The 2021 NHL Expansion Draft is almost here, and that comes with one certainty –
Someone who plays for the St. Louis Blues now will instead play for the Seattle Kraken when the puck drops on the 2021-22 season in October.
Who will it be?
Only Seattle will know for sure.
But all of us will find out on Wednesday, July 21 when the Kraken reveal their picks beginning at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
Here are some answers to a few common questions about the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft:
How many players does Seattle get to pick?
The Kraken will select 30 players and will choose one player from every NHL team except the Vegas Golden Knights.
Seattle will be required to select a minimum of 14 forwards, nine defensemen and three goalies.
Can the Kraken just select whoever they want?
No. Every team will submit a Protected List, and the players on that list will not be available to the Kraken.
Teams can choose to protect seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie – OR – eight skaters and one goalie. The second option allows teams to protect more than three defensemen but comes at the cost of protecting two less players overall.
Which option will the Blues choose?
That’s up to General Manager Doug Armstrong, and he hasn’t revealed that yet.
In the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft for the Vegas Golden Knights, Armstrong chose the first option and protected seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie. Vegas ended up selecting David Perron.
Who can and can’t be protected?
Players who have contracts with no-movement clauses MUST be protected, unless they choose to waive the clause before the NHL’s July 16 deadline. This rule will not apply to the Blues since Armstrong has not given no-movement clauses to anyone on the current roster. Teams can also choose to protect potential unrestricted free agents if desired.
First- and second-year players and all unsigned draft picks cannot be selected by Seattle and do NOT count towards the Protected List. For example, Klim Kostin – who just finished his second year as pro – does not need to use up a spot on the protected list becuase he cannot be selected by Seattle.
Players who have started their third year as pros will need to be protected if teams do not want Seattle to select them. For example, a player like Robert Thomas – who has now played in three NHL seasons – will need to be on the Blues’ protected list if Armstrong does not want to risk losing him to the Kraken.
When can we see the Blues’ Protected List?
Armstrong and his Hockey Operations staff are still thinking about this, but they are required to submit their list to the League in mid-July. The Protected Lists are expected to be revealed sometime on or around July 18.
As soon as that list is available, it will be published at stlouisblues.com.
