Expansion draft: who do you protect?

[gebobs]

Each team has option of protecting 3 defensemen, 7 forwards and 1 goalie or 8 skaters and 1 goalie. Of course, Las Vegas, the presumable expansion team, will be looking at the top of the league first, not at poor, downtrodden Buffalo. But, just for the heck of it, if the draft was tomorrow, who do we protect? Let's just start with the current roster. No rookies will be eligible anyway so Fasching and the rest of his class are safe.

The only reason I can think of to go Plan B is if you have a wealth of forward talent. Buffalo does not.

Forwards: O'Reilly, Eichel, Reinhart, Kane, (Foligno, Girgensons, Ennis) these last three can be swapped out for someone like Stamkos :-)
Defense: Risto, McCabe, Bogo (or do we let Bogo go and protect Pysyk?)
Goalie: Lehner obviously though I love Chad Trenta y Uno

I'm not real up on the contracts and such and a lot of that is obviously left to sort out. What do you guys think?

Anyhoo...check out the roster projection for LV made here:

Centers:
1 – Mike Fisher (NSH)
2 – David Desharnais (MTL)
3 – Nick Bonino (PIT)
4 – Jay McClement (CAR)

Left Wing:
1 – Antoine Roussel (DAL)
2 – Alexander Burmistrov (WPG)
3 – Blake Comeau (COL)
4 – Patrick Maroon (EDM)

Right Wing:
1 – Kevin Hayes (NYR)
2 – Brett Connolly (BOS)
3 – Cal Clutterbuck (NYI)
4 – Trevor Lewis (LA)

Defense:
1 – Carl Gunnarsson (STL)
1 – Matt Carle (TB)
2 – Marc Methot (OTT)
2 – David Savard (CLB)
3 – Marco Scandella (MIN)
3 – Trevor van Riemsdyk (CHI)

Goaltending:
1 – Frederick Anderson (ANA)
2 – Jonathan Bernier (TOR)

Extras:
Boyd Gordon (ARI)
Jake McCabe (BUF)
Jyrki Jokipakka (CAL)
Tomas Jurco (DET)
Dave Bolland (FLA)
Tyler Kennedy (NJ)
Michael Raffl (PHI)
James Reimer (SJS)
Linden Vey (VAN)
Tom Wilson (WAS)

[Dr. Lecter]

Re: Expansion draft: who do you protect?

I don't think 2nd year players need to be protected either. So Reinhart and Eichel are fine

[gebobs]

Re: Expansion draft: who do you protect?

I don't think 2nd year players need to be protected either. So Reinhart and Eichel are fine

That would be true if the draft was this year, but they will have finished their second year when the draft takes place in June '17.

[Dr. Lecter]

Re: Expansion draft: who do you protect?

That would be true if the draft was this year, but they will have finished their second year when the draft takes place in June '17.

But, just for the heck of it, if the draft was tomorrow, who do we protect

Geez, you are changing the rules!

[Dr. Lecter]

Re: Expansion draft: who do you protect?

Anyhow, they would be exempt next year too - apparently

While all the rules and regulations of a potential expansion draft haven't been firmed up yet, deputy commissioner Bill Daly did tell NHL GMs last week that entry-level players entering their third pro season would need to be protected. Now, there's lots of confusion out there about what exactly that means. We're being told players such as Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, who burned a year this season and will burn another next season, won't have to be protected in an expansion draft because they're considered second-year players.

http://www.tsn.ca/talent/the-insider-odds-are-matthews-heading-north-to-canada-1.458256

[gebobs]

Re: Expansion draft: who do you protect?

Geez, you are changing the rules!

Yeah, I know. All rules are repealed. Let's just discuss. There's not much else to talk about regarding the Sabres.

[chernobylwraiths]

Re: Expansion draft: who do you protect?

G - obvious
D - Risto, Pysyk, Bogo (thankfully, McCabe will be only a second year player)
F - O'Reilly, Kane, Ennis, Girgensons, Larsson and Foligno if they are all here, maybe Deslauriers too. Probably though we will need to protect a guy we get and drop one of these guys.

[coastal]

Re: Expansion draft: who do you protect?

Sign Stamkos and add him to list.

Trade ennis and Girgensons and a draft pick if need be for a partner for Risto.... and then add that defensemen to the list.

[YardRat]

Re: Expansion draft: who do you protect?

Can you get 'cute' and trade a player or two to the expansion teams and protect the rest of the roster from the draft?

[JATMtheJATM]

Re: Expansion draft: who do you protect?

What, protect reinhart? He's only gonna be a third liner if we are lucky. Bust city

[coastal]

Re: Expansion draft: who do you protect?

In your case I'm rooting for the lead.