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It is more than likely that the NHL will be expanding. Now we don’t know where the league is expanding too yet, or how many teams it will be adding, but for this list let’s say two teams and their both in the west, (Sorry Quebec Nordiques fans). For this list I will be using the rules of the 2000 draft as well as a few additional rules.

---2000 NHL expansion draft rules---
-26 of the 28 teams existing in the league at the time of the draft were each allowed to protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards or two goaltenders, three defensemen, and seven forwards.

-For teams protecting only one goaltender, there was no experience requirement for those left unprotected. For teams protecting two goaltenders, each goaltender left unprotected must have appeared in either 10 NHL games in the 1999–2000 season or 25 games in the 1998–99 season and 1999–2000 seasons combined. A goaltender had to be in net for at least 31 minutes in each game for the game to be counted against these totals.

-At least one defenseman left unprotected by each team had to have appeared in at least 40 games in the 1999–2000 season or 70 games in the 1998–99 season and 1999–2000 seasons combined. At least two forwards left unprotected by each team had to have met the same requirements.

-52 players were chosen in the draft, two from each participating franchise. Only one goaltender or one defenseman could be selected from each franchise. Both the Blue Jackets and the Wild were to use their first 24 selections on three goaltenders, eight defensemen, and thirteen forwards. The final two picks for each team could be any position.

My Rules
-The Atlanta Thrashers and Nashville Predators had their entire rosters protected, as they were the two newest franchises in the league, only being in existence for one and two years respectively. With my rules no one is protected this time around all 30 teams will have two players taken off their rosters.

-Players that have just signed as free agents (Matt Beleskey, Brad Richards, etc.) can’t be taken in the draft and their teams need to protect them.

-Players with no trade clauses and or no movement clauses can’t be taken in the draft and teams must protect these players (unless a player is willing to waive said clause).

-Both teams in the expansion draft must hit the salary cap floor $52,800,000

-Players out with career ending injures can't be taken and don't need to be protected by their teams.

With that let’s get started. For part 1 we will first do the list of players that each team will have available in the draft.

All player salaries and rosters are thanks to the great folks at General Fanager

Anaheim Ducks.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Nate Thompson C 30 $1,600,000 2 years
Jiri Sekac LW 23 $925,000 1 year
Chris Wagner RW 24 RFA
Tim Jackman RW 33 $700,000 1 year
Defensemen:
Clayton Stoner 30 D $3,250,000 3 years
Goalies:
Anton Khudobin 29 G $2,250,000 1 year
Frederik Andersen 25 G $1,150,000 1 year

Arizona Coyotes.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Kyle Chipchura C 29 $875,000 1 year
Defensemen:
Klas Dahlbeck D 24 RFA
Goalies:
Mike Smith G 33 $5,666,666 4 years (Smith is convicted to waives no movement clause by management)
Louis Domingue G 23 RFA

Boston Bruins.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Max Talbot C 31 $910,000 1 year
Jimmy Hayes RW 25 $2,300,000 3 years
Zac Rinaldo C 25 $850,000 2 years
Defensemen:
Dennis Seidenberg D 33 $4,000,000 4 years (Said he would waive his no trade in the past)
Goalies:
N/A

Buffalo Sabres.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
David Legwand C 34 $3,000,000 1 year (Waived his no trade in the past guessing he would do it again)
Jamie McGinn LW 26 $2,950,000 1 year
Cody McCormick C 32 $1,500,00 1 year
Jerry D'Amigo RW 24 RFA
Johan Larsson LW 22 RFA
Nicolas Deslauriers LW 24 $637,500 1 year
Philip Varone C 24 RFA
Defensemen:
Josh Gorges D 30 $3,900,000 3 year (Waives no trade after being asked)
Mike Weber D 27 $1,666,666 1 year
Goalies:
Chad Johnson G 29 $1,300,000 1 year

