The NHL on Sunday released the protected lists for the 30 teams participating in the Seattle Kraken's expansion draft, which will take place on Wednesday at 8 p.m.
Each team (minus Vegas, who is exempt from the draft) could protect one goaltender and either eight total skaters regardless of position or seven forwards and three defensemen.
The Penguins chose to do the latter, and their protected list can be found here.
All 30 protected lists can be found here.
From the players left exposed, Seattle must select a minimum of 20 players under contract for 2021-22 and have a combined 2020-21 salary cap value between $48.9 million and $81.5 million. Seattle must choose at least 14 forwards, nine defensemen, and three goaltenders. The remaining four picks can be players of any position.
Seattle has a 48 hour period beginning today during which the team can speak with any unprotected pending unrestricted free agents. If Seattle agrees to a deal with one of those players during this period, that will count as the expansion draft selection from that player's team.
It's worth noting that while the NHL is currently in a roster/signing freeze until Thursday at 1 p.m., the Kraken are not under any sort of freeze. Teams can still trade assets like draft picks to the Kraken in exchange for expansion draft considerations, so that may impact the Kraken's decisions over the next couple of days.
Dave Molinari and I are each doing our own mock draft today, making our own picks to build Seattle's team. Dave's can be found here.
Below is the team I've put together following the guidelines listed above. I chose 16 forwards, 11 defensemen, and 3 goaltenders, with a total of 23 players under contract for next season. The combined cap hit of this team based on the players' cap hits last season is $79.2 million. The cap hits of just the 23 players under contract for next season is $67.6 million, giving the Kraken a little room to re-sign some of the free agents chosen or be active in free agency.
FORWARDS
Jordan Eberle (Islanders) - Eberle's a proven top-six winger, and his total of 16 goals this season was two goals shy of the Islanders' team lead. With three years left on a deal that has a $5.5 million cap hit, he has a reasonable contract too.
Max Domi (Blue Jackets) - Domi had shoulder surgery in June and is expected to be sidelined until November or December, but it's still tough to imagine Seattle passing him up. He's still young at 26, and has a year left on his contract with a $5.3 million cap hit. So if he isn't a fit, he'd be a good candidate to be moved out next trade deadline and bring back a decent return. Low-risk, high-reward.
Nino Niederreiter (Hurricanes) - Niederreiter's one of the better wingers available, left exposed in part due to Carolina's cap constraints. He finished second in goals (20) and seventh in points (34) on the Hurricanes last season. He has one year left on his contract that carries a $5.25 million cap hit.
Yanni Gourde (Lightning) - The Lightning, with their cap constraints, have some good options available for Seattle. Gourde has a tough contract to take on, at $5.17 million for four more years, but it's worth it. He can be a solid penalty-killer for the Kraken, but he puts up points too, with 36 (17 goals, 19 assists) in 56 games.
Evgenii Dadonov (Senators) - Dadonov, 32, is the Senators' best skater available. He scored 13 goals and 20 assists in 55 games last season -- decent numbers, but not exactly living up to the expectations he was given when he signed a three-year deal last October that carries a $5 million cap hit. Perhaps Seattle would be a better fit. One of the Kraken's assistant coaches, Paul McFarland, coached the Panthers' power play from 2017-19 when Dadonov had a lot of success there.
Brandon Tanev (Penguins) - I still wouldn't rule out the Kraken taking a crack at Jason Zucker, who was once a 33-goal scorer but just hasn't been a great fit in Pittsburgh so far. But there aren't many players like Tanev in the league, and he can be used up and down the lineup if a spark is needed. I think Seattle picks him.
J.T. Compher (Avalanche) - Compher's a good, two-way forward who can play wing or center if needed. He's still young at 26, and makes a reasonable $3.5 million.
Paul Byron (Canadiens) - Byron is 32 and wore an 'A' in Montreal in the last three seasons, and could be a good veteran presence in the franchise's early years.
Jared McCann (Maple Leafs) - Yeah, the Leafs left McCann exposed a day after acquiring him. Remember last week's Drive about whether the Penguins should protect McCann or Tanev? There's a decent chance both end up in Seattle. McCann is one of the younger forwards on here at 25, so he still has room to grow. He led the Penguins in power play goals last year, can play both center and wing, and makes a reasonable $2.94 million for another year before becoming an RFA. I think he could be a good pickup for Seattle.
Calle Jarnkrok (Predators) - Jarnkrok had one of his better offensive seasons last year, scoring 13 goals and 15 assists in 49 games. He's versatile, and can play center and both wings. Great contract, with only a year left at $2 million.
Tyler Pitlick (Coyotes) - The Coyotes really just don't have a great group from which to choose, and Pitlick is probably the best skater available among guys who cost less than $5 million. He's 29 and has a year left on his $1.75 million contract.
Devin Shore (Oilers) - The Oilers aren't the deepest of teams, but Shore is a decent young player who could be depth for the Kraken. He's 26, can play center and both wings, and has two years left making $850,000 per year.
