Kraken expansion draft: Best bargains, interesting players available

By James O'BrienJul 18, 2021, 6:14 PM EDT

As of Sunday, hockey fans know which players NHL teams protected and exposed to the Seattle Kraken expansion draft. No doubt, there will be plenty of debate up until the Kraken’s expansion draft picks are revealed on Wednesday.

First: the elephant making a side deal in the room

Crucially, more might be known about potential “side deals” and other behind-the-scenes machinations between Sunday and Wednesday.

Right now, we’re raising our eyebrows at some big names like Carey Price becoming available to the Kraken in the expansion draft. We don’t yet know if teams pulled off bribes/side deals to convince the Kraken not to take Price-type players in the expansion draft.

Out of context, the Kraken picking Price seems like a dangerous case of recency bias. But what if the Canadiens bribe the Kraken to take Price in the expansion draft by sending a boatload of picks? Then that becomes a more complicated decision.

It also then becomes about perception. How much is a first-round pick or second-rounder worth? What about a prospect without many reps?

After the lists were revealed, media and armchair GMs have more information about the Kraken’s expansion draft options. By no means do people know everything, though.

That said, the guesses are at least more educated after Sunday’s reveals.

(Speaking of educated, if you need a refresher on expansion draft rules, check the bottom of this post.)

With those caveats in mind, let’s consider some of the best bargains/values among players available to the Kraken in the expansion draft.

An easy one for the Gourde

Without knowledge of bribes, it sure looks like the Lightning’s pain begins with the Kraken expansion draft.

Truly, there are some other nice options with Tampa Bay. Nothing wrong with Ondrej Palat. You could go younger with Ross Colton or Alex Barre-Boulet.

To me, and possibly others, Yanni Gourde is a no-brainer. Considering his age (29), his $5.167M cap hit may eventually look dicey (it expires after 2024-25). Yet, Gourde is a true rarity, even in an expansion draft with bigger names than expected. He’s a play-driving center with some scoring skill.

With 25 and 22-goal seasons under his belt, Gourde’s scored even when given secondary opportunities. He should thrive if that stays the same, and could conceivably take a step up — if not a leap — in a more prominent role.

You may say it makes him … drool-worthy?

🤤 pic.twitter.com/cfj2TXApNk

— Micah Blake McCurdy (@IneffectiveMath) July 18, 2021

Contract years present great flexibility

While I like Nino Niederreiter, my reflex was to shrug at a play-driving, but occasionally light-scoring, winger. Couldn’t I get that just by waiting for Tomas Tatar during the normal free-agent period?

But Niederreiter, 28, carries his modest $5.25M cap hit for just one more year. This opens up some tantalizing possibilities.

The Kraken could offer Niederreiter some priceless peace of mind. Maybe he signs a team-friendly extension in exchange for trade protection?
Conversely, the Kraken could trade Niederreiter — either during the offseason, or at the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline.
If nothing else, Niederreiter could put together a strong season driven by the motivation of a contract year.

While Niederreiter chases that big contract while he’s still somewhat in his prime, Mark Giordano, 37, is entering the twilight of his career. Still, Giordano being in a contract year mitigates the risks of aging. The Kraken could turn around and trade Giordano right after the expansion draft, or see if prices are right at the deadline. It’s hardest to imagine Giordano signing a new deal with the Kraken … but if he does, that’s probably a good sign for both parties, right?

Contract years are the least risky ways to get value from contracts that aren’t totally cheap, but shorter deals in general could be desirable. Would someone like Jonathan Drouin ($5.5M for two more seasons) be able to revamp their career? If so, the Kraken could get a lot in return by pumping up his market value up, then dumping him to a team wanting to make a run or two. At 26, Drouin could even turn his career around and become a fixture.

Technically, Giordano ($6.75M) and others might not be bargains from a pure cap perspective. They could be great values for the Kraken. That goes for if they net all of that value on the ice for the Kraken, in a trade with another team, or maybe both.

Personally, I’m not super-high on Max Domi, but maybe he’d explode offensively with his earning future on the line in a contract year? (Could be worthwhile just to see how he does without John Tortorella.)

