Gaudreau Monahan Lindholm Tkachuk Mangiapane Dube Backlund Andersson Hanifin Tanev Markstrom is Flames protection list IMO since Lucic has waived

Some clarifying notes:

(1) SEA passes on young ANA forwards Sam Steel and Max Jones to select a promising young defenseman in Haydn Fleury.

(2) ARI will likely give up an asset to retain Adin Hill as backup to Darcy Kuemper. Considering SEA is not being asked to take on any salary, a 2nd Round Pick seems appropriate compensation for avoiding Hill.

(3) SEA has a choice between two young BOS defensemen in Connor Clifton and Jeremy Lauzon. This pick could go either way, but Clifton seems like a slightly more NHL-ready option.

(4) BUF defenseman Colin Miller becomes the only player to join both VGK and SEA via their respective expansion drafts.

(5) With Milan Lucic waiving his NMC, CGY is left leaving Mikael Backlund exposed. It’s possible CGY attempts to protect Backlund by offering compensation to SEA (especially with a young defenseman in Oliver Kylington also exposed), but SEA chooses to select the veteran center anyway.

(6) SEA passes on veteran CAR defenseman Jake Gardiner to select the promising young forward prospect Morgan Geekie.

(7) SEA selects forward Brett Connolly from CHI for his Stanley Cup experience.

(8) Erik Johnson waives his NMC to allow COL to protect its four young defensemen, but SEA decides to select forward J.T. Compher and give him a shot at a Top-6 role.

(9) SEA passes on CBJ forward Gus Nyquist to select defenseman Dean Kukan.

(10) DAL cannot protect goalie Anton Khudobin, who gets his shot at being a No.1 in SEA.

(11) SEA has a choice between DET forward Evgeny Svechnikov and defenseman Christian Djoos. This pick is likely decided by the CGY pick, and since SEA chose a forward from the Flames, they take the defenseman Djoos from DET.

(12) With the acquisition of Duncan Keith, EDM can no longer protect young defenseman Ethan Bear, who becomes the SEA pick.

(13) SEA decides to take young FLA goaltender Sam Montembeault, who has become largely overlooked in FLA due to the emergence of Chris Driedger and Spencer Knight.

(14) SEA has a choice between LAK forwards Austin Wagner and Brendan Lemieux, but ultimately choose the latter for his physical style of play.

(15) Much like during the VGK expansion draft, MIN is unable to protect Matt Dumba. The price of protecting him (and shedding the contract of forward Victor Rask) is a young prospect (here chosen to be forward Mason Shaw, but could be any similar caliber player) and a 1st Round Pick.

(16) MTL is unable to protect four defensemen, and leaves Ben Chiarot available for SEA to select.

(17) NSH is unwilling to pay the steep price required to off-load the contract of Matt Duchene, and SEA decides to select versatile forward Calle Jarnkrok.

(18) The recent signing of defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler allows NJD to protect defenseman Will Butcher, leaving SEA to select forward Andreas Johnsson.

(19) NYI seize an opportunity to part ways with Andrew Ladd (and his $5.5M cap hit), but the price is forward prospect Kieffer Bellows and two 2nd Round Picks. SEA then buys-out the final two years of Ladd’s contract.

(20) The recent signing of forward Brett Howden allows NYR to protect forward Colin Blackwell. SEA then opts to pass on defenseman Tony Deangelo and select Howden.

(21) SEA passes on unprotected defenseman Josh Brown and selects Bottom-6 center Nick Paul.

(22) SEA decides to reunite PHI defenseman Shayne Gostibehere with coach Dave Hakstol in the hopes of reigniting his career. The price for absorbing his contract is a roster forward (such as Nick Aube-Kubel) and two Draft Picks.

(23) PIT is unable to sell SEA on forward Jason Zucker, instead losing yet another goaltender (this time Casey DeSmith) to an expansion draft.

