Quoting: Canucks33
So you're for sure losing either Toews or Graves in Expansion right?
Quoting: NMAvsFan
Not if they can get EJ to waive his NTC - then the Avs can pick Toews or Graves but not both.
Quoting: coga16
They are trying to force seattle to take a forward in Donskoi or Compher instead. The plan is either EJ waives his NMC or they buy him out to protect Makar Girard Toews, and with Graves contract with higher salary in years 2 and 3 of it, deters them for that selection
Either way if its Graves Compher or Donskoi, avs dont care
Quoting: NMAvsFan
I doubt Seattle is going to care about the salary all that much since it's not massive, it's only two years and it's a new team that likely won't be near the cap.
Avs will protect 7+3+1:
- Mackinnon, Rantanen, Landeskog, Kadri, Burakovsky, Saad (if we want to resign him), Nichuskin (cheapest 3rd liner)
- Makar, Girard, Toews
- Grubauer
Exposed:
- Compher, Donskoi, O'Connor
- Graves, Johnson (asked to waive NMC, because Seattle won't take him over Graves anyways)
- Francouz
If Seattle follow Vegas' strategy from last Expansion draft they will pick as many Dmen as possible so I think they go with Graves.
As
@coga16 said though, it doesn't really matter here who Seattle take, Avs are fine with it either way.
- If they take Graves, that removes a $3.16m caphit when Byram joins the team (with $7m of the $9.5m total of the deal still to be paid in the last 2 years of Graves contract).
- If they take Compher, that removes $3.5m and opens a spot for Newhook.
Avs will likely trade one of Compher/Donskoi/Graves regardless of who Seattle takes, because we'll need to make room for both Byram and Newhook, and create some capspace for Makar/Landeskog/Grubauer.
Couldn't be happier with the situation we're in going into the Expansion Draft.
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