Edited Jul. 20, 2021 at 11:59 a.m.
Final Complete Expansion Draft Predictions:
Anaheim Ducks-Haydn Fleury (D)
Fleury has good upside, a little similar to Jake Bean (spoiler), and is exactly the type of young D-man a franchise would like to groom, albeit slightly costly for a relatively unproven player ($1.3 mil).
OLO (Other likely options): Sonny Milano (LW, also 25, $1.7 mil),
Jacob Larsson (D, 24, $1.2 mil)
Adam Henrique (C, best signed player on the team available, but 31 years old, and expensive at $5,825,000 per year for the next 3 years)
Arizona Coyotes-Christian Fischer (C/RW)
Don't have much confidence in this one. The 24-year-old had a pretty weak 2021 (Just 3 goals and 8 assists in 52 games) and similar 2020 (6 goals and 3 assists in 56 games), but is only 24 years old, and there aren't a whole lot of great options in the ARI organization.
OLO: Ilya Liyubushkin (D, 27, $1 mil, the most likely option if not Fischer)
Tyler Pitlick (RW, 29, $1.75 mil, not great upside)
Boston Bruins-Jeremy Lauzon (D)
A slew of options here for the Kraken. Taylor Hall, David Krejci, and Tukka Rask are all unprotected FA's, but they've all indicated they only want to sign with Boston. So I'll say that Seattle takes the young D-man over his blue line mates Jakub Zboril (also 24) and Connor Clifton (26), in the hopes that he becomes famous for something other than passing a puck off of Pastrnak's skate for Casey Cizikas's breakaway.
OLO: Jakub Zboril (D, 24, $725,000)
Connor Clifton (D, 26, $1,000,000)
Curtis Lazar (C, 26, $800,000)
Buffalo Sabres-Cody Eakin (C)
Dustin Tokarski was my pick here, but now that they look to have a deal in place for Driedger, Eakin probably gets picked. He was pretty good in Vegas, and while he hasn't been great in Buffalo, nobody's good in Buffalo (Exhibit A: Taylor Hall).
OLO: Colin Miller (D, 28, $3.875 mil)
Dustin Tokarski (G, 31, $725,000)
Calgary Flames-Brett Ritchie (RW)
This is simply a case of the best player being too old, and too expensive for too short a time. Mark Giordano is 37, has just 1 year left on his contract, and rings to the tune of $6,750,000. His veteran presence can be filled by a certain Montreal Canadiens goalie who the Kraken will have the cap space for IF they pass on Giordano. Enter Ritchie, a 28-year-old winger with upside who can provide solid 3rd line depth at just $700,000.
OLO: Giordano (See above)
Oliver Kylington (D, 24, $787,500)
Carolina Hurricanes-Jake Bean (D, RFA)
There are almost as many options here for the Kraken as they've got from the Lightning. But goalies Petr Mrazek and James Reimer are FA's who will be highly in demand, as will Dougie Hamilton, one of the best D-men in the league. Assuming the Kraken can't sign one of them, the spotlight shines on Bean, who could be the Shea Theodore of this draft for Seattle, and should be sign-able as an RFA.
OLO: Steven Lorentz (C, 25, $725,000, shone in crunch time for the Canes, and if the Kraken go offense over defense, he'll likely be it)
Morgan Geekie (C, 22, $763,333)
Nino Niederreiter (LW, 28, the best signed player available, but costly at $5,250,000 for only one year, similar to David Perron for the Knights in 2017)
Chicago Blackhawks-Malcolm Subban (G)
My thinking here is that the Kraken will have Subban and Kappo Kahkonen (spoiler again) contend for the No. 2 job, then trade the loser. Colin Delia could also be an option. but he has less upside than Subban.
OLO: Colin Delia (G, 27, 1 mil)
Nikita Zadorov (D, 26, 3.2 mil, RFA)
Calvin De Haan (D, 30, 4.55 mil)
Colorado Avalanche-Joonas Donskoi (RW)
It's either Donskoi or J.T. Compher, and while both are solid players, Donskoi is an all-around Top 6 F coming off a 2021 campaign which saw him put up 30 points for the fourth year in a row (and second straight shortened season), and keep in mind that he doesn't play on the Avs triple-headed-monster line of MacKinnon/Landeskog/Rantanen.
OLO: J.T. Compher (C/RW, 26, 3.5 mil)
Columbus Blue Jackets-Kevin Stenlund (C/RW)
Max Domi could be the pick here, but he's coming off a lousy campaign and costs 5.3 mil. Take Stenlund.
OLO: Max Domi (See above)
Dean Kukan (D, 28, $1,650,000)
Dallas Stars-Joel Hanley (D)
Andrej Sekera and Blake Comeau are both 35 years old, while Hanley is 30 and has much higher upside than either one, while costing just $700,000 per year up until 2023. Tanner Kero could also be an option.
