Speculation: 2021 Expansion draft

[LadyStanley]

The Sharks still haven't completed the 2020 entry draft, nor even begun re-signing pending UFAs and RFAs. They have signed (or agreed to deal with) a few undrafted free agents, and own draft picks. They also have some college draftees that need to be signed/go to free agency.

Regardless, we're about 12.5 months from when 30 teams will have to submit their protected lists for Seattle to make their selections.

Teams must expose (at least) one goalie (signed through 2021-22, or QO'd RFA), plus one defenceman (who played 40+ NHL games in 2020-21 or 70 in previous two seasons) signed through 2021-22, and two forwards (40/70 and signed). Teams can protect one goalie, three defensemen and seven forwards (or one goalie and eight skaters).

Players with two or fewer pro seasons are exempt, as are all unsigned draftees. (In general, the Heeds of the world notwithstanding.)

There's also all the "kids" who are exempt. So, I'll summarize, by position, who are exempt.

Goalie:
Exposed: TBD
Protected: Martin Jones(?)
Exempt: Zachary Emond (ELS), Mike Robinson (unsigned '21 grad), Alexi Melnichuk (ELS), Andrew Shortridge, Zach Sawchenko

(Dell is pending UFA, Korenar is pending RFA)

Defense
Exposed: TBD
Protected: Marc Edouard Vlasic (signed through 2026) NMC, Erik Karlsson (signed through 2027) NMC (plus probably Burns)
Exempt: Karlis Cukste (unsigned; '20 grad), Mario Ferraro (ELS), Santeri Hatakka ('19 draftee), Artemi Kniazev ('19 draftee), Ryan Merkley (ELS), Tony Sund (pending RFA), Brinson Pasichnuk (pending ELS)

Players that can be exposed include Burns, DeSimone, Simek

(Heed, Prout - pending UFA; Meloche, J Middleton, Roy, Sund pending RFAs)

Forwards
Exposed: TBD
Protected: Evander Kane (signed through 2025), Logan Couture (signed through 2027), Tomas Hertl (signed through 2022), Timo Meier (signed through 2023); plus 3
Exempt: Lean Bergmann (ELS), Ivan Chekhovich (ELS), Sasha Chmelevski (ELS), Dillon Hamaliuk ('19 draftee), Timur Ibragimov (ELS), Jake Jackson (unsigned, '19 grad), Joel Kellman (ELS), Vladistov Kotkov (ELS), John Leonard (pending ELS), Jacob McGrew (ELS), Scott Reedy (unsigned, '21 grad), Yegor Spiridonov ('19 draftee), Jasper Weatherby (unsigned, college bound), Danil Yurtaikin (ELS), Steenn Pasichnuk (pending AHL), Joseph Garreffa (AHL), Fredrik Handemark (ELS), Kyle Topping (AHL)

Players that can be exposed include: Sorenson, Kotkov, Viel, True, Blichfield, Gambrell, Suomela

(Brodinski, Karlsson, Noesen, Radil, Thornton, Greco (6) pending UFAs; Dahlen, Halbgewachs, Kellman*, Labanc*, Letunov*, Noesen, Radil, Suomela*, Wiederer pending RFAs; Ivanyuzhenkov, Kosorenkov, Langan, Weinger AHLers)


Post will be edited as players signed. And as it becomes clearer over who the Sharks might/should protect

Click to read more...

 

[Nolan11]

Great OP LS. Minor point, did not see LaBanc in your fwds list.

 

[PacificOceanPotion]

Sign Kotkov, True and Blichfeld please.

 

[themelkman]

We have tons of space to protect guys. Gotta think doug maybe scoops a forward from someone that can’t protect him but doesn’t want to give away

 

[Erep]

Assuming no major trades or whatever, if it is 8 skaters protected:

Couture, Kane, Meier, Hertl, Karlsson, Vlasic, Burns, Simek

And Labanc is taken. (Alternatively, it is possible the Sharks sign a top 6 RW this offseason, and then he is taken.)



If it is 7 forwards and 3 defensemen protected:

Couture, Kane, Meier, Hertl, Labanc, Vlasic, Burns, Karlsson, Gregor?, and some offseason signing this year (Does Gregor need to be protected, since he played the first year of his Sharks contract in the WHL?)

And Simek is taken.



Unless the Sharks want to do something fancy, these are the only two scenarios I see playing out.

 

[matt trick]

I think there are three likely selection outcomes here:
1. Simek (particularly if a quality forward is acquired- moving them from 4/4 to 7/3)
2. Labanc
3. Pay them to pick Jones (likely more than a 1st)

Moving Vlasic (if there is any truth to the MTL rumor) would allow the team to protect 7 forwards and 3 d-men. You've got to think between now and then Wilson will acquire two quality forwards.

You can't have Marleau, Thornton, Pavelski, Donskoi, and Nyquist walk out the door and replace them exclusively with prospects.

 

[LadyStanley]

Great OP LS. Minor point, did not see LaBanc in your fwds list.

He's a pending RFA this summer, so not officially available. Lots more clarity once summer signings done.

And I didn't get that far before I had to leave. Will add.

 

[themelkman]

Burns could be an option. He does not have to be protected and maybe the team would benefit from exposing him. I think either way the worst it can be is Simek leaving or some other D breaks out like crazy

 

[Nolan11]

Personally, am half expecting DW to broker a deal to expose one of Burns or Kane, for future considerations (like a player drafted from another team's exposed list, and a 1st round pick plus.).

