Tag: 2021 NHL expansion draft

2021 NHL mock expansion draft: Projecting the Seattle Kraken’s 30-player roster

Let’s mock draft the Seattle Kraken’s upcoming expansion draft.

The NHL expansion draft is right around the corner, as the Seattle Kraken are set to take their place as the 32nd team in the league. The protection lists for all 30 teams — minus Vegas — have been submitted as we approach one of the biggest nights of the NHL offseason on Wednesday.

With just a short time left until Seattle makes their picks, it feels only right that we too here at For The Win jump in on the mock draft fun that everyone else seems to be having. Thanks to CapFriendly’s incredible expansion draft simulator on their website, we were able to mock up a Kraken roster of our own that fits the requirements they’ll be working with.

Here’s a breakdown of what rules Seattle must follow for Wednesday’s expansion draft.

  • One player from each of the 30 teams must be taken.
  • The Kraken must draft a minimum of 14 forwards, nine defensemen, and three goaltenders.
  • There must be at least 20 players under contract for the 2021-22 season.
  • Seattle has to stay between 60 to 100 percent of the salary cap, with a minimum of $48.9 million and a maximum of $81.5 million.

As for how I drafted the Kraken’s roster, I looked to build a contending team while also giving Seattle the cap flexibility that general manager Ron Francis said was key for this team. While I left some cap space for Seattle to work with, I did not fully take into consideration Seattle having to re-sign their unrestricted and restricted free agents, as I am not a mind reader. I also did not attempt to predict which players, if any, that Seattle picks then immediately flips to another team, nor any trades Seattle makes to acquire these players.

In the end, I finished with 16 forwards, 11 defensemen, and three goaltenders. I hit the 20 player mark for 2021-22 contracts right on the nose as well with an initial cap hit of $71.2 million, leaving just over $10 million for Seattle to sign their UFAs and RFAs or make trades.

Here’s how my mock draft looks, with explanations for some of the major additions or omissions along the way!

[listicle id=1053306]

The 6 most intriguing NHL players exposed for the 2021 expansion draft

NHL teams left some surprising players exposed for the expansion draft.

The NHL expansion draft is drawing closer by the day, but we now have a clearer picture as to whom the Seattle Kraken will pick by midweek. The protection lists for all 30 participating NHL teams have been revealed, and there are some interesting names left off the list.

Given the depth of many NHL teams, this expansion draft was always going to be a difficult exercise for general managers across the league. Even still, there are a handful of names left exposed for the Kraken to pick up that are head-turners, whether they be players already on the way out or players who were once thought essential but are now expendable.

With that in mind, here are the six most intriguing NHL players left off protected lists ahead of the upcoming expansion draft.

2021 NHL expansion draft: Every team’s protected player lists

The 2021 NHL expansion draft is just around the corner.

It’s officially expansion draft season in the NHL! The Seattle Kraken are set to take their place as the 32nd NHL team this fall, but first they have to assemble a roster to put on the ice.

Enter: the expansion draft. On Wednesday, July 21 at 8 p.m. ET, the Kraken will pick one player from each of the 30 NHL teams — minus the previous expansion team the Vegas Golden Knights, who are exempt. Seattle, however, can’t pick any player they want, as teams will protect a handful of players on their roster and the Kraken can choose from the rest.

Here’s a breakdown of the basic NHL expansion draft rules, for your convenience:

  • Teams must protect either seven forwards, three defensemen, and one goalie or eight skaters (forwards and defensemen) plus one goalie.
  • Players with no-move clauses must be protected, though a player can waive it and be unprotected if they choose.
  • Rookies, second-year players, and unsigned draft picks cannot be selected by Seattle.

With the basics out of the way, here are all 30 NHL team’s protected lists as they are revealed.