Calgary Flames.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
David Jones RW 30 $4,000,000 1 year
Joe Colborne C 25 $1,250,000 1 year
Brandon Bollig LW 28 $1,250,000 2 years
Josh Jooris C 24 RFA
Drew Shore C 24 RFA
Michael Ferland LW 23 RFA
Paul Byron C 26 RFA
Defensemen:
Ladislav Smid D 29 $3,500,000 2 years
Deryk Engelland D 33 $2,916,666 2 years
Goalies:
Jonas Hiller G 33 $4,500,00 1year

Carolina Hurricanes.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Jay McClement C 32 $1,200,000 2 years
Chris Terry LW 26 $875,000 1 year
Brad Malone C $650,000 1 year
Defensemen:
John-Michael Liles D 34 $3,875,000 1 year (Waived his no traded in the past could be convinced to waive again)
Michal Jordan D 24 $625,000
Goalies:
Eddie Lack G 27 $1,150,000 1 year

Chicago Blackhawks.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Marian Hossa RW 36 $5,275,000 6 years
Kris Versteeg LW 29 $2,200,00 1 year
Artem Anisimov C 27 $4,550,000 6 years
Marcus Kruger C 25 RFA
Jeremy Morin LW 24 $800,000 1 year
Defensemen:
N/A
Goalies:
Scott Darling G 26 $587,500 2 years

Colorado Avalanche.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Cody McLeod LW 31 $1,333,333 3 years
Patrick Bordeleau LW 29 $1,000,000 1 year
Jesse Winchester C 31 $900,000 1 year
Joey Hishon C 23 RFA
Marc-Andre Cliché C 28 $700,000 1 year
Freddie Hamilton C 23 RFA
Dennis Everberg RW 23 $612,500 1 year
Defensemen:
Nick Holden D 28 $1,650,000 3 years
Nate Guenin D 32 $800,000 1 year
Zach Redmond D 26 $750,000 1 year
Goalies:
Reto Berra G 28 $1,450,000 2 years

Columbus Blue Jackets.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Cam Atkinson RW 26 $3,500,000 3 years
Rene Bourque RW 33 $3,333,333 1 year (Has waived his no trade in the past)
Jared Boll RW 29 $1,700,000 2 years
Matt Calvert LW 25 RFA
Defensemen:
Cody Goloubef D 25 $750,000 2 years
Dalton Prout D 25 $1,075,000 1 year
Goalies:
Curtis McElhinney G 32 $800,000 2 years

Dallas Stars.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Ales Hemsky RW 31 $4,000,000 2 years
Travis Moen LW 33 $1,850,000 1 year
Vernon Fiddler C 35 $1,250,000 1 year
Patrick Eaves RW 31 $1,150,000 1 year
Colton Sceviour C 26 $650,000 1 year
Defensemen:
Jason Demers D 27 $2,210,000 1 year
Jordie Benn D 27 $700,000 1 year
Goalies:
Kari Lehtonen G 31 $5,900,000 3 years (Management and Kari both seem like they could use a fresh start, so Lehtonen waives his no treade)

Detroit Red Wings.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Johan Franzen RW 35 $3,954,545 5 years
Darren Helm C 28 $2,125,000 1 year
Drew Miller LW 31 $1,350,00 1 year
Joakim Andersson C 26 $815,000 1 year
Luke Glendening C 26 $628,333 2 years
Landon Ferraro C 23 $600,000 1 year
Andy Miele C 27 $575,000 1 year
Defensemen:
Kyle Quincey D 29 $4,250,000 1 year
Jakub Kindl D 28 $2,400,000 2 years
Xavier Ouellet D 21 $670,000 1 year
Alexey Marchenko D 23 $666,666 1 year
Goalies:
Jimmy Howard G 31 $5,291,666 4 years (Howard needs a fresh start and waives his no trade)

