NHL Expansion Questions

[CatsforReinhart]

What do people think our protected list will be? Also....

-What are the rules when it comes to protecting players and prospects?
-Does Nylander and Olofsson's status change if they play in the NHL?
Does one of Hutton or Ullmark end up being left unprotected?

Click to read more...

 

[Djp]

Rules the same as with vegas.

Players with 2 or few pro seasons of 20 yrs or older in nhl or AHL woukd be exempt.

I’m uncertain with Mitts. last season after college counts in thus or not. I think it doesn’t but I’m not 100%.

Nylander pkayed in Rochester at 17 and 18 don’t count..those are sliding years. Had he turned 29 before Jan 1 his contract slides if he didn’t pkay in 10 games but it still counts as a pro season. Example is what happened with Carrier.

In expansion draft vegas roster will be exempt. Vegas doesn’t get any of expansion fee paid by Seattle.

In a 2020 expansion draft it looks like Pilot, nylander, oliffson, dahlin, Asplund would be exempt. In a draft in 2921 they will not be.

Buffalo could go and protect 7 skaters and 1 goalie or 7 forwards, 3 Dmen, and 1 G

In 2020 buffalo looks in good shape and could easily go 7-2 and protect 4Dnen so they could acquire one thus deadline or offseason and protect him along with Risto, McCabe, and Guhle.

If it’s in 2021 then buffalo has a bunch other pkayers that get Eloise DS I They would need to go 7-3-1.

 

[CatsforReinhart]

Revisited....Here is a link about the draft just decided today. Seattle will play in 2021. Where does that leave us with protecting our players?
NHL adds Seattle as league's 32nd team, play begins in 2021

 

[Der Jaeger]

If Botterill leaves Nylander, Olofsson, Asplund, etc. in Rochester for the year, then calls them up next year, does that start the two years?

 

[Zman5778]

If Botterill leaves Nylander, Olofsson, Asplund, etc. in Rochester for the year, then calls them up next year, does that start the two years?

Won't matter. They'll need to be protected either way in a 2021 draft, which will occur AFTER their 3rd professional season.

Yeah, the 2021 date pretty well hosed us. We'll be losing a good player unless we pay through the nose to get Seattle to take a guy like Okposo.

If things go the way we hope they do, we'll be protecting Eichel, Skinner, Reinhart, Mittelstadt and Dahlin. Probably Risto too. So then it'll be about how our "secondary" pieces like Guhle, Pilut, McCabe, Asplund, Olofsson, Nylander and Thompson work into the mix.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

I guess the talk is Arizona will move to the Central. Fine with me, they've been bad for so long they haven't developed a rivalry or identity at all. Keep the SoCal teams with Vegas, and the Can teams with Seattle. Glendale is just a little more central than Vegas anyway, and they have Houston in their sites for a relocation when the roof finally caves in.

Changing the expansion draft from 2020 to 2021 really screws Buffalo. If things are going well, a good player will get lost, well, definitely better than Carrier...@#$%.

I'd like to see the schedule get changed up also. I thinks it's dumb to play 32 games (40% of the schedule) against opposite conference teams that will have no impact on playoff seedings. Bring that down to one game per team, alternating the home team each season. Many fans may not like the division playoff format, but if it's set up that way there should be more division games than four per team.

6 games against each division team (42)
3 games against other division team (24)
1 game against opposite conference team (16)

Conveniently, that's 82 games with a higher focus on division games, under a division playoff format. Those are the ones most fans get hyped up for anyway.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

Won't matter. They'll need to be protected either way in a 2021 draft, which will occur AFTER their 3rd professional season.

Yeah, the 2021 date pretty well hosed us. We'll be losing a good player unless we pay through the nose to get Seattle to take a guy like Okposo.

If things go the way we hope they do, we'll be protecting Eichel, Skinner, Reinhart, Mittelstadt and Dahlin. Probably Risto too. So then it'll be about how our "secondary" pieces like Guhle, Pilut, McCabe, Asplund, Olofsson, Nylander and Thompson work into the mix.

We might not need to move Okposo if the next CBA comes with another round of compliance buyouts.

 

[sabresfan65]

Now that the league is at four 8 team divisions, do they go to the 4 conference system that was discussed previously. 4 teams from each conference make playoffs. 1v4 2v3, then winners play each other for conference championship. Then highest point conference champ plays lowest and 2v3 in Cup semi-finals for chance to go to the Cup Final.

Schedule would be 6 vs conference teams (42) and 2 vs 2 of the conferences(32) and 1 vs the other(8) which would rotate on a 3 year cycle.

 

[brian_griffin]

As someone who lived through the old Adams-Norris-Patrick-Smythe era with 16 playoff slots in a 21-team NHL, I'm currently not keen on a heavy-in-division-rivalry regular-season schedule combined with within-division-only-rival playoffs for the first two rounds. I need to sleep on it (good thing we have a couple years). But I grant it probably is more palatable with 4 teams in & 4 out in each division.