OLO: Blake Comeau (LW, 35, 2.4 mil)
Andrej Sekera (D, 35, 1.5 mil)
Tanner Kero (C, 28, $762,500)
Detroit Red Wings-Troy Stecher (D)
Yet another D-man for the Kraken, Stecher is a solid Top 4 defenseman and a pretty easy choice for the Kraken here in my mind.
OLO: Vladislav Namestnikov (RW, 28, $2,000,000)
Edmonton Oilers-Devin Shore (LW)
This all comes down to whether the Kraken will be willing to spend 4.167 mil per year for the next 2 years on Oscar Klefbom. If not, Shore should be the obvious choice in a weak field.
OLO: Oscar Klefbom (D, 27, 4.167 mil)
Florida Panthers: Chris Driedger (G)
Frank Vatrano or Noel Acciari? I was stunned that Florida chose to sign and then protect Anthony Duclair and Gustav Forsling over either one, and deal the Kraken a solid Top 6 man in Vatrano, or even a slightly older but cheaper Acciari (29 but locked up for 2 years at $1,666,667, Vatrano is 27 and has one year left at $2,533,333). However, it looks like the Kraken will sign the goalie Driedger over taking either of the aforementioned players for 3 years, 10.5 mil.
OLO: Acciari (See above)
Vatrano (See above)
Markus Nutivarra (D, 27, 2.7 mil)
Los Angeles Kings-Kurtis MacDermid (D)
Brendan Lemieux is the type of player the Kraken would love to develop, but that would mean 17 forwards and just 9 defensemen (the bare minimum) based on the other selections I have them making. Thus, I think MacDermid gets the call here, though if Lemieux gets picked, I would not be remotely surprised.
OLO: Brendan Lemieux (LW, 25, 1.55 mil)
Minnesota Wild-Kappo Kahkonen (G)
I have zero doubt in this one. Kahkonen showed a lot of promise behind Cam Talbot. He's going to Seattle to contend for the job behind one of the best. (Keep reading)
OLO: Victor Rask (C, 28, 4 mil)
Nick Bjugstad (C, 29, $2,050,000)
Montreal Canadiens-Carey Price (G)
This is it. This is the crown jewel every startup franchise dreams of, the Marc-Andre Fleury for the Knights the Kraken are salivating over. PICK. PRICE. The 10.5 million per year for the next 5 years shouldn't scare off Seattle; Price is worth every bit of it. His star talent aside, he's the veteran presence you need in a new organization, the same way the aforementioned Fleury was for Vegas. The Canadiens are taking a HUGE gamble by leaving him exposed, and the Kraken should grab him. If not, they'll still have a lot of other options to choose from, though none as good as Price.
OLO: Shea Weber (D, 35, $7,857,143)
Brett Kulak (D, 27, 1.85 mil)
Jonathan Drouin (LW, 26, 5.5 mil)
Nashville Predators-Ryan Johansen (C)
Changes are coming in Nashville. Pekka Rinne is gone, Viktor Arvidsson is gone, Ryan Ellis is gone, and now one of Matt Duchene, Johansen and Colton Sissons is next. Johansen and Duchene seem the more likely, and probably Johansen gets picked due to his less injury-plagued history and higher potential. The Kraken find themselves their No. 1 center.
OLO: Matt Duchene (C, 30, 8 million per year for the next 5 years)
Colton Sissons (RW, 27, $2,857,143 per year for the next 5 years)
New Jersey Devils-Will Butcher (D)
The money for P.K. Subban isn't there, nor for Andreas Johnsson. Butcher gets picked.
OLO: Really, none. I am highly confident in this one.
New York Islanders-Josh Bailey (LW/RW)
Josh Bailey or Jordan Eberle, period. Bailey should be the choice due to his higher scoring history and slightly less expensive price tag.
OLO: Jordan Eberle (RW, 31, 5,550,000 mil per year for the next 3 years)
New York Rangers-Colin Blackwell (C)
The Rangers protected well and left slim pickings. Take Blackwell as a Bottom 6 forward who still has some room to grow.
OLO: Julien Gauthier (RW, 23, $863,333)
Anthony Bittetto (D, 31, $737,500)
Ottawa Senators-Josh Brown (D)
Evegeni Dadonov would be a solid Top 6 winger, but carries a cost of 5 mil per year for the next 2 years each. Chris Tierney could be the pick here, but I think Brown's smaller cap hit gets him the nod.