Edmonton Oilers.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Teddy Purcell RW 29 $4,500,000 1 year
Matt Hendricks LW 34 $1,850,000 2 years
Luke Gazdic LW 25 $800,000 1 years
Rob Klinkhammer LW 28 $725,000 1 year
Tyler Pitlick RW 23 RFA
Andrew Miller C 26 $630,000 1 year
Defensemen:
Nikita Nikitin D 29 $4,500,000 1 year
Mark Fayne D 28 $3,625,000 3 years
Eric Gryba D 27 $1,250,000 1 year
Goalies:
Ben Scrivens G 28 $2,300,000 1 year
Anders Nilsson G 25 $1,000,000 1 year

Florida Panthers.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Derek Mackenzie C 34 $1,300,000 3 years
Shawn Thornton LW 37 $1,200,000 1 year
Defensemen:
Alex Petrovic D 23 RFA
Dylan Olsen D 24 $775,000 1 year
Steven Kampfer D 26 $612,500 2 years
Goalies:
Al Montoya G 30 $1,050,000 1 year

Los Angeles Kings.
Protect two goaltenders, three defensemen, and seven forwards.
Forwards:
Dwight King LW 26 $1,950,000 2 years
Kyle Clifford LW 24 $1,600,000 5 years
Trevor Lewis C 28 $1,525,000 1 year
Jordan Nolan C 26 $950,000 1 year
Nick Shore C 22 RFA
Andy Andreoff LW 24 RFA
801-0787
Defensemen:
Alec Martinez D 27 $4,000,000 6 years
Matt Greene D 32 $2,500,000 3 years
Brayden McNabb D 24 $650,000
Goalies:
N/A

Minnesota Wild.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Justin Fontaine RW 27 $1,000,000 1 year
Erik Haula C 24 RFA
Jordan Schroeder C 24 $600,000 1 year
Defensemen:
Christian Folin D 24 RFA
Matt Dumba D 20 $894,166
Goalies:
Niklas Backstrom G 37 $3,416,666 1 year (No doubt he would go anywhere to keep his career going waives his no movement clause)
Darcy Kuemper G 25 $1,250,000 1 year

Montreal Canadiens.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Lars Eller C 26 $3,500,000 3 years
Torrey Mitchell C 30 $1,200,000 3 years
Dale Weise RW 26 $1,025,000 1 year
Brian Flynn C 26 $950,000 2 years
Defensemen:
Tom Gilbert D 32 $2,800,000 1 year
Greg Pateryn D 25 $800,000 3 years
Goalies:
Dustin Tokarski G 25 $562,500

Nashville Predators.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Cody Hodgson C 25 $1,050,000 1 year
Steve Moses RW 25 $1,000,000 1 year
Gabriel Bourque LW 24 $866,250 1 year
Taylor Beck LW 24 RFA
Defensemen:
Mattias Ekholm D 25 $1,037,500 1 year
Victoe Bartley D 27 $666,666 1 year
Goalies:
Carter Hutton G 29 $725,000

New Jersey Devils.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Stephen Gionta C 31 $850,000 1 year
Jordin Tootoo RW 32 $825,000 1 year
Defensemen:
Eric Gelinas D 24 RFA
Goalies:
Keith Kinkaid G 25 $725,000 2 years

New York Islanders.
Protect two goaltenders, three defensemen, and seven forwards.
Forwards:
Mikhail Grabovski C 31 $5,000,000 3 years
Nikolay Kulemin LW 28 $4,187,500 3 years
Josh Bailey LW 25 $3,300,000 3 years
Michael Grabner LW 27 $3,000,000 1 year
Cal Clutterbuck RW $2,750,000 2 years
Matt Martin LW 26 $1,000,000 1 year
Defensemen:
Thomas Hickey D 26 $2,000,000 3 years
Calvin de Haan D 24 $1,966,667 2 years
Brian Strait D 27 $775,000 1 year
Goalies:
N/A

New York Rangers.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Tanner Glass LW 31 $1,450,000 2 years
Emerson Etem LW 23 RFA
Jesper Fast RW 23 RFA
Defensemen:
Kevin Klein D 30 $2,900,000 3 years
Raphael Diaz D 29 $700,000 1 year
Goalies:
Antti Raanta G 26 $750,000

