To the surprise of nobody, the NHL’s 32nd team will play in Seattle. The NHL’s Board of Governors unanimously voted in favour of Seattle’s expansion team on Tuesday, paving the way for the newest team to join the league in 2021-22.
The Seattle expansion vote by the Board of Governors was unanimous, not surprisingly. The NHL has its 32nd team.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 4, 2018
The unnamed Seattle team will begin to play in 2021-22. It was originally assumed Seattle would play their inaugural season in 2020-21, but the threat of a lockout and issues with their stadium being ready on time ultimately pushed them back one year.
Seattle will join the Oilers in the Pacific Division and the Arizona Coyotes will move over to the Central Division. I want to say that I would rather have an expansion team than the Coyotes in the Oilers’ division, but given the immediate success that the Vegas Golden Knights have had, I don’t want to jinx it.
The Seattle franchise will begin play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference and the @ArizonaCoyotes will realign to the Central Division. https://t.co/gYSiUWAreM #NHLSeattle pic.twitter.com/bT9myflZLF
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 4, 2018
Then, most importantly, there’s the expansion draft. It’ll be the exact same rules as it was with Vegas as teams (other than the Golden Knights, who are exempt from the process) will be able to protect either seven forwards, three defenders, and one goaltender or eight skaters and a goalie. Players with no movement clauses will have to be asked to waive in order to be exposed and players on entry-level deals will be automatically made exempt.
The Expansion Draft will have the same rules for Seattle as it had for Vegas, It takes place in June 2021. Vegas won't take part in it/won't lose a player.
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) December 4, 2018
As I said earlier, it was originally thought that Seattle was going to join the league for the 2020-21 season, but them coming in one year later makes life a lot easier for the Oilers when it comes to dancing around the expansion draft.
As of right now, the Oilers have three forwards (Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Milan Lucic) and one defenceman (Oscar Klefbom) signed beyond June 2021, which is when the expansion draft will go down. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Adam Larsson, and Kris Russell will become unrestricted free agents on July 1, 2021. Since Evan Bouchard didn’t play more than nine NHL games this season, he’ll still be on his entry-level deal come expansion draft time.
Alright!! Bouchard is safe.
Why does Vegas get a break? They’ll be going in to their fifth season.
Agree
probably because they arent getting a cut of the 650M, pretty sure they would be ok with the draft if they got a share.
Because their address is in the USA. More favoritism and different rules for US franchises. Better get training new officials so they understand there are two different rulebooks, depending on geographical location. Wouldn’t want to screw up, the ice gets tilted rule.
Nice! Sometimes I wonder…..
@trainreck The NHL must hate the teams in Canada. I guess that’s why the oilers drafted McDavid and the leafs got Matthews. Complete and total favouritism to the US franchises right.
I certainly hope they can make a go of it? They lost the Sonics due to poor attendance. The Mariners had a great team last season just missing a WC spot. They only averaged 28,000/game, abysmal attendance for a major league sport…
(sold out all the Jay’s / Mariner’s games to boost that number)
When Seattle’s NHL season tix went on sale through Stub Hub (deposits put down to secure season tix) Vancouverites purchased 12,000 tickets within minutes. Looking for the re-sale market only. I think the hockey team will be calling for a bail-out within 10 years…. I hope they do well but Seattle is not Chicago.
Wrong. The issue was the arena. This is very well documented.
With a modernized arena this will be a very successful franchise – only a handful of seasons tickets have been bought by Canadians. (Seattle is a three hour drive from Vancouver)
The mariners attendance is 14th out of 32 – just 800/game fewer than Toronto (which is a far larger market).
Plus there is a ton more corporate money in Seattle now compared to when the sonics left
You’re right Seattle is not Chicago. Seattle has a more affluent demographic and isn’t a war zone.
Seahawks are very well supported with a long, long, waitlist for tickets. The Sounders (MLS) average over 40K per game. Even the WBNA team is near the top in the league in attendance.
Smart expansion move by the NHL to get there before the NBA.
Your 100% right. The demographic isn’t the same. That may be why the NHL has never had many moments on the local Seattle TV Sports News. In the 27 years it’s been on my TV. I really hope that changes now that their getting a team & it just doesn’t become a “flavour of the day” (yes, I spelled it right, your just over the border, you’d think it would be important to you to know how we spell certain words?… sheeesh).
Why are you criticizing the spelling of the word flavor in a post riddled with spelling errors? Are you immune to irony or have you just entered the “who cares” segment of life?
The Hawks/49ers game seats on Sunday were half empty…
Pretty good news for the Oil as Sekera is off the table by then, Lucic’s contract will be easier to trade, and Russell’s will be coming off the books the year after. On the downside, teams are less likely to make trades for aging vets these next 3 years so our roster could be stagnant which means we’ll need to rely on internal growth.
sorry, Sekera, Russell, Larsson, and Nuge are all UFA by then but I’d imagine we’d resign Nuge and maybe Larsson. Great news for the Oil!
