nielsen was 5 years younger, I'd agree with you, but with his current age, contract, and our tanking line-up, exposing him should be a no brainer.

Nah, I really don't see it happening. He's still a 50ish point center. They won't even let Larkin play center so that tells you how bad it is for our depth at center. Abby's a 30 year old declining player who will be lucky to hit 40 points again. Sheahan has never hit 40 points in his career and he's 25 years old. He only has a couple years of prime career left and it doesn't look like he'll ever hit 40 points. Helm's 30 and has never hit 40 points in his career. This is why I was dead set against extending Helm and Abby and would have traded them at the previous trade deadline.

You don't give away 50 point centers. Neilsen still has trade value, although admittedly it is low due to the term of his contract. I simply don't see the Wings going scorched earth and giving away every asset for free in an expansion draft. That simply doesn't fit the way Ken Holland has ever run this franchise. I think he exposes Helm and/or Abby and hope Las Vegas takes one of his awful contracts off his hands. Right now Neilsen is pretty far down the list of awful contracts Ken Holland has given out over the past 5 years.

 

[Birko19]

Nah, I really don't see it happening. He's still a 50ish point center. They won't even let Larkin play center so that tells you how bad it is for our depth at center. Abby's a 30 year old declining player who will be lucky to hit 40 points again. Sheahan has never hit 40 points in his career and he's 25 years old. He only has a couple years of prime career left and it doesn't look like he'll ever hit 40 points. Helm's 30 and has never hit 40 points in his career. This is why I was dead set against extending Helm and Abby and would have traded them at the previous trade deadline.

You don't give away 50 point centers. Neilsen still has trade value, although admittedly it is low due to the term of his contract. I simply don't see the Wings going scorched earth and giving away every asset for free in an expansion draft. That simply doesn't fit the way Ken Holland has ever run this franchise. I think he exposes Helm and/or Abby and hope Las Vegas takes one of his awful contracts off his hands. Right now Neilsen is pretty far down the list of awful contracts Ken Holland has given out over the past 5 years.

He's a 50 point player now because he's still 32 years old and still in his prime. When his contract ends he'll be 38 years old. I expect him to decline halfway into his contract, at that point we'll be left shaking our heads paying him all that money.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

All players with NMCs must be protected

Players with NTCs do not have to be

Nielsen has to be protected

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

All players with NMCs must be protected

Players with NTCs do not have to be

Nielsen has to be protected

Ah, thanks for the clarification.

I forgot Nielsen's was a full NMC. I also don't know of a great source for that info now that capgeek is gone.