Ottawa Senators.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Colin Greening LW 29 $2,650,000 2 years (waives no trade clause)
Chris Neil RW 36 $1,900,000 1 year (waives no trade clause after being asked by management)
Zack Smith C 27 $1,887,500 2 years
Alex Chiasson RW 24 RFA
Defensemen:
Jared Cowen D 24 $3,100,000 2 years
Mark Borowiecki D 25 $1,100,000 3 years
Goalies:
Craig Anderson G 34 $4,200,000 3 years

Philadelphia Flyers.
Protect two goaltenders, three defensemen, and seven forwards.
Forwards:
Sam Gagner C 25 $3,200,000 1 year
R.J. Umberger C 33 $4,600,000 2 years (Waives no trade)
Vincent Lecavalier C 35 $4,500,000 3 years (Is will to waives no movement to re-start career)
Ryan White C 27 $800,000 1 years
Chris VandeVelde C 28 $712,500 2 years
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare LW 30 $712,500 2 years
Defensemen:
Andrew MacDonald D 28 $5,000,000 5 years
Michael Del Zotto D 25 RFA
Nick Schultz D 32 $2,250,000 2 years
Radko Gudas D 25 $991,666 1 year
Brandon Manning D 25 $625,000 1 year
Goalies:
N/A

Pittsburgh Penguins.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
N/A
Defensemen:
Ben Lovejoy D 31 $1,100,000
Goalies:
Jeff Zatkoff G 28 $600,000

San Jose Sharks.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Tommy Wingels C 27 $2,475,000 1 year
Raffi Torres LW 33 $2,000,000 1 year (Waived no trade)
Ben Smith RW 28 $1,500,000 1 year
Mike Brown RW 30 $1,200,000 1 year
Chris Tierney C 21 $711,666 2 years
Daniil Tarasov RW 24 RFA
Barclay Goodrow RW 22 $626,666 2 years
Defensemen:
Justin Braun D 28 $3,800,000 5 years
Matt Tennyson D 25 $625,000 1 year
Goalies:
Alex Stalock G 27 $1,600,000

St. Louis Blues.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Troy Brouwer RW 29 $3,666,666 1 year (Has waived his no trade in the past when asked)
Steve Ott C 32 $2,600,000 1 year
Ryan Reaves RW 28 $1,125,000 3 years
Defensemen:
Carl Gunnarsson D 28 $2,950,000 1 year
Robert Bortuzzo D 26 $1,050,000 2 years
Goalies:
Brian Elliott G 30 $2,500,000 2 years

Tampa Bay Lightning.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Brian Boyle C 30 $2,000,000 2 years
J.T. Brown RW 25 $950,000 1 year
Vladislav Namestnikov C 22 RFA
Cedric Paquette C 21 $633,333 1 year
Defensemen:
Andrej Sustr D 24 $1,450,000 2 years
Luke Witkowski D 25 RFA
Goalies:
Andrei Vasilevskiy G 20 $925,000 2 years

Toronto Maple Leafs.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Joffrey Lupul LW 31 $5,250,000 3 years (Waives no trade)
Leo Komarov C 28 $2,950,000 3 years
Nick Spaling C 26 $2,200,000 1 year
Peter Holland C 27 $775,000 1 year
Defensemen:
Roman Polak D 29 $2,750,000 1 year
Martin Marincin D 23 RFA
TJ Brennan D 26 $675,000 1 year
Goalies:
James Reimer G 27 $2,300,000 1 year

Vancouver Canucks.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Derek Dorsett RW 28 $2,650,000 4 years
Brandon Prust LW 31 $2,500,000 1 year
Ronalds Kenins LW 24 $600,000 1 year
Defensemen:
Luca Sbisa D 25 $3,600,000 3 years
Goalies:
Jacob Markstrom G 25 $1,550,000 2 years

