A player can be picked even if he doesn't meet the exposure requirement, he just doesn't count as the two NHL forwards who have to be exposed.

Up to your usual standards -- maybe even better. Any differences between your lists and mine can be explained as personal preferences. The only insight I can give is that in response to my construction, our friend @Wqrrior (a Canucks adherent) says that Vancouver will protect Virtanen. And I'm hoping that both Los Angeles and Minnesota can trade Clague and Dumba before the draft to obviate the 8-1 election. (I really think that Arizona is the perfect destination for Dumba, but what can they afford to give the Wild?)

I do think that a Virtanen protection is unfeasible since Pearson's extension. Motte is worth protecting imo, since he's a cornerstone of their bottom six and Kole Lind on ELC could turn out to be useful when their cap problems intensify

My best guess would be a package of salary (Pitlick), a 2022 pick, and Filip Westerlund. High pick from the 2017 draft that (from first glance) appears to just not want to sign with the Coyotes and may be tempted to do so anywhere else.

@SevenLeg given the absolute lack of center depth, would you not want to try and run Logan Brown in the top-nine and see if an opportunity outside of Ottawa helps him reach his potential?

They could give him a chance, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him simply not making it. I also don't think the center depth is that bad. There will probably be a William Karlsson story (Dickinson, Blueger or Colton maybe)

Here's our list:

1. Petey
2. Brock
3. Bo
4. JT
5. Pearson
6. Motte
7. Virtanen

Lind hasn't reached the GP requirement so he should be safe. Even if not, I don't believe the priority is on Kole.

Gaudette was traded recently largely our of him previously being the obvious exposure. That move suggests that they are still in to make Jake work, especially given what happened with Bennett.

Spot on with Dallas.

The "games played" figure applies only to qualification, not to eligibility. Look up Tomas Nosek.

Bennett's situation is the result of a change of scenery. I don't think keeping Virtanen in the same environment is the best thing to do to avoid another Bennett story.

I dont see Seattle passing on Kerfoot over Dermott.

I personally think it's a coin flip.

I don’t understand why they would protect Pavelski over Dickinson. Such a short term view.

Dickinson isn’t part of our future, Pavs can help the young guys and he can help right now.

The centerline will be a big challenge for sure (as for any team), but this one is horrible because of @SevenLeg choices, not because they aren't there.

Kerfoot, Backlund, Tierney, Sissons and many RFAs are available, he just overlooked them.

Interesting. I'm intrigued to learn more, what exactly should I look up to see into it?

Nosek was a surprise choice from Detroit by Las Vegas because he was in the minors and had only played 17 games in the NHL at the time of the expansion draft.

Kerfoot is a decent option that I admit I've overlooked, Backlund is an overpriced 3C, and don't even try to convince me that Tierney is better than Blueger. Dickinson-Sissons is a wash

Their best time to win is right now imo. They've got a great mix of veteran : Benn, Klingberg, Radulov and Pavelski that will only get better when Seguin and Bishop come back, and good young players : Robertson, Heiskanen, Hintz, Oettinger and Gurianov. Pavelski's impact on Dallas right now is insane and if I try to win, I'd have one year of him over a few years of a bottom-six center

I think that other than in maybe Tampa bays situation, most teams have learned from the last expansion that losing one decent but not great player is better than paying to take a lesser good player. Especially if it involves prime picks and or prospects to do it. If that player also has some decent cap on his contract to boot, many teams may actually just embrace the extra cap space.

Its just so hard to try and win a cup with the best roster possible and also worry about the upcoming expansion draft. I say don't worry, most teams are losing a decent player and the ones that aren't either played their roster perfectly or weren't a deep roster anyway.

If I'm Habs, just lose one of Allen or Chiarot. Don't bother paying Seattle to take Byron. We aren't cup contenders anyway and that extra cap space we're getting will not make us win a cup. The core of this team is whats going to win us a cup and that ship has sailed IMO. Keep the picks.

I guess it just depends on what their goals are. Do they want to compete right away or do they want to get young assets and draft picks? I never said Henrique wasn’t still legit. Again just depends on what they’re trying to do. If they want to get right into it guys like Henrique and PK make sense. I think Mikheyev and Kerfoot could do better in a top six role if given the chance. You could probably say the same of Dermott but every time I’ve watched them he didn’t really show well. If they could snag Dreiger he would absolutely be an upgrade over the two I mentioned. Do they have a negotiation window with all UFAs or would they have to select the player they’re talking to? Curious as I’m hoping the Stars can re sign Oleksiak

From what I understand, Seattle have two days to talk with unprotected UFAs. If they agree on a contract, they can select the player and make the deal official after the ED. It could happen with Oleksiak, but the fact that there are other good option on the Stars can prevent this from happening.

Good deal. Thanks. I do agree Dickie would be a better option for them over Rig. Right now it looks like they won’t have any issues putting a decent defense together

I don't disagree

Enrique isn't good enough to be on Anaheim's roster and AA isn't a center at all (or on 30% of the rink only).

Tierney, Backlund and Kerfoot are two way centers who can play anywhere on the top 9. Just give them offensive wingers, which is much easier to find. Like Tatar-Danault-Gally

I love Sissons (like Motte) solenly because of his playoffs performances, but it has been a while so I can understand you are disinterested.

What tells you Henrique isn't good enough to be on Anaheim's roster? Him on waivers was just the financial aspect of the game. I agree, Kerfoot is probably a better center option than AA.

As for Henrique, like I said, plays on a team short of offense. His current offense impact is 4.9, which is lower than his 8.5 but you get the idea. He's legit the best option there is at center.

Tierney is good and I wouldn't be surprised if they go with him, but I also wouldn't be surprised if they take a flyer on L. Brown. While Tierney is good, he's fallen off a cliff this year while Blueger is steadily improving and has undoubtedly passed Tierney.