Who do you protect at the Expansion Draft - Poll

[Magic Man]

Easy decision for me to protect Holl. He's in his prime and has proven himself to be a top-4 defenseman on the right side. At 2M for 2 years I think he fits like a glove on a contending team. The Leafs have Sandin and Liljegren coming up next year, they're NHL ready and should be prioritized above Dermott going forward. I think Dermott is a good athlete, he's good at everything, but not amazing at anything. I think he does better on a team with less depth and an opening for him to play top-4 minutes right away. I see him being pushed to the 7th defenseman position in Toronto next season, moving backward in the lineup, not forward like a player at his age and upside should. I don't think it makes sense to go into next season with Dermott on the roster pencilled in as the 7th D. He should be traded for value, if not selected in expansion before next season and a vet like Bogosian should be brought in to ease Sandin and Liljegren's transition to becoming full time NHL players. They need to recoup some picks for the next couple drafts, Dermott could be a part of that solution.

 

[ToneDog]

If I am Seattle I take Kerfoot over Holl but Dermott over Kerfoot.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

Protect Holl.

I think Dermott is gone whether he gets selected or not.

every team will have Defense available. I think Centers will be tough for Seattle. I can see them take Kerfoot

 

[Menzinger]

every team will have Defense available. I think Centers will be tough for Seattle. I can see them take Kerfoot

Yep. Also Their front office also has some stats analysts working for them, and Kerfoots always had strong underlying numbers.

I think there's a serious chance they take him regardless of who else is exposed.

 

[Stephen]

The maximum number of defensemen the Kraken can draft is 13. I believe the Kraken may find thirteen defensemen better than Dermott available on other rosters. I do value Dermott high and hope the Kraken will take Kerfoot. Moving Kerfoot would help balance Toronto's cap situation such that it might be appropriate to grease the pick.

Kerfoot would be the more convenient player to lose and I could see Seattle looking at him like one of those smaller skillsy centers like a William Karlsson, Greg Johnson, Brian Bradley, the kind of player expansion teams take a look at who might have some offensive pop. You kind of hope Dermott can have a breakout and would be good to hang onto him for one or two more years to see what he's all about.

 

[Maplebeasts]

Dermott. And then I would trade him. Holl has been ass since that Oilers series.

 

[Stonehands1990]

every team will have Defense available. I think Centers will be tough for Seattle. I can see them take Kerfoot

Kerfoot SCREAMS expansion team first line C. He reminds me of Brian Bradley for Tampa lol. Or poor man’s Marchessault

 

[Keon1963]

It may come down to who is available on other teams influencing the pick off the Toronto roster. If there is a shortage of quality centers Kerfoot may be the pick. Engvall could be a wild card.

 

[SeenSchenn2]

Dermott. And then I would trade him. Holl has been ass since that Oilers series.

This. Since Feb 1st his numbers have been veeery bad.

34/16/91/88
44/8/78/23

 

[ClarkSittler]

I like them both, wouldn't want to lose either one.

 

[Le Cobra]

Kerfoor or Dermott will be going to the Kraken

 

[moon111]

Since the Leafs HAVE to expose a forward with so much games played, etc... It's Kerfoot. He's gone.
This is going to be an excellent opportunity for him. No way they're taking Dermott over him...
Travis is a dime a dozen player they could easily find elsewhere.

 

[cupcrazyman]

Since the Leafs HAVE to expose a forward with so much games played, etc... It's Kerfoot. He's gone.
This is going to be an excellent opportunity for him. No way they're taking Dermott over him...
Travis is a dime a dozen player they could easily find elsewhere.

We already have those players in Sandin & Lilj. & Robertson.

 

[Gabriel426]

They will take Kerfoot bc there are just not enough solid Center available

 

[Gabriel426]

Since the Leafs HAVE to expose a forward with so much games played, etc... It's Kerfoot. He's gone.
This is going to be an excellent opportunity for him. No way they're taking Dermott over him...
Travis is a dime a dozen player they could easily find elsewhere.

Yep. In a way, present Hutton is Dermott in a few years if Dermott don’t improve his game.

 

[Teeder Keon]

Here’s who you don’t protect

 

[EXTRAS]

Barabanov has 7 points in 8 games since going to SJS

...And wouldn't have needed to be protected in expansion

 

[Le Cobra]

happy for him. we were stacked. even Adam Brooks would have lit it up on SJS

 

[mydnyte]

Dermott. And then I would trade him. Holl has been ass since that Oilers series.

Holl has shown a tendency to fade as the season wears on ...i'd sell high on Holl.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Yep. In a way, present Hutton is Dermott in a few years if Dermott don’t improve his game.

Hutton was never really a good defender outside of last year in LA. Dermott's worst year in the NHL at this point in his career (as a guy who is 3.5 years younger than Hutton) is much better than anything Hutton has done to this point outside of his one (seemingly) anomaly year in LA.

Hutton is a guy you bring in as a #7 or as AHL depth for injury insurance just like you would a Marincin. Dermott is at least a solid bottom pairing guy right now and could easily still become a solid 2nd pairing guy, which he has shown he is capable of doing if given the opportunity.

I think it was a toss up for much of the season, but Dermott has cemented the selection at this point. Never mind his youth, he has been consistently better than Holl for a good chunk of games now and has the flexibility of playing both sides.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Barabanov has 7 points in 8 games since going to SJS

...And wouldn't have needed to be protected in expansion

It is really irrelevant at this point. He was not playing here and he sucked here. In fact, Suomela has been a nice addition for the Marlies (which is desperately needed more than another undersized taxi squad guy).

Barabanov was also a pending UFA, so we wouldn't protect him even if he needed to be protected.

 

[jaric1862]

This shouldn't even be a decision, It's Holl all day. I think Seattle takes Kerfoot over Dermott as well.

 

[The Apologist]

This. Since Feb 1st his numbers have been veeery bad.

34/16/91/88
44/8/78/23

And yet you'd never know it reading GDTs. He doesn't qualify as a scapegoat yet apparently.

 

[frizzer1]

Dermott is younger and is improving.
Holl is terrible at handling the puck.
So.......

 

[Northernguy10]

Personally I'd rather lose Holl than Dermott or Kerfoot...I think Dubas will be doing some deals and manoeuvering before the expansion draft..I'm curious how he's going to handle all of this.