Right now, I'd rather play 84 games.
A. each cross-conference team twice home & home, 32 games.
B. each within-division rival 4x, split home and home, 28 games.
C. each within-conference team 3x, alternate the extra home game for half the teams every other year, 24 games.

Alternative approach to retain 82-game schedule and drive parity would have the 1st-place team in Div A only play 2 games instead of 3 games vs. the 8th place team in Division B, etc.
B#1 only play 2 games vs. A#8
A#2 only play 2 games vs. B#7
B#2 only play 2 games vs. A#7, etc.

I'm fine with reverting to a non-Campbell-Wales or non-East-West finals, and seeding the semi-finals and finals by Division champions (if the internal rivalry format is kept) or the final 4 teams if a re-seed-each-round format is re-introduced.

But the real question to ask is what do Rogers/MLSE, Jeremy Jacobs, Comcast, the NY Rangers, and the Molson brothers want with the playoff format?

 

[Tsyolin]

Honestly I think realistically the ideal scenario is Seattle taking Hutton. I'm not sure what the goalie class will be like that year but if it's anything like the Vegas one there won't be much worth talking about. Hutton will be 35 but might still be an attractive piece for a backup at the very least. I love the guy but I really don't want to lose any of our skaters.

 

[threeVo]

Sabres gotta find a way to make the 7/3/1 work since the draft got pushed back a year

Eichel
Mitts
Asplund
Skinner hopefully
Reinhart
Nylander or Thompson
Olofsson

Dahlin
Risto
Pilut or Borgen

Ullmark

 

[Reddawg]

Sabres gotta find a way to make the 7/3/1 work since the draft got pushed back a year

Eichel
Mitts
Asplund
Skinner hopefully
Reinhart
Nylander or Thompson
Asplund

Dahlin
Risto
Pilut or Borgen

Ullmark

You’ll be happy to know you don’t have to protect Asplund twice

 

[Daz28]

Does anyone know what constitutes a "pro season". Pretty sure it's not the same as for FA considerations. I imagine we will see scenarios where guys won't play some NHL games because of this.

An article I read said that Max Comtois would have been considered to have a pro season if he played 11 games at age 19. He played 10(burning an ELC year), and was strangely still sent to juniors.

 

[Buttons85]

I think McCabe may be the odd man out, sadly.

I envision 7/3/1 since there are likely 5 sure bet forwards that I think Botterill will want to protect:

Eichel
Skinner
Reinhart
Mittelstadt
Thompson
(Nylander)
(Oloffson)

Dahlin
Pilut
Ristolainen

Ullmark

I think Nylander and Oloffson get first call-ups at this point in case of injury this season, potentially accruing that deadly third season before the draft. I don't think Asplund or Smith crack 10 games in the NHL this year and stay exempt. If one of Nylander/Oloffson don't accrue a season this year, I assume we'll protect some TBD free agent/trade acquisition (potentially whatever we get for Larsson or Girgensons).

Assuming we re-sign them, Rodrigues, Larsson, and Girgensons are really the only other candidates for Seattle (no, they won't take Okposo or Berglund - at least not for free), but McCabe as a potential top 4 RD for Seattle is way more valuable than the 3rd/4th line plugs these guys will be. Sucks, because I think McCabe fills a valuable role on the team in 2021.

And just to address the rest of our current roster: Pominville, Sobotka, Elie, Beaulieu, and Nelson will not be on the team in 2021. Hutton* and Sheary might be re-signed, but I don't see either of them being picked over McCabe.

*Cue Carter Hutton backstopping Seattle to a Stanley Cup.

 

[Reddawg]

*Cue Carter Hutton backstopping Seattle to a Stanley Cup.

His second or third in a row!

 

[old kummelweck]

Either Skinner or Nylander is on this roster, not both. I'm leaning toward Nylander as I don't see a $9 million winger in the plans.

 

[dkollidas]

If there’s a labor stoppage, will that effect which players can get drafted? I.e. will contracts slide and thereby keep us from having to protect guys like Olofsson/Asplund/Nylander if they’re sill considered within their 3yrs?

 

[Djp]

I guess the talk is Arizona will move to the Central. Fine with me, they've been bad for so long they haven't developed a rivalry or identity at all. Keep the SoCal teams with Vegas, and the Can teams with Seattle. Glendale is just a little more central than Vegas anyway, and they have Houston in their sites for a relocation when the roof finally caves in.

Changing the expansion draft from 2020 to 2021 really screws Buffalo. If things are going well, a good player will get lost, well, definitely better than Carrier...@#$%.

I'd like to see the schedule get changed up also. I thinks it's dumb to play 32 games (40% of the schedule) against opposite conference teams that will have no impact on playoff seedings. Bring that down to one game per team, alternating the home team each season. Many fans may not like the division playoff format, but if it's set up that way there should be more division games than four per team.

