Ohio Jones
Game on...
The 2021 Seattle expansion draft will release the Kraken upon the NHL. The Jackets lost Justin Auger to Las Vegas back in 2017; next summer they stand to lose a much more proven asset.
(*2021 UFA; **Buyout candidate)
(For ineligibles I only listed perceived high-value targets.)
Forwards
Up front the still rebuilding Blue Jackets are in a good position, depending on how players perform in the coming season before Seattle makes their picks. With quite a few kids on the roster and more soon to follow, Columbus can afford to limit its exposure to a few older, overpaid or expiring veterans.
Eligible (10):
Anthony Beauvillier
Nick Bjugstad
Derrick Brassard
Brett Connolly*
Morgan Geekie
Adrian Kempe
Jujhar Khaira*
Kole Lind
Patrick Marleau*
Zach Sanford*
Jeff Skinner
Chris Tierney
Ineligible: Nick Suzuki, Kaapo Kakko, Morgan Frost
Defence
At this point, the blueline seems to be the more attractive option for the Kraken’s selection if the Jackets choose to protect 7 forwards and 3 defensemen.
Eligible:
Zach Bogosian*
Cam Dineen
Justin Faulk
Haydn Fleury
Victor Hedman
Michal Kempny
Jaycob Megna*
Nicolas Meloche
Mitch Reinke
Mark Stone*
Devon Toews
Ineligible: Dante Fabbro, Jacob Bryson
Goalies
At $9 million, Bobrovsky seems an unlikely selection, and with Seattle only allowed to use three expansion picks for goalies, the minor leaguers seem even more unlikely. Nilsson will be a pending UFA, but if he outplays Bobrovsky this year he might get re-signed and end up the goalie Columbus protects.
Eligible:
Sergei Bobrovsky
Philippe Desrosiers
Keith Kinkaid*
Anders Nilsson*
Anthony Stolarz*
PROJECTION
The depth on defence means the Jackets might choose to protect 8 skaters, which would allow them to protect one of Kempny or Fleury at the cost of exposing more forwards like Khaira, Geekie and Lind.
It’s more likely the Jackets will look to strike a deal with Seattle to manage the asset selected. Barring such an agreement, or other player movement in the coming season, here is what we see happening:
Expected protection list:
F (7): Beauvillier, Bjugstad, Geekie, Kempe, Lind, Sanford, Tierney
D (3): Faulk, Hedman, Toews
G (1): Bobrovsky
Projected Seattle Selection (barring trade):
D Michal Kempny
(*2021 UFA; **Buyout candidate)
(For ineligibles I only listed perceived high-value targets.)
Forwards
Up front the still rebuilding Blue Jackets are in a good position, depending on how players perform in the coming season before Seattle makes their picks. With quite a few kids on the roster and more soon to follow, Columbus can afford to limit its exposure to a few older, overpaid or expiring veterans.
Eligible (10):
Anthony Beauvillier
Nick Bjugstad
Derrick Brassard
Brett Connolly*
Morgan Geekie
Adrian Kempe
Jujhar Khaira*
Kole Lind
Patrick Marleau*
Zach Sanford*
Jeff Skinner
Chris Tierney
Ineligible: Nick Suzuki, Kaapo Kakko, Morgan Frost
Defence
At this point, the blueline seems to be the more attractive option for the Kraken’s selection if the Jackets choose to protect 7 forwards and 3 defensemen.
Eligible:
Zach Bogosian*
Cam Dineen
Justin Faulk
Haydn Fleury
Victor Hedman
Michal Kempny
Jaycob Megna*
Nicolas Meloche
Mitch Reinke
Mark Stone*
Devon Toews
Ineligible: Dante Fabbro, Jacob Bryson
Goalies
At $9 million, Bobrovsky seems an unlikely selection, and with Seattle only allowed to use three expansion picks for goalies, the minor leaguers seem even more unlikely. Nilsson will be a pending UFA, but if he outplays Bobrovsky this year he might get re-signed and end up the goalie Columbus protects.
Eligible:
Sergei Bobrovsky
Philippe Desrosiers
Keith Kinkaid*
Anders Nilsson*
Anthony Stolarz*
PROJECTION
The depth on defence means the Jackets might choose to protect 8 skaters, which would allow them to protect one of Kempny or Fleury at the cost of exposing more forwards like Khaira, Geekie and Lind.
It’s more likely the Jackets will look to strike a deal with Seattle to manage the asset selected. Barring such an agreement, or other player movement in the coming season, here is what we see happening:
Expected protection list:
F (7): Beauvillier, Bjugstad, Geekie, Kempe, Lind, Sanford, Tierney
D (3): Faulk, Hedman, Toews
G (1): Bobrovsky
Projected Seattle Selection (barring trade):
D Michal Kempny