 

[hohosaregood]

Which potentially exposed guys would you guys miss? And not for nostalgia reasons. I'd say maybe Burns, Simek, Labanc, and maybe Noesen. And even then, I could probably live without them at this point.

 

[LadyStanley]

Goalie:
Exposed: TBD
Protected: Martin Jones(?)
Exempt: Zachary Emond (ELS), Mike Robinson (unsigned '21 grad), Alexi Melnichuk (ELS), Andrew Shortridge, Zach Sawchenko

(Dell is pending UFA, Korenar is pending RFA)

At this point, the Sharks will have to re-sign Dell to a two-year contract to make him eligible to be exposed. But Korenar can be re-signed to only a one year deal and exposed, if Jones is not wanted to be exposed; could be they price the contract so that there would be a premium $$ for Seattle to pick up/re-sign. Possibilities.

My speculation is that they might prefer to re-sign Korenar to a one (or more) year deal than have to re-sign Dell to two years. That could give them the option of putting Korenar or Jones up as the exposed goalie, based on how they play.

Another option might be to try and pick up a guy for stretch run with some term, if Jones has not rebounded and keep him, expose Jones.

But I don't know that the Sharks really want to tie up a bunch of cap just to have a goalie to expose.

(Do recall that the Sharks did a side trade to protect Nabokov in an expansion draft previously. So, if they do have to expose Korenar, or others, DW might do a side deal.)

Long term, until you know that Jones will or won't rebound/recover after 9+ months off or so, it's an expensive proposition to sign or acquire anyone from outside the organization (unless it's a deal DW really can't refuse).

 

[themelkman]

At this point, the Sharks will have to re-sign Dell to a two-year contract to make him eligible to be exposed. But Korenar can be re-signed to only a one year deal and exposed, if Jones is not wanted to be exposed; could be they price the contract so that there would be a premium $$ for Seattle to pick up/re-sign. Possibilities.

My speculation is that they might prefer to re-sign Korenar to a one (or more) year deal than have to re-sign Dell to two years. That could give them the option of putting Korenar or Jones up as the exposed goalie, based on how they play.

Another option might be to try and pick up a guy for stretch run with some term, if Jones has not rebounded and keep him, expose Jones.

But I don't know that the Sharks really want to tie up a bunch of cap just to have a goalie to expose.

(Do recall that the Sharks did a side trade to protect Nabokov in an expansion draft previously. So, if they do have to expose Korenar, or others, DW might do a side deal.)

Long term, until you know that Jones will or won't rebound/recover after 9+ months off or so, it's an expensive proposition to sign or acquire anyone from outside the organization (unless it's a deal DW really can't refuse).

I see no reason to not just expose Jones imo. The chances of them taking our goalie are very slim

 

[LadyStanley]

I see no reason to not just expose Jones imo. The chances of them taking our goalie are very slim

That is possible. But if the Sharks win the Stanley Cup next June, would you really expose the Cup winning goalie?

 

[KirbyDots]

That is possible. But if the Sharks win the Stanley Cup next June, would you really expose the Cup winning goalie?

 

[Doctor Soraluce]

Personally, am half expecting DW to broker a deal to expose one of Burns or Kane, for future considerations (like a player drafted from another team's exposed list, and a 1st round pick plus.).

Kane ain't going no where. Team that can't score goals isn't trading their leading goal scorer.

 

[STL Shark]

Kane ain't going no where. Team that can't score goals isn't trading their leading goal scorer.

The infatuation this board has with trying to trade from our scarce forward pool that can score points is so puzzling. Team needs more Kane and his style, not less of him.

 

[Doctor Soraluce]

The infatuation this board has with trying to trade from our scarce forward pool that can score points is so puzzling. Team needs more Kane and his style, not less of him.

It's frankly nonsensical at this point. Only way he gets traded is part of a deal for a generational level player.

 

[Mafoofoo]

That is possible. But if the Sharks win the Stanley Cup next June, would you really expose the Cup winning goalie?

Yeah. The Pens did it with MAF.

 

[LadyStanley]

Yeah. The Pens did it with MAF.

But not the summer he won.

 

[WTFetus]

But not the summer he won.

He was the winning goaltender on the majority of their wins that postseason.

 

[Mafoofoo]

But not the summer he won.

As mentioned above, he was in net for most of their wins that postseason. But that aside, I'd still expose him. I feel like if we win a cup it'd be in spite of Jones, not because of Jones.

 

[The Ice Hockey Dude]

I am happy to expose Jones to Seattle.

 

[LadyStanley]

Sharks could leave Brent Burns unprotected in 2021 expansion...

Paywall

Kurz speculates that Burns might be unprotected in expansion draft.


Given the flat cap, that might be a good thing, giving the Sharks more cap space. But I would miss him.

 

[Barrie22]

Unless the plan changes from we are competing to we are rebuilding, there is absolutely 0 chance that the team exposes burns.

 

[Nolan11]

Unless the plan changes from we are competing to we are rebuilding, there is absolutely 0 chance that the team exposes burns.

Suppose Seatle offers us fourth overall and a defenseman to be named later to expose burns. We would have to consider it, especially if cap is at 82 million