6 games against each division team (42)
3 games against other division team (24)
1 game against opposite conference team (16)

Conveniently, that's 82 games with a higher focus on division games, under a division playoff format. Those are the ones most fans get hyped up for anyway.

I’d prefer going to 7 division 4 teams per.

28 non division teams x2=56
6x3=18
4 extra games against 1 division. These games are foreign game candidates.
76 games.
Division winners get bye 2nd and 3rd pkace teams have a best of 5 series. Division winner money= revenue list fir not having the first round playoff games.

Another variant
24x2=48
Other division 3 games=12
6 against division teams=18
For 78 games.

With 8 team divisions...

24x2=48
7x4=28
4 division teams you play additional game against
80 games

The final Fri, Sat and Sun is a H-H of 4th and 5th place team in division. First game no OT. Second game combined score at end.mif tied then OT to decide who advances.

Other option is division 3-6 teams play best of 3 series.

 

[Djp]

Does anyone know what constitutes a "pro season". Pretty sure it's not the same as for FA considerations. I imagine we will see scenarios where guys won't play some NHL games because of this.

An article I read said that Max Comtois would have been considered to have a pro season if he played 11 games at age 19. He played 10(burning an ELC year), and was strangely still sent to juniors.

Based on last expansion draft.

Players who 20 before Jan 1 staying in the AHL thus a sliding ELC still counted as a pro season. 18 and 19 yr old seasons didn’t count as pro seasons.
European pkayer time in Europe don’t count.

Assuming no lockout...
Players on Hal 50 man rosters now who aren’t junior sliding contracts will get exposed.
Sliding junior contracts now, players signed this offseason both should be exempt. College players turning pro in natch if they are under 10 games they should be exempt AFAIK.

 

[threeVo]

You’ll be happy to know you don’t have to protect Asplund twice

Yea it wont let me edit on mobile lol, fixing now

 

[Djp]

I am honestly not at all worried about who buffalo loses.

Likely protected—Mitts, Eichel, Reinhart, signed Skinner
Battle for final 3 - the rest of the team

On D— Dahlin and Risto.
The rest will battle for 3rd spot. Of these players...buffalo will have exempt Samuelson and Luukkonen will replace who hit taken.

Buffalo also will have 5 1sts and 3 2nds the next 3 years who will replace who get taken.

At G Ullmark likely protected UPL in Rochester entering final year of ELC. Hutton could stay for 1-2 more years. There will be other goalies out there...

 

[DolanPlsGoSabres]

On D— Dahlin and Risto.
The rest will battle for 3rd spot. Of these players...buffalo will have exempt Samuelson and Luukkonen will replace who hit taken.

I assume you mean Laaksonen? Or UPL will replace Hutton/Ullmark? Please...please proofread....

 

[Buttons85]

I'm hoping the realignment is a bit more drastic than just plopping Seattle in the Pacific... although I know that's probably a pipe dream. Here's what I'd like to see (something akin to the NFL structure):

It is weird not having Seattle and Vancouver in the same division, but Winnipeg just throws a wrench in everything.

Split cross-conference games 50/50 WRT home/away, alternating divisions every year. For example, the Sabres could play home games in a repeating pattern like this:

2021: vs. Pacific and Southwest
2022: vs. Northwest and Central

Or this:

2021: vs. Pacific and Southwest
2022: vs. Southwest and Northwest
2023: vs. Northwest and Central
2024: vs. Central and Pacific

Playoffs: Division winners plus 4 wild card spots.

- Every team automatically has a 25% chance of making the playoffs
- NHL head offices should like that a Canadian team is guaranteed a berth every year (Northwest Division)
- More intradivision/conference games to foster rivalries

 

[DolanPlsGoSabres]

I'm hoping the realignment is a bit more drastic than just plopping Seattle in the Pacific... although I know that's probably a pipe dream. Here's what I'd like to see (something akin to the NFL structure):

View attachment 162425

It is weird not having Seattle and Vancouver in the same division, but Winnipeg just throws a wrench in everything.

Split cross-conference games 50/50 WRT home/away, alternating divisions every year. For example, the Sabres could play home games in a repeating pattern like this:

2021: vs. Pacific and Southwest
2022: vs. Northwest and Central

Or this:

2021: vs. Pacific and Southwest
2022: vs. Southwest and Northwest
2023: vs. Northwest and Central
2024: vs. Central and Pacific

Playoffs: Division winners plus 4 wild card spots.

- Every team automatically has a 25% chance of making the playoffs
- NHL head offices should like that a Canadian team is guaranteed a berth every year (Northwest Division)
- More intradivision/conference games to foster rivalries

That would be a nice alignment, but having Carolina and Florida in the same division in a 4 team division format would suck for marketing purposes. 2 dying markets in one division...

 

[Reddawg]

They’ve already announced that Seattle is going into the Pacific, with Arizona moving to the Central to accommodate.