Let’s take a look at the upcoming expansion draft that will occur June 21. Today, we will examine the options that would be best suited for the Boston Bruins. A breakdown of both options of protecting seven forwards , three defenseman, one goaltender as well as the eight skaters and the one goaltender format.
The rules are simple and are as followed for players protection:
- Players with a “no movement” clause that is currently in effect, and continues to be in effect at the time of the Expansion Draft, must be protected by their respective team, unless such players choose to waive their NMC, at which point the team is free to expose them.
- All players who have accrued two or less professional seasons at the end of the 2016-17 season, as well as all unsigned draft choices appearing on the team’s reserve list, will be exempt from the upcoming expansion draft.
The requirement for players to be exposed are as followed:
- Each team must expose at least two forwards and one defencemen that has under contract in 2017-18, and played in 40 or more NHL games last season or played in 70 or more NHL games in the last two seasons
- Each team must expose at least one goaltender that is under contract in 2017-18 or who’s contract is expiring and is an RFA in 2017-18.
It’s safe to say that the Boston Bruins are in a good place for players that needs to be kept but don’t have to (pardon the term) waste an exposure protection. The following players are in the list of players that will either be protected or exposed.
Forwards: David Krejci, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, David Backes, Matt Beleskey, Jimmy Hayes, Riley Nash, Dominic Moore, Tim Schaller, Ryan Spooner, Drew Stafford and David Pastrnak.
Defense: Torey Krug, Zdeno Chara, Adam McQuaid, Kevan Miller, Colin Miller, John Michael Liles
Goaltender: Tuukka Rask, Anton Khudobin, Malcom Subban
7F/3D/1G
To get the stupidity out of the way, the whole hockey world knows that the Bruins will protect Tuukka Rask as the sole goaltender. In this format the Bruins are guaranteed to protect ] forwards Krejci, Bergeron, Marchand, Backes and Pastrnak. The remaining two forwards however could be hit and miss. If Boston somehow resigns Spooner to then flip him at the NHL Entry Draft he will have to be protected. Personally, protecting Schaller would be the way to go due to his style of play. Let’s face it boston would be better off with Belesky and Hayes gone.
The defensman of choices would be Chara with his NMC. The best reason to not ask Chara to waive his NMC would be that he would serve as a mentor for both Carlo and McAvoy. the $4 million cap hit is not bad either. The second player to be protected would have to be Krug due to him quarterbacking the B’s power play. The 3rd choice is more complicated than the rest due to three defencemen that the fans have come to adore. the two Miller’s and McQuaid. Fans will be quick to point out to McQuaid as being the Big Bad Bruins poster boy of the past year. The problem is that McQuaid misses significant time year in and year out. At 30 years of age, his body isn’t getting any younger. Kevan Miller is two years younger than McQuaid and bring the same style of play. C. Miller is 24 and bring a more offensive style of play. The Bruins should keep C.Miller but will likely go for a grittier defenseman in K. Miller.
8S/1G
Again here, the light of day choice for goalie will be Rask. The only way this method of protecting the players would be to have one of the NMC players forego their clause. Chara, Bergeron, Krejci and Backes have NMC in their contracts. thus leaving Marchand and Pastrnak in the outside looking in. Boston will never let the two wingers go. Which leaves us again to the fact that Boston will have to protect only three defencemen. Most players who have NMC have it for a reason. They want to stay with that team and stability with their families. Boston would have to barter with Las Vegas by giving away players in order for them to pick the player the team in question wants gone.
Only Sweeney would know if this would be the right choice. Then again, all fans have different opinions and will voice either in favor or their displeasure with the decisions.
Based on the Bruins roster, the right choice should be the first option. Only time will tell and the hockey world will find out very soon.