OLO: Evgeni Dadonov (RW, 32, See above)
Chris Tierney (C, 27, 3.5 mil)
Joey D'accord (G, 24, $750,000)
Philadelphia Flyers-James Van Riemsdyk (LW)
Jakub Voracek costing 8.25 mil per year for the next 3 years each clears the way for JVR (the superior player anyway in my mind), who immediately becomes a line one winger for the Kraken. Shayne Gostisbehere could also be an option should Seattle elect to go D, but he's coming off a couple of down years.
OLO: Jakub Voracek (31, RW, See above)
Shayne Gostisbehere (D, 28, 4.5 mil per year for the next 2 years)
Pittsburgh Penguins-Brandon Tanev (RW)
Jason Zucker's been steadily declining over the past few seasons, while Tanev seems to be finding his stride. Additionally, Zucker costs 5.5 million each year for the next two years, while Tanev comes with a price tag of 3.5 mil each year for the next 4 years, a pretty decent price for a long-term forward, although Seattle could elect to go the D-man route and take Marcus Petersson, albeit at a higher price.
OLO: Marcus Pettersson (D, 25, $4,025,175)
Jason Zucker (LW, 29, $5,500,000)
San Jose Sharks-Dylan Gambrell (C)
It's either Gambrell or Matt Nieto, and with the latter being 28, the edge goes to the 24-year-old and his noticeable potential.
OLO: Matt Nieto (LW, 28, $700,000)
St. Louis Blues-Vladimir Tarasenko (RW)
The Blues seem to be begging the Kraken to take the injury-plagued Russian and his contract off their hands, and I'd oblige. Tarasenko is still only 29, and only a few seasons removed from 5 straight years of 65 points or more. He's worth the price tag (7.5 mil each year for the next two years), and will slide in to Seattle's top line alongside Johansen and Van Riemsdyk.
OLO: Sammy Blais (RW, 25, 1.5 mil)
Tampa Bay Lightning-Tyler Johnson (C)
Nobody left more saliva-inducing pieces on the chopping block for the Kraken then the greatest team on Earth (not that I'm biased or anything) in the Lightning-Palat, Killorn, Johnson, Gourde-but Seattle can only take one. I get the sense that due to the need for a depth center (especially with Frank Vatrano off the table), it comes down to Johnson and Yanni Gourde. Both are razor-close in talent and cap impact (Johnson is 30 years old and has 3 years left at 5 mil a year, Gourde is 29 and has 4 years left at $5,166,666 a year), but I think the edge goes to Johnson for his veteran presence (Gourde's only played four full seasons, Johnson's played 7) and slightly lower cap hit.
OLO: Yanni Gourde (See above)
Ondrej Palat (LW, 30, 5.3 mil)
Alex Killorn (LW, 31, 4.45 mil per year for two years)
Mathieu Joseph (C/RW, 24, $737,500)
Cal Foote (D, 22, $925,000)
Toronto Maple Leafs-Travis Dermott (D)
I don't think the Leafs will have the cap space for Kerfoot or McCann (though both are acute possibilities), which leaves the way for either Pierre Engvall or Dermott. The defenseman gets the edge due to bigger need on the back end.
OLO: Alexander Kerfoot (C, 26, 3.5 mil per year for the next two years)
Jared McCann (LW, 25, 2.94 mil)
Pierre Engvall (LW, 25, 1.25 mil)
Vancouver Canucks-Jake Virtanen (RW)
This is a fairly obvious pick. Virtanen is just 24 years old and already producing for Vancouver. However, he does come with a cap hit of 2.55 mil, which may lead to Zack MacEwen or Madison Bowey getting called.
OLO: Zack MacEwen (C, 25, $825,000)
Madison Bowey (D, 26, $725,000)
Washington Capitals-Brendan Dillon (D)
Carl Hagelin, Nic Dowd, and Conor Sheary are all possiblities here, but the number of tantalizing options at the blue line-Justin Schultz, Dillon, Michal Kempny and Nick Jensen-are too good to pass up. Schultz is the best of the bunch, but he's only under contract for 1 year, while Dillon is for 3. I think he gets the nod, though don't be surprised if it's Jensen for his lower cap hit. And no, they're not getting Ovechkin.
OLO: Justin Schultz (D, 31, 4 mil)
Nick Jensen (D, 30, 2.5 mil for 2 years each)
Michal Kempny (D, 30 2.5 mil)
Carl Hagelin (32, LW, 2.75 mil)
Conor Sheary (29, LW, $735,000)
Winnipeg Jets-Mason Appleton (C/RW)
A bargain at $900,000, Appleton is a quickly developing player with Top 6 Forward and 20-goal potential. He should be the easy choice.
OLO: Dylan Demelo (D, 28, 3 mil for 3 years each)
Nathan Beaulieu (D, 28, $1,250,000)
In summary: 16 forwards, 10 defensemen, 4 goalies, approx. 80.1/80.5 million used. Wishing the Kraken nothing but the worst. Let's go Lightning!