Washington Capitals.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Brooks Laich C 32 $4,500,000 2 years
Michael Latta C 24 $575,000 1 year
Defensemen:
Brooks Orpik D 34 $5,500,000 4 years
Nate Schmidt D 23 $812,500 2 years
Goalies:
Justin Peters G 28 $950,000 1 year
Philipp Grubauer G 23 $750,000 2 years

Winnipeg Jets.
Protect one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards.
Forwards:
Chris Thorburn RW 32 $1,200,000 2 years
Matt Halischuk RW 27 $750,000 1 year
Anthony Peluso RW 26 $675,000 2 years
Defensemen:
Grant Clitsome D 30 $2,066,666 1 year
Jay Harrison D 32 $1,050,000 1 year
Adam Pardy D 31 $1,000,000 1 year
Ben Chiarot D 24 $850,000 2 years
Paul Postma D 26 RFA
Goalies:
Michael Hutchinson G 25 $575,000 1 year

So there is the list, a lot of third liners and bottom pairing defensemen, but there are a few gems. Make your own mock expansion drafts, and tell me if I added players to this list that shouldn’t be their (and who you would put in their place). For my next blog I will have my own draft. Looking forward to your feedback, and happy hockey.

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Filed Under:   2015   2000   expansion   nhl   NHL  
July 8, 2015 6:40 PM ET | Delete
Interesting topic. Although Vasilevski would not be there for tampa. Rather Bishop or maybe both, but that would make some pretty good young players avalible bc of their depth
July 9, 2015 9:39 AM ET | Delete
I thought the new rules were you did not have to protect RFA players as they could not be taken. Heard it on radio from someone who works with the league, but not sure if it is true.
July 9, 2015 12:30 PM ET | Delete
Thank you Cloud and Lilroot for reading and the feedback.
July 9, 2015 12:32 PM ET | Delete
With Vasileski Tampa would more then likely do what San Jose did in 2000 with Nabokov.
July 9, 2015 12:36 PM ET | Delete
Lilroot thank you for letting me know about this rule.I will have to do some digging to find out if that is indeed true, but for blog I did state that I would be using draft rules from 2000
July 10, 2015 2:04 PM ET | Delete
why do the isles protect 2 goalies theyd go 1-5-9 easily it invalidates your list
July 10, 2015 2:10 PM ET | Delete
why do the isles protect 2 goalies theyd go 1-5-9 easily it invalidates your list . theres no way they would leave a valuable roster player out for a backup goalie. your whole premise is not only flawed its ridiculous since you dont even know the rosters of teams.....as proven by your total lack of knowledge of the islanders and other teams......the article fails completely
July 10, 2015 3:30 PM ET | Delete
I said at the start of the article you need to protect all new signings, so that is why I protected 2 goalies on the islanders.
July 10, 2015 3:31 PM ET | Delete
Love the passion for hockey Randi, keep it up.
July 10, 2015 3:37 PM ET | Delete
Keep the feedback coming.
July 10, 2015 10:32 PM ET | Delete
I look forward to seeing the team you assemble.
July 11, 2015 1:52 AM ET | Delete
Thank you for reading ACDC hoping to have part two up on Tuesday or Wednesday.
July 11, 2015 7:02 PM ET | Delete
Hodgson just signed so y he be there and why Anderson for Ana? ?
July 11, 2015 11:09 PM ET | Delete
Hodgson was a mistake, thank you for catching it.
July 11, 2015 11:13 PM ET | Delete
Gibson or Anderson had to be made available Gibson is NHL ready and has a ton of upside so Anderson had to go sadly
July 12, 2015 11:50 AM ET | Delete
Message Posted
July 15, 2015 2:34 AM ET | Delete
San Jose would keep Tierney over Nieto
July 15, 2015 12:46 PM ET | Delete
Thank you for the comment vols.
July 15, 2015 12:48 PM ET | Delete
I thought the Sharks were really high on Nieto.
July 17, 2015 11:42 PM ET | Delete
But Ana got Khudoblin in trade so why not make him available instead
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