Blake Lizotte (Kings) - Lizotte is young at 23, so he still has room to grow, but he could be good bottom-six, penalty-killing depth for the Kraken to start. He has a year on his deal making $800,000.
Colin Blackwell (Rangers) - Another good depth player, Blackwell is 28 and has a year left making $725,000. The Rangers at times used him in an elevated role alongside Ryan Strome and Artemi Panarin, and he scored 12 goals and 10 assists in 47 games.
Sven Baertschi (Canucks) - Really, there wasn't anyone worth picking on Vancouver. Baertschi is a pending UFA. Maybe try to move his signing rights for a low draft pick, but otherwise let him walk. Seattle doesn't need to actually keep all 30 players, only so many can fit on a roster.
Adam Mascherin (Stars) - Mascherin has spent the last three years playing for the Texas Stars in the AHL and is a RFA this summer following the expiration of his entry-level deal. He's 23 and plays center and wing. I'd sign him and try to pass him through waivers to the AHL if claimed.
DEFENSEMEN
Shayne Gostisbehere (Flyers) - Gostisbehere led all Flyers defensemen in goals (9) and finished second among Flyers defensemen in points (20) in 41 games. He could be a piece for the Kraken's power play. He has a moderately-high cap hit at $4.5 million, but only is signed for two more years.
Brendon Dillon (Capitals) - Dillon's a heavy, physical shutdown defenseman, and played well in Washington. He's somewhat local too, from Surrey, British Columbia, just North of the Canadian border above Washington state. He's making $3.9 million for another three years.
Will Butcher (Devils) - Butcher had great offensive success in the past, putting up 44 points in 81 games as a rookie in 2017-18 and 30 points in 78 games the following season. He dealt with injury in the 2019-20 season and was a healthy scratch at times this past season, but Seattle could be a good fresh start to get Butcher back to the way he was playing before. With only one year left on a contract that carries a $3.73 million cap hit, it'd be a low-risk pickup.
Dylan DeMelo (Jets) - DeMelo's a 28-year-old physical, mobile defenseman. He did tend to put up more points as well earlier in his career. He has three years left on his contract making $3 million per year.
Radim Simek (Sharks) - The Sharks are another team with not much to choose from here, but Simek might be the best bet among the defensemen available. He's a 28-year-old physical defensemen and has three years left making $2.25 million.
Troy Stecher (Red Wings) - A two-way, playmaking defenseman. He's had decent offensive numbers in his career, and is still somewhat young at 27.
Haydn Fleury (Ducks) - A 6-foot-3, physical, 25-year-old defenseman. A former first-round pick of the Hurricanes, he was just traded to the Ducks last season.
Jeremy Lauzon (Bruins) - Kraken assistant coach Jay Leach was previously head coach of the Bruins' AHL affiliate in Providence, so he's familiar with Lauzon. He's a physical, penalty-killing third-pairing-type defenseman. He's young at 24 and has time and room to improve. He has just one year left on his contract that carries a $850,000 cap hit.
Oliver Kylington (Flames) - Kylington, 24, is a RFA. The Kraken could deal those rights, or keep him if they see a fit. He was a semi-regular in the Flames' lineup in 2019-20, but only played eight games last season.
Nikita Zadorov (Blackhawks) - Zadorov, 26, is another RFA and the most notable player among the Blackhawk's exposed group. It was reported by the Ottawa Sun this week that the Blackhawks are looking to trade Zadorov, but with the NHL's trade freeze right now, the Kraken could claim Zadorov before the Blackhawks have a chance to do so. Zadorov was acquired from the Avalanche last fall in the Brandon Saad trade. He's a two-way defenseman, though didn't see much offensive success in Chicago this year.
Vince Dunn (Blues) - Dunn, 24, would be the most costly of the RFAs here. An offensive defenseman, he put up six goals and 14 assists in 43 games last season, and didn't appear in the playoffs due to an upper-body injury. With the Blues, the decision seems to be between Dunn or forward Vladimir Tarasenko, who was left exposed and has made it known that he wants out of St. Louis. But with three shoulder surgeries in the last three years for Tarasenko, I'd lean toward Dunn here.
GOALTENDERS
Kaapo Kahkonen (Wild) - Carey Price is certainly intriguing, but I can't see the Kraken going for a 33-year-old Price with five years left on a contract that carries a cap hit of $10.5 million. The news from Frank Seravalli that Price may miss "significant time" next season with a hip injury is a huge deterrent too. Kahkonen is young at 24, and has a year left on his contract that's only worth $725,000. He had a 2.88 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage in 24 games in the regular season.
Chris Driedger (Panthers) - Driedger is a UFA, so the Kraken are already permitted to negotiate with him. TSN's Pierre LeBrun said the two sides are already nearing a deal. He's 27 and posted a 2.07 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage in 23 regular-season games.
Michael Houser (Sabres) - Believe it or not, the group of players left exposed by the Sabres isn't the strongest group. Houser is a UFA. Let him walk and find a better third goaltender in free agency.
