19-20 (Seattle Expansion)

Team: 2019-20 Nashville Predators

Initial Creation Date: Feb. 21, 2018

Published: Feb. 21, 2018

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

Preds add Patrick Harper after 3 years at BU in favor of resigning Pontus Aberg (maybe able to trade rights as he is an RFA) in the summer of 2019. With the Seattle expansion expected in the summer of 2020 the Preds have set up contracts to avoid losses of their top players and the core defenseman assuming the same rules as the Vegas expansion. Both Fabbro and Harper would be exempt on ELCs with 2 or fewer years of experience. Sarros, Josi, Weber, Irwin, Smith, Watson, and Gaudreau would all be on expiring contracts and entering UFA. Preds would protect Forsberg, Johansen, Arvidsson, Fiala, Turris, Tolvanen (assuming he burns a year joining Preds in spring of 2018), Järnkrok, Subban, Ekholm, Ellis, and Rinne. This uses the 7F-3D-1G format for protection. This leaves Neal, Bonino, and Sissons as they only exposed players with any contract left at forward (assume Neal is protected if Tolvanen doesn't burn a year of contract in spring 2018 making him exempt), Weber and/or Irwin are given a contract extension to expose a defensman, and expose whoever the AHL goaltender is at the time.