NHL execs roll out parameters for deep expansion draft
BOCA RATON, Fla. – NHL officials gave parameters for a possible expansion draft during the final day of their general managers meetings at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. The hope was this would provide one of the deeper expansion drafts in NHL history.
The league has not specifically ruled on expansion yet, though it has applications from possible franchises in Quebec City and Las Vegas. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said he hoped to have a decision for expansion on the 2017-18 season by June.
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NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said that if the league expands by one team, then each current club can lose one player. If it’s two teams, then each team can lose two players.
First or second year pros will be exempt from the draft. Unsigned and drafted players are exempt for two years after their draft year. Teams can protect seven forwards, three defenseman and one goaltender or just eight total skaters and one goaltender. There is no current scenario where a team can protect two goaltenders.
Combined salary for players not protected by a team would need to hit 25 percent of a team’s total payroll.
The league has noted that it will try to create one of the deeper expansion drafts so new teams can be competitive early, rather than lose momentum after their inaugural season.
“The other variation that makes this expansion draft different is we would contemplate having some thresholds based on salary to make sure that the expansion club can be competitive based on the ranges we have in the CBA,” Daly said. “Teams would have some obligation to expose a level of salary. And in terms of drafting players, teams would have to draft a certain threshold of salary.”
Daly said the expansion draft rules were not “set in stone” and Wednesday’s discussion with the NHL’s general managers was more conceptual. He also the league would need to talk with the NHL Players’ Association about the rules of a draft.
For example, there still isn’t much clarity on players who have no-move clauses and how an expansion draft would affect them.
“It’s an issue that hasn’t been resolved in terms of how we intend to treat that. It’s something that we’re going to have to have a discussion with the Players’ Association,” Daly said. “But I didn’t have any certainty to provide (the general managers) on that issue, but I told them what the possibilities might be … It’s more how many players do they get to protect.”
This would also be the NHL’s first expansion with a salary cap, which means some rules from prior drafts wouldn’t apply. The last time the NHL held an expansion draft was 2000.
“I don’t think that’s going to be an issue,” Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray said. “I think the new teams, if there are new teams, will have certain obligations to pick certain players. But I don’t think we’ll be handicapped because of the cap.”
League general managers didn’t have much of an opinion on the presentation, but were happy to have clarity on the issue so they could prepare for potential scenarios.
On Tuesday, Florida Panthers general manager Dale Tallon sounded worried about the possible draft. On Wednesday he sounded relieved.
“Based on past experience it’s going to be fair and it’s going to be the same for everybody. It is what it is – if it happens,” Tallon said. “I can’t worry about stuff that might not happen either.”
Some GMs even looked at the draft as a way to help their team by exposing players they were thinking of parting with at some point.
“I’ve got a guy in mind right now,” Murray quipped.
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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper
