LY: DREGER ON NHL SEATTLE EXPANSION DRAFT

By: Allan Ly
RP Show Intern

When the Vegas Golden Knights had their expansion draft on June 12 of 2017, no one expected the Knights to make it to the finals in their first year but they did.

This time around teams are more aware, so the Seattle Kraken could have a hard time repeating that formula when they stock their team on July 21.

“I think it’s pretty clear Rod, that NHL execs learned from getting fleeced by (Vegas hockey executives) Kelly McCrimmon and George McPhee when Vegas came into the league,” explained TSN’s Hockey Insider Darren Dreger on Monday’s Rod Pedersen show.

Those same Golden Knights will be exempt from the Seattle draft as per their expansion agreement.

So who will the Kraken pick? That is the biggest question that a lot of fans in the NHL are considering in the dog days of the NHL calendar.

 “Truthfully, right now, they’re written in pencil,” Dreger detailed in regards to giving predictions for the upcoming expansion draft and teams’ protected lists.

However, what intrigues Dreger more than the expansion draft for the Kraken is them having the first crack at unrestricted free agents.

He provided an example when it came to Taylor Hall and his contract situation with the Boston Bruins.

“While is it likely, it’s certainly possible that Hall’s deal agreement would be in place before July 21 to extend in Boston, if they can get that deal worked out,” Dreger elaborated. “They’re not going to make that deal official by the 21st. Why would you? Then because you’ve got to protect Taylor Hall and expose somebody else.”

Hall joined Boston in a trade that happened on April 12, 2021 with forward Curtis Lazar. Both were traded from the Buffalo Sabres to Boston for Anders Bjork and a second-round pick for the NHL 2021 draft.

With the Knights, they managed to get Marc-Andre Fleury in their expansion draft with the very first pick. The Flower has become the face of the franchise and won the Vezina Trophy as best goaltender for the NHL this season.

When pressed by Rod on who the Kraken should pick for their goaltending situation Dreger thinks Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen would be a good person to choose.

“For me, Freddie Anderson would be a nice place to start if I were the Seattle Kraken, and he still has tons of game left,” said Dreger.

After the Expansion draft, the Kraken still will have to choose who they will pick with the second overall pick in the annual NHL Entry Draft, which will take place on July 23-24.

According to TSN’s Craig Button in his Craig’s List NHL mock draft, he thinks the Kraken will take centre Matthew Beniers from Michigan with the second pick.

For his NHL comparison, Button compares Beniers to the Vancouver Canucks Bo Horvat.

Next week will be very interesting, and I am excited to see what the Kraken will do for the future.

(Follow Allan Ly on Twitter @Allantheintern)