(24) SJS are unable to protect all of their forwards and must leave Kevin Labanc exposed. The price of ensuring SEA does not select him (on top of their regular selection – forward Matt Nieto) is a prospect (here chosen to be forward Sasha Chmelevski) and a 1st Round Pick.

Update: After soliciting feedback, the SJS choice may have to change. If SJS do not alter their roster and Labanc is left unprotected, the 1st Round Pick has been deemed a steep price and can be lowered to a 2nd Round Pick. However, it is likely that SJS sign Dylan Gambrell this week, in which case they would be able to protect Labanc and no longer have to give up anything to SEA.

(25) STL has run into salary cap issues with some of its RFAs which cannot be protected. SEA decides to provide some assistance by selecting forward Zach Sanford instead of defenseman Vince Dunn, but the price is a depth defenseman (such as Steven Santini) and a 1st Round Pick.

(26) The defending Stanley Cup Champs are in serious cap trouble and desire to part ways with the contract of forward Tyler Johnson. In return, SEA demands a steep price – a promising prospect in forward Taylor Raddysh (alternately, could be defenseman Cal Foote, but TBL is likely to fight harder to keep him) as well as a 1st Round Pick.

(27) TOR is relatively well-prepared for the expansion draft and has few quality players exposed. Rather than take on the contract of T.J. Brodie, SEA selects forgotten forward prospect Denis Malgin.

(28) SEA selects VAN depth defenseman Madison Bowey.

(29) WSH must protect young goalie prospect Ilya Samsonov, and so SEA is left to select up-and-coming goalie Vitek Vanecek.

(30) SEA has a choice between WPG forward Andrew Copp and defenseman Nathan Beaulieu. Both choices are high quality, but in this case SEA chooses to round out its defense corps with Beaulieu.

(31) SEA decides to trade newly acquired defenseman Christian Djoos for a late-round draft pick due to having depth at the position. Here, CBJ is chosen as the destination since they have room for a depth defender.

(32) SEA decides to trade newly acquired forward Matt Nieto for draft picks due to having too many Bottom-6 forwards. Here, CAR is chosen as the destination since Nieto appears to fit their style of play.

(33) SEA uses free agency to sign a Top-6 forward and Top-4 defenseman, each with quality playoff experience. A good example of such players are Brandon Saad and David Savard, but other options are available.

I agree with all but Backlund - they must keep two qualifying forwards exposed (Lucic is one, Backlund makes two).

I’m sorry, wHAT???

Whoa the san Jose 2022 1st has good odds at being Shane Wright and there's like 7 other excellent prospects in that draft it's not valid for that 😳

Not sure they'd even need to do that anyhow 🤔

As ever I advocate for exposing Couture ✔

Sharks will likely protect:
Couture
Kane
Hertl
Labanc
Meier
Balcers
Dahlen

Karlsson
Burns
Vlasic

Korenar/whoever they trade for this week

Seattle will likely chose one of:
Gambrell
Donato
Nieto
Simek

I understand the 1st may be a bit steep... I was teetering between a 1st or a 2nd, and went with the higher price (since GM Francis has said he will be very demanding in negotiations). I could easily see this being a 2nd, though, and it seems like the consensus here is that Labanc's value is shy of a first. Thanks for the feedback!

And exposing Couture is an interesting idea, I didn't think of that at all.

I agree that's the protection list they would like to have, but they need to leave two qualifying forwards unprotected (under contract next season and meets games played minimum). As of now, Nieto satisfies this (making one) and then the second must come from the group of Labanc, Hertl, Couture, Meier, and Kane (hence my thinking Labanc would be exposed). Gambrell and Donato do not meet the criteria (not under contract in 21-22) unless one of them is signed before the end of this week (which I think SJ should try to do).

Gambrell will be the one to get signed this week most likely, Donato might not get qualified (apparently, although he was Seattle's pick by The Athletic's writers)

That would make sense. I will do another mock expansion draft at the end of week when the roster freeze takes effect, and hopefully this is the case and SJ does not have to give up prospects/picks to protect its core forwards.

Thanks for the feedback!