How much should the Edmonton Oilers worry about the expansion draft?
7 years ago
One of the interesting arguments that came up last night in
the context of the Jacob Trouba discussion was the expansion draft, with the
suggestion being made that Darnell Nurse’s exemption from that draft would make
it extremely difficult for the Edmonton Oilers to contemplate a trade involving
one for the other.
the context of the Jacob Trouba discussion was the expansion draft, with the
suggestion being made that Darnell Nurse’s exemption from that draft would make
it extremely difficult for the Edmonton Oilers to contemplate a trade involving
one for the other.
How great a worry is that, really?
Protected Lists
The rules of the draft allow the Edmonton Oilers to take one
of two approaches when they draw up their protected list. They can opt to
shield seven forwards, three defencemen and a single goaltender, or else they
can safeguard eight skaters and one goaltender.
of two approaches when they draw up their protected list. They can opt to
shield seven forwards, three defencemen and a single goaltender, or else they
can safeguard eight skaters and one goaltender.
Mileage will vary on exactly who the team should protect,
but two reasonable guesses at those lists might look like this:
but two reasonable guesses at those lists might look like this:
- 7-3-1 approach: Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Milan
Lucic, Benoit Pouliot, Patrick Maroon, Leon Draisaitl, Nail Yakupov (or Jujhar
Khaira, Zack Kassian, etc.), Andrej
Sekera, Oscar Klefbom, Adam Larsson, Cam Talbot. - 8-1 approach: Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Milan
Lucic, Leon Draisaitl, Andrej Sekera, Oscar Klefbom, Adam Larsson, Brandon
Davidson (or Griffin Reinhart), Cam Talbot.
With the first list, the Oilers would certainly lose a
defenceman—in all likelihood Davidson or Reinhart. With the second list, my
guess is that they would lose either Benoit Pouliot or Patrick Maroon, but it
might also be one or the other of Davidson or Reinhart.
defenceman—in all likelihood Davidson or Reinhart. With the second list, my
guess is that they would lose either Benoit Pouliot or Patrick Maroon, but it
might also be one or the other of Davidson or Reinhart.
A Trouba Addition
Bob Stauffer, above, noted the expansion draft as one key
reason not to look at a Nurse-for-Trouba deal. Jason Gregor, in
his piece last night, made the same argument:
reason not to look at a Nurse-for-Trouba deal. Jason Gregor, in
his piece last night, made the same argument:
The other issue I see from an Oilers stand point is, if you
acquire Trouba for Nurse, it means you have to expose Brandon Davidson in the
expansion draft and lose him for nothing. Is Trouba worth both Nurse and
Davidson? I’m not sold he is long-term. I believe the June expansion draft will
impact any trade involving Trouba.
Stauffer and Gregor are two of the most respected voices in
Edmonton media, and for good reason. In this hypothetical case, though, I
really don’t see the big deal. Let’s imagine our Edmonton protected list again,
but this time with a Trouba addition, which virtually guarantees that the
Oilers go with eight skaters and one goalie.
Edmonton media, and for good reason. In this hypothetical case, though, I
really don’t see the big deal. Let’s imagine our Edmonton protected list again,
but this time with a Trouba addition, which virtually guarantees that the
Oilers go with eight skaters and one goalie.
- Protected list: Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Milan
Lucic, Leon Draisaitl, Andrej Sekera, Oscar Klefbom, Adam Larsson, Jacob
Trouba, Cam Talbot
When we looked at the 8-1 list above, an expansion team
would have a choice of one of Pouliot, Maroon, and either Davidson or Reinhart.
In this latter case, they’ll have the choice of one of Pouliot, Maroon,
Davidson and Reinhart. I don’t think
it makes that much of a difference, really; Las Vegas still only gets to pick
one player and if they go for a defencemen they’re getting the third-pair left
shot option from the Oilers. Given that Edmonton would still have a young
Klefbom signed long-term and a 30-year-old Sekera signed long-term for those
first two left-side positions, that isn’t anything they can’t afford.
would have a choice of one of Pouliot, Maroon, and either Davidson or Reinhart.
In this latter case, they’ll have the choice of one of Pouliot, Maroon,
Davidson and Reinhart. I don’t think
it makes that much of a difference, really; Las Vegas still only gets to pick
one player and if they go for a defencemen they’re getting the third-pair left
shot option from the Oilers. Given that Edmonton would still have a young
Klefbom signed long-term and a 30-year-old Sekera signed long-term for those
first two left-side positions, that isn’t anything they can’t afford.
There are a lot of teams with legitimate expansion draft
worries—I did
a mock-up for Bleacher Report earlier this week and teams like the Red
wings, Islanders, Lightning and Jets are going to be in terrible shape. The
Oilers, on the other hand, are in a better position than the vast majority of
NHL teams. They can afford not to worry overmuch about what happens next June.
worries—I did
a mock-up for Bleacher Report earlier this week and teams like the Red
wings, Islanders, Lightning and Jets are going to be in terrible shape. The
Oilers, on the other hand, are in a better position than the vast majority of
NHL teams. They can afford not to worry overmuch about what happens next June.
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