The NHL expansion draft is rapidly approaching! This will be the means by which the Vegas Golden Knights acquire players for their inaugural NHL season in 2017-18. In preparation, I will be posting a series of posts to explore the rules of the draft, and how the Winnipeg Jets might approach it. The series will include:
- Exploring the rules of the NHL expansion draft and how they apply to the Winnipeg Jets
- 7/3/1 or 8/1 for the Winnipeg Jets?
- The Defense: would Toby Enstrom waive his No-move clause?
- The Forwards: will the Jets try to cash in on Mathieu Perreault’s peak value by trading him prior to the expansion draft?
- Veteran goaltender: exploring the impact of acquiring one before the expansion draft
- My projected Winnipeg Jets expansion draft protected list.
Just a quick post today as I am off camping! First of all, an update to the Jets eligibility list. With Marko Dano's contract extension a few days ago, he now fulfills the minimum experience requirements that I discussed in my first post. This would allow the Jets to protect all of Lowry, Perreault and Armia should they choose to employ a 7/3/1 protected list.
Having said that, I believe the Jets will go with a 8/1 protected list. This belief is based on the assumption that Tyler Myers will be considered fit physically, with no longterm medical issues. If the Jets' medical staff determine otherwise, I would expect Myers to be left unprotected, and the Jets to go 7/3/1.
So here is my list:
Connor Hellebuyck
Jacob Trouba
Dustin Byfuglien
Toby Engstrom
Tyler Myers
Mark Scheifele
Blake Wheeler
Brian Little
Adam Lowry