Kraken have some intriguing opportunities with defensemen in expansion draft

Let’s run down some of the most desirable defensemen. To clarify, these are players who could still conceivably be trade-bait, but maybe wouldn’t lean as extremely in that direction as, say, Giordano.

As an RFA, what kind of contract would Vince Dunn fetch? If it’s a cheap one, would it be that surprising if the 24-year-old becomes the next, say, Nate Schmidt? (Asking Dunn to be Seattle’s Shea Theodore feels a bit much.)
How bold would the Kraken go after free-agent defensemen, in general? They get a three-day window to schmooze with Dougie Hamilton. Just saying.
The Capitals boast two intriguing 30-year-old defensemen in Brenden Dillon ($3.9M for three more seasons) and Nick Jensen ($2.5M through 2022-23).
For a team that struggles so much on defense, you’d think the Jets would covet Dylan DeMelo. Especially since the 28-year-old is very affordable at $3M AAV for three more seasons. Instead, they exposed him, and the Kraken should pounce.

Let's move to good defencemen targets for Seattle.

Dylan DeMelo has proved he can put up excellent results no matter what role he's in. For whatever reason, Winnipeg has decided that that's not what they like in a defenceman. #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/kkzPdxSFAy

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 18, 2021

There are also quite a few low-cost “speculative” possibilities on defense. Jake Bean, 23, likely wouldn’t cost much as an RFA with his limited experience. These are areas where the Kraken’s growing scouting staff can shine. Is Haydn Fleury worth that Ducks choice?

Steady forward options beyond the stars

Yes, the Kraken could go bold with big names during the expansion draft. For all of the risks with Vladimir Tarasenko, it would still be two seasons of risks, then they could move on.

(He’s definitely not a bargain in the purest sense, though. That’s particularly true next season. His $7.5M cap hit is already pricey, but it’s his $9.5M actual salary that makes him an expensive gamble. Now, in 2022-23? He could be a bargain with a $5.5M salary vs. that $7.5M AAV.)

If the Kraken would rather go safe, or merely focus on flexibility/youth, there are plenty of options.

Being that the Maple Leafs just traded for him, I wonder if there’s a side deal around Jared McCann. If not, the Kraken should get cracking on snatching him up. At 25, he’s entering his own contract year at just under $3M. Really, a bribery from the Maple Leafs would be the only way I’d understand the Kraken not taking McCann with their Toronto pick.

Kraken expansion draft: Best bargains, interesting players available McCann player card — *via Evolving Hockey*

The Kraken could take multiple expansion draft stabs at “the next William Karlsson.” Who’s a skilled player, yet one who hasn’t really done a ton of tangible things to seem like a star? Again, that’s a matter of the scouting staff identifying quality (possibly over-ripe) prospects. Would Tyler Benson be worth a shot? As a fairly recent departure from the Lightning (now with Anaheim), maybe Alexander Volkov could be the next Carter Verhaeghe or Jonathan Marchessault?

Plenty of room to work with

Truly, it’s all pretty head-spinning. The Kraken could go almost all-young, and laugh their way to the victory bank. Or, they could try to emulate the Golden Knights by becoming instant successes. Perhaps they’d try to shoot for a little of both?

Surprisingly, there are paths forward for a number of team-building options. Even when talking about value, it boils down to where the Kraken will identify value in the expansion draft. Maybe they’ll shrug off Carey Price’s $10.5M, noting how pivotal goaltending can be. (Ron Francis watched several Hurricanes teams fall apart thanks, in part, to goalies struggling.)

They might try to engineer even more trades than the Golden Knights did in their infancy.

Who knows? Whatever happens, it figures to be exciting. That goes for debating roster construction heading into Wednesday’s official Kraken expansion draft picks, to how they navigate the 2021 NHL Draft/offseason, and then watching them sink or swim during the season.

Which values would you chase? Which treasures wouldn’t be worth digging for?

Seattle Kraken expansion draft rules refresher

Now, you might want a refresher on the Seattle Kraken expansion draft rules.

Each NHL team (except the Golden Knights) needed to choose to protect players under two alignment options:

Protecting seven forwards, three defensemen, and one goalie.
Protecting any combination of eight skaters (example: four forwards, four defensemen), and a goalie.

That said, not every NHL player is involved, so some prospects were not available to the expansion draft. Meanwhile, NHL teams were forced to protect certain players because of contract factors. As the NHL explains:

* All players with no movement clauses at the time of the draft, and who decline to waive those clauses, must be protected and will be counted toward their team’s applicable protection limits.

* All first- and second-year professionals, and all unsigned draft choices, will be exempt from selection and will not be counted toward protection limits.

So, the 30 NHL teams involved faced those considerations. What about some of the minimums and other factors for the Kraken in selecting players in the expansion draft? Here are some key details:

The Kraken must select at least: 14 forwards, nine defensemen, and three goalies. They’ll need to select one player from all 30 teams in the expansion draft.
At least 20 players must be under contract for the 2021-22 season. That part of the process once made it tougher to put together these PHT lists.
The total cap hit must fall somewhere between 60-percent and 100-percent of the upper limit of the salary cap.
Starting on Sunday (July 18), the Kraken open a window to exclusively negotiate with pending free agents who were not protected by NHL teams. If the Kraken signed one of those free agents, that player would count as Seattle’s pick for a given team.

Want even more detail? The NHL’s rules explained how injuries and other factors work.

—

James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.

Sabres sign Minnesota defenseman Ryan Johnston to 2-year rookie contract

Associated PressMay 27, 2023, 12:17 PM EDT

Getty Images

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres ended a lengthy wait by signing Ryan Johnston to a two-year, entry level contract more than a month after the defenseman completed his senior college season at Minnesota.

Johnston will report immediately to the Sabres’ American Hockey League affiliate in Rochester, whose best-of-seven Eastern Conference final playoff series against Hershey is tied at 1.

From Southern California, Johnston is listed at 6-feet and 170 pounds and was selected 31st in 2019 draft.

His puck-moving skills fit Buffalo’s style of play, Johnston finished his college career with nine goals and 59 points in 143 career games, including four goals and 18 points in 40 games this year. He reached the NCAA’s Frozen Four in each of his final two seasons, with the Gophers losing in the semifinals last year, followed by a 3-2 overtime loss to Quinnipiac in the championship game last month.

He also had a goal and three assists in seven games representing the U.S. team that won gold at the 2021 world junior championships.

Johnston, who turns 22 in July, had the option to wait until August when he would’ve become an unrestricted free agent and eligible to sign with any team. Because Johnston was first-round pick, the Sabres would’ve been compensated with a 2024 second-round selection had he signed elsewhere.

Both sides are banking on the player’s age and college experience to enable Johnston to make the jump to the NHL within the next two seasons. The Sabres will still control Johnston’s rights as a restricted free agent once his entry-level contract expires.

Joe Pavelski scores on OT power play, Stars beat Golden Knights 3-2 to avoid West sweep

Associated PressMay 25, 2023, 11:52 PM EDT

Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports

DALLAS — Joe Pavelski admits that he probably appreciates the big playoff goals more the later he gets in his career. But they all still feel just as good, and his latest kept the season alive for the Dallas Stars.

“Just really living in the moment,” Pavelski said. “A tremendous feeling for sure, and glad we could play another game, and go from there and try to extend it.”

The 38-year-old Pavelski scored on a power play at 3:18 of overtime – a one-timer from the middle of the left circle to the far post – and the Stars avoided a sweep in the Western Conference Final with a 3-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights.

Jason Robertson scored twice for his first career multigoal playoff game for Dallas, which played without suspended captain Jamie Benn.

“We’re looking for goals and that’s kind of my responsibility I put on myself,” Robertson said. “I know these playoffs have been tough. … I was able to get the bounces that we needed tonight.”

Jake Oettinger had 37 saves, two nights after the 24-year-old Stars goalie was pulled 7:10 into Game 3 after allowing three goals on five shots.

The Stars had the man advantage in overtime after Brayden McNabb‘s high-sticking penalty on Ty Dellandrea. Fifty seconds into the power play, Pavelski scored on a pass from Miro Heiskanen. They won for the first time in their five OT games this postseason – Vegas won the first two games of this series past regulation.

It was only the second Vegas penalty of the game, both high-sticking calls against McNabb. His penalty on Pavelski late in the first period set up the power play when Robertson scored his first goal with some nifty stickwork.

Pavelski, in his 15th NHL season and still looking for his first Stanley Cup, scored his ninth goal in 12 games this postseason, but his first in five games. He has 73 career postseason goals – the most for U.S.-born players and the most among all active players.

“He’s ageless. … I’ve seen that movie over and over again. Never gets old,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “He lives for those moments and he wants to be in those situations. Always has, and delivers almost every time.”

Benn was suspended two games by the NHL on Wednesday for his cross-check with his stick landing near the neck of Vegas captain Mark Stone in the first two minutes of Game 3 on Tuesday night. Benn also will miss Game 5 on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault scored for Vegas. Adin Hill had his five-game winning streak snapped. He made 39 saves, including a game-saver with his extended left leg without about two minutes left in regulation on rookie Fredrik Olofsson’s swiping try in his first career playoff game.

“Our effort wasn’t good enough. Closing a series is probably the hardest game in a series, right, so it just wasn’t good enough from our group,” Marchessault said. “It was still a one-goal game in overtime. It was right there for us.”

Karlsson and Marchessault are among six of the original Vegas players still on the team from the inaugural 2017-18 season that ended with the Knights playing for the Stanley Cup, though they lost in five games to the Washington Capitals after winning the first game.

Vegas missed a chance to complete a sweep, a night after the Florida Panthers finished off a sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final.

Vegas took a 2-1 lead midway through the second period when Marchessault, after whacking his stick on the back of Ryan Suter in front of the net, scored on a pass between the Stars defenseman’s legs from McNabb, another original Golden Knight.

Robertson’s tying goal late in that period came on a ricochet off the back board just seconds after he had another shot hit the post. That was the fourth goal of this series, and sixth in the playoffs, after this regular season becoming the first Dallas player with a 100-point season.

On his first goal late in the first that tied it 1-1, Robertson deflected Heiskanen’s shot from just inside the blue line up into the air. As Hill was trying to secure the puck into his glove, Robertson knocked it free and then reached around and swiped the puck into the net with his stick parallel to the ice.

With former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and wrestling great Ric Flair both in the building wearing Stars jerseys Dallas was avoided being swept in the playoffs for the first time since 2001 against St. Louis in the second round. This was the Stars’ 21st playoff series since then.

The Golden Knights scored first again – though not like those three quick goals in Game 3 that led to the earliest exit ever for Oettinger.

Karlsson pushed the puck up and skated to the front of the net after passing to Nicolas Roy, whose pass through traffic went off a Dallas stick before Reilly Smith got it just inside the right circle and took a shot. Karlsson’s deflection past Oettinger only 4:17 into the game was his eighth goal this postseason.

“There were a lot of rush chances,” said Smith, also with Vegas since the beginning. “I don’t think we did a good enough job of making it difficult on them. So we get another opportunity in two days.”

Tkachuk sends Panthers to Stanley Cup Final, after topping Hurricanes 4-3 for sweep

Associated PressMay 24, 2023, 11:27 PM EDT

Sam Navarro/USA TODAY Sports

SUNRISE, Fla. — Matthew Tkachuk delivered for Florida, again. Sergei Bobrovsky denied Carolina, again.

The wait is over: After 27 years, the Florida Panthers – a hockey punchline no more – are again going to play for the game’s grandest prize.

Tkachuk got his second goal of the game with 4.9 seconds left, lifting the Panthers past the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 and into the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1996 after sweeping the Eastern Conference final.

The Panthers will play either Vegas or Dallas for the Stanley Cup starting sometime next week; Vegas currently leads the Western Conference title series 3-0.

“This was pure joy,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said.

Bobrovsky stopped 36 shots to cap his stellar series – four games, four one-goal wins, three of them basically in sudden death, a .966 save percentage after stopping 174 of the 180 shots he faced. The first two wins were in overtime, and this one may as well have been.

