A Canuck fan’s guide to the Seattle 2021 NHL expansion draft

Seattle 2021 NHL expansion draft rules

Let’s take a look at the parameters for the upcoming Seattle 2021 expansion draft.

If you’re familiar with the rules for the Vegas Golden Knights 2017 NHL expansion draft, then you’re already well informed as they’ll be exactly the same this time around.

Seattle must select one player from each team (not including Vegas) for a total of 30 players, including at least 14 forwards, nine defencemen, and three goaltenders. Of these, 20 must be under contract for the following season.

As Seattle must select three goalies before they’re done, it’s fortunate for the Canucks that the only eligible players for the draft are those with at least three NHL seasons logged as of the end of 2020–2021. While Demko will need to be protected if he’s still on the roster, DiPietro will not. Likewise, all of the less experienced players — rookies, sophomores and unsigned prospects — will be exempt.

Every NHL team will have the option to protect either a list of any eight skaters and one goalie (nine players total), or a list of any seven forwards, three defenders, and one goalie (11 players total). Noting that the latter option allows a team to protect two extra skaters, for the