Russ will be off the books. Lucic will be a compliance buyout by then and if not only have 2 years left. That is the year the Oilers should aim to be cup contenders for.
And what is the logic I not just moving Florida? Oh right, hundreds of millions in expansion fees
In
I would assume because the nhl wants southern US teams because the location is good for teams to get away from the cold in Canada.
Could also read into the conspiracy theories to make successful south teams win (Calgary/Tampa final, Edmonton/Carolina final, Vegas/Washington final)
Also the league will likely move Florida, if it does move them, to Quebec to replace the nordiques. Most logical move there.
Would love to see the Panthers move to Quebec, for the few hockey fans down there they don’t need two NHL teams in Florida
New GM will for sure ask Lucic to waive his NMC.
Can’t wait until there is 40,50 or 60 teams. Full sarcasm and disdain intended.
Good! that means we are only forced to watch 3 Pheonix vs Edmonton games a year!
So protect 7 forwards 3 defence 1 goalie. 2021 longs ways from now
Advice for Seattle.
Hire Tom (general fanager) from the Knights.
He’s really good at the thing.
NO NO NO the advice is take Lucic and Talbot and theGina will throw in a set of pads.
And Quebec City waits…
Why not Saskatchewan? They are crazy sports fans and would fill out the arena every night.
Saskatchewan does not constitute a new television market, as they would merely borrow airtime from SN or TSN. The reason the NHL moves into obscure, unestablished markets is precisely because they can establish an entirely new television market with an entirely new stream of advertising income. For that reason alone, Saskatchewan will never get an NHL team, no matter how quickly they could fill up an arena.
The NHL is not at this time looking to expand out of Canada or the U.S.
Saskatchewan is CANADA
I sure hope we don’t lose Reinhart in the expansion draft, oh wait. Fast forward…we don’t lose Yamamoto,
losing a player of that caliber would just cripple a team.
Aren’t you just a sassy pants.
I thought Vegas wasn’t allowed to take 1st and 2nd year rookies though? Or is it, as long as a player is on an ELC, they’re protected
Its first and second year. Oilers Nation ain’t the best at doing research and editing anymore. Except for Robin and Gregor, those 2 still rock it. No offense though, can’t complain about free content.
So the Oilers WILL need to protect Bouchard. Guess by that point we will have to protect 5 Dmen and 3 forwards……
Bouchard will turn pro next year and play his second pro season in 2020-2021. Assuming the same rules as Vegas, he will not need to be protected.
Except the expansion draft is actually at the end of the 20/21 year. Bouchard will have completed 2 years as a pro and will be entering his 3rd year as a pro for the 21/22 season which is when Seattle starts playing. Only players will LESS than 2 years pro experience don’t have to be protected……I have a bad feeling that Bouchard might have to be protected.
No they do not
That’s some top notch work there supporting your argument
Good lord. “…. players on entry-level deals will be automatically made exempt.” means literally the exact same thing as first- and second-year professionals are exempt. Come on, at least have some semblance of reading comprehension before you’re going to suggest I don’t know what I’m talking about.
The only thing worse than being wrong is arguing you are not wrong. Although there are players who only play 2 years on an ECL many more play 3 years.
A player on an entry-level deal has the same meaning a as first- or second-year professional player in this case.
The expansion draft happens in June, at the end of the season. Players who finished their first or second professional year are entry-level players. A player who finished playing their third professional year is no longer on their entry-level come expansion draft time, hence the verbiage I used.
We’re saying the exact same thing here. This isn’t complicated.
I’m happy the Oilers did not get moved over.
I’m ecstatic the Oilers did the right thing and sent Bouchard back before his nine games, baby steps.
Nuge will NEVER make it to UFA. His next contract is a scary thought though. Long term and BIG money. It’ll match Leon’s at the very least, and he’s worth it 😍😍😍
If Nuge wants to be a UFA Nuge will be a UFA. The team cannot make him sign. Do I hope they sign him? Freak yeah!
This is all we know by just before July 1, 2021…
Exposed UFAs (if not traded before… yeah good luck with that):
Lucic ($6m)
Russell ($4m)
Sekera ($5.5m)
Protect (*sign to new contract):
McDavid
Draisaitl
Nugent-Hopkins*
Klefbom
Larsson*
Nurse*
Lucic and Sekera would have to waive their NMC.
Don’t need to waive.
Lucic: June 1, 2021 submits a list of 8 teams he can be traded to
Russell: July 1, 2020 submits a list of 15 teams to be traded to
Wait, you’re right. They would be asked to put Seattle on their list.
I’m sure Lucic would waive his NMC. Seattle will pick a player between the age of 22-28 year’s old.
So with the expansion – Could we do as some other teams did last time? Leave Nuge Unsigned for the draft, then sign him immediately after – Don’t have to protect him (but then i guess it’s risky to not have him locked in?)
Bouchard being protected automatically is great, Lucic I assume we will have found a way to be rid of him by then?