The Panthers scored 10 goals in the series, and Bobrovsky ensured those were all they needed. They were the No. 8 seed, the last team in, the longest of long shots – which is consistent with their history, after not winning a single playoff series in 26 years, a drought that ended last season.

And now, beasts of the East. Tkachuk arrived last summer saying he wanted to bring Florida a Cup. He’s four wins away.

“It’s amazing,” Bobrovsky said. “We showed the resilience … and we’re lucky to have Chucky on our side. He knows how to score big goals.”

NHL Senior Vice President Brian Jennings was the one tasked with presenting the Prince of Wales Trophy. After some photos, Aleksander Barkov – the captain who had two assists, one of them on the game-winner – grabbed it, and skated it away. Some teams touch it. Some don’t. A few of the Panthers did, but Barkov didn’t pass it around.

That’ll wait for the big prize.

“It’s hard to explain right now. Everything just happened so quick,” Barkov said. “It means a lot. It definitely does. … It hasn’t been easy and nobody said it’s going to be easy.”

Added Tkachuk: “We earned that thing, and definitely didn’t do it the easy way. We earned it.”

Ryan Lomberg and Anthony Duclair had the other goals for Florida, which swept a series for the first time in franchise history.

Jordan Staal – his brothers Eric and Marc play for the Panthers – took a tripping penalty with 57 seconds left in regulation, setting up the power-play that Tkachuk finished off after getting into the slot and beating Frederik Andersen to set off a wild celebration.

“Eastern Conference champions,” Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad said. “It’s really cool. No doubt about it. But you know, at the end of the day, we have our eyes on something different.”

Toy rats – the Panthers’ tradition, a nod to the unwanted locker room guests from Florida’s old arena in 1996 – sailed down from the stands, and the goal needed to survive an official review. But the rats were picked up, the goal was deemed good, and 27 years of waiting was officially over 4.9 seconds later.

Jesper Fast seemed like he might have saved the season for Carolina, getting a tying goal with 3:22 left in regulation. Paul Stastny and Teuvo Teravainen had the first two goals of the night for the Hurricanes, while Brady Skjei and Jordan Martinook each had two assists. Andersen stopped 21 shots.

“Everyone’s going to say, ‘You got swept.’ That’s not what happened,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “I watched the game. I’m there. I’m cutting the games. We’re in the game. We didn’t lose four games. We got beat, but we were right there. This could have went the other way. It could have been four games the other way.”

That wasn’t sour grapes. He was right. A bounce here, a bounce there, a Bobrovsky not here, a Bobrovsky not there, and this series could have gone much differently.

But Bob was his best. Tkachuk was clutch, over and over. And Florida is as close to a Cup as it has ever been; the Panthers were swept by Colorado in the 1996 final.

Towels waved, strobe lights flashed, and the fans wasted no time letting the Panthers know that they were ready to a clincher.

Tkachuk made it 2-0 on the power play midway through the first. Carolina – a 113-point, division-championship-winning team in the regular season – made it 2-1 later in the first on Stastny’s goal, and Teravainen tied it early in the second.

Lomberg’s goal midway through the second gave Florida the lead again. It stayed that way until Fast got the equalizer with 3:22 left, and then Tkachuk finished it off – getting the Panthers to the title round in his first season.

“It’s been unbelievable since July since I got here,” Tkachuk said. “And hopefully we can cap off this amazing year.”

AROUND THE RINK

Panthers general manager Bill Zito was announced earlier Wednesday as a finalist for NHL GM of the year. … Tkachuk’s two goals gave him 21 points in the playoffs – extending his Florida single-season postseason record, which was 17 by Dave Lowry in 1996. … Slavin was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the game after Bennett’s hit, with what the Hurricanes said was “an upper-body injury.” Slavin wobbled as he tried to get to his feet. … Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel – who has also been a regular at Miami Heat games during their playoff run this spring – banged the drum before the game. When done, without a mic to drop, he simply dropped the mallet instead.

