Impact of expansion on your team

[Aladyyn]

Given that we're probably adding a Dman this offseason, we're either losing one of Foligno/Ennis or McCabe/Pysyk. Would much prefer if LV took a forward from us.

 

[Dustin]

Just another team that the Leafs will have to pay for.....

 

[The Underboss]

Depends on who the Isles leave exposed.

 

[AgeOfBennett]

Flames could lose Mr Perfect Mikael Backlund. The Franchise. The most electrifying man in sports entertainment. The Swedish rattlesnake.

How would we lose him?
Gaudreau
Monahan
Bennett
Backlund

are for sure being protected. If anything we might lose Frolik if a guy like Shinkaruk has a really good year

 

[Trap Jesus]

It wouldn't affect them much at all at the moment.

A lot could change in a year, but it looks like the important forwards will remain intact. Bergeron, Krejci, Marchand, Spooner, Pastrnak, even a solid/mediocre player like Beleskey will get protected. Eriksson will be protected if he's resigned as well. Other than that there are no real standouts that they'd lose. If Vatrano or someone else explodes this year, they can easily make room for him. It'll probably get to the point where the 7th guy is someone you protect just because you can, even though it's more of a take-it-or-leave-it situation.

Defense should be interesting due to them being forced to keep Chara. Krug will definitely be protected if he's still here. That leaves one spot. I'm assuming they'll be adding a D-man worthy of being kept since the blueline was such a sore spot last year, but if they don't they'll be forced to choose between Morrow and C. Miller, or possibly Trotman if he really comes into his own (unless K. Miller has an amazing season or something). They're unproven but possess decent upside. Not the end of the world if they lose one, but it's certainly less than ideal.

I originally thought you could keep two goalies but looking it up on General Fanager I guess that isn't the case. It's just not worth protecting two goalies regardless. Subban is a decent prospect, but his development certainly hasn't been the greatest. Goalies are fickle creatures. Maybe he takes off in Vegas, who knows. I'd be completely fine letting him go for something like this.

 

[ponder719]

Philly's fine.

Giroux, Voracek, Simmonds, Couturier, Schenn, Laughton, one of Cousins/Raffl/FA acquisition this year, Gostisbehere, Del Zotto, Gudas, and Mason (or Neuvirth, if we sign him instead; both are going to be FAs by then) are to be protected.

Morin, Sanheim, Konecny, Provorov, Goulbourne, Martel, Aube-Kubel, Fazleev, Marti, Myers & Willcox will be exempt.

The list of plausible options unprotected:

Whichever of Cousins and Raffl we don't protect
Read
Leier
MacDonald
Hagg
Petterson
Stolarz

and anyone we resign from the remaining people who will be UFAs again by then.

We are in excellent shape... if the league stops at 31 teams.

Further expansion in 2019 or 2020 will be hugely problematic, since we'll also need to find ways to protect Morin/Sanheim/Provorov/Konecny, and there will only be one or two more slots coming open on our protected list.

 

[Viqsi]

I think the biggest impact to the Jackets is that that ~$17 million windfall in expansion fees is going to end up being spent on buyouts.

 

[Seedling]

Oilers it's hard to say right now because there may be some trades that add names who should be protected, but Davidson is as good as gone, unfortunately.