TWO-GOAL EDGE

Tkachuk’s goal midway through the opening period put Florida up 2-0 – and marked the first time, in nearly 14 periods of play to that point, that a team had a two-goal lead in this series. Every bit of action came with the score tied or someone up by one in the first 272 minutes (including all the overtimes) of the series.

Jamie Benn suspended 2 games after captain-on-captain hit

Associated PressMay 24, 2023, 7:32 PM EDT

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

DALLAS — Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn was suspended two games by the NHL after an ugly hit on Vegas captain Mark Stone in a Game 3 loss that left Dallas on the brink of being swept out of the Western Conference Final.

Benn will miss the must-win Game 4 for the Stars and Game 5 as well if they win. If Dallas is swept, the suspension would extend to the opener next season.

Benn got a game misconduct for his cross-check less than two minutes into Game 3 after the captains collided near the blue line. After Stone fell to the ice, Benn lunged forward with both hands on his stick and made contact near Stone’s neck as he was sliding over the center line.

In a video announcing the suspension, the league noted Benn is in control of the play and made the decision to cross-check Stone, who was in a vulnerable position.

“This is simply an unnecessarily dangerous decision by Benn, and it is delivered with sufficient intent and force to merit supplemental discipline,” the league said.

Benn had been fined four times but never suspended before in his 14 NHL seasons. Before his hearing, Benn said he wished he hadn’t used his stick “as a landing point” during the play.

“Just heat of the moment. … I need to be more responsible with my body and my stick,” Benn said. “My first shift of a game on home ice when you’re pretty jacked up and down 1-0, so you want to try to get your team going. Emotions are high and, you know, it was just an unfortunate play.”

Vegas scored on the ensuing power play, doubling its lead, before going on to a 4-0 win to take a 3-0 series lead. With a win, the Knights would advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in the franchise’s six seasons.

“I didn’t love what transpired, but it got handled the right way and we stayed focused as a team,” said Stone, who also spoke before the suspension was announced.

The Stars had hoped for a strong Game 3 but instead saw the Golden Knights score three times in the first 7 1/2 minutes to chase inconsistent goalie Jake Oettinger amid a series of ugly penalties and even fans pelting the ice with debris.

Stone said he was “a little bit surprised” at that kind of play happening when it did.

“It was early in the game, my first shift of the game,” he said. “I didn’t expect to get stomped on like that.”

Asked what he could have done differently in that moment, Benn said he obviously didn’t want to take a five-minute major penalty.

“But the game happens fast, emotions are high, and obviously would have liked to not fall on him and, I guess, use my stick as a landing point,” Benn said.

Dallas coach Pete DeBoer had said the Stars were prepared for the possibility that Benn wouldn’t be available for a game that they must win to extend their season.

“The bottom line is that there’s consequences for actions and he’s paying the consequences for that,” DeBoer said. “From our group’s perspective, I think everybody wants to see Jamie Benn play again. I think we all want to make sure his season doesn’t end on a note like that.”

DeBoer said that Oettinger would be back in net for Game 4, even after losing three starts in a row. He has lost four of five, but the win was in Game 7 over Seattle last week.

Along with Benn, the Stars could also be without forward Evgenii Dadonov. He left with a lower-body injury in the first period, and DeBoer said he was doubtful for Game 4.

Max Domi, who got a 10-minute misconduct at the end of the second period, was fined $5,000 by the NHL for slashing Stone in the closing minutes of the game; no penalty was called.

The earlier misconduct came when Domi, after cross-checking Nicolas Hague, started throwing punches with 21 seconds left in the second.

Fans reacted to penalties being called on Domi by throwing water bottles, food and other items on the ice. With extended time needed to clean up the playing surface, officials sent both teams to their locker rooms early and finished those final seconds after the intermission before playing the third period.

Dallas Stars president Brad Alberts issued an apology to the Golden Knights and the NHL for “the actions of a few of our spectators at last night’s game. Their actions were unacceptable and put the safety of the players and fans at risk.

“We take pride in providing the best experience for everyone who enters our arena,” he said. “The actions of these individuals certainly do not reflect our great city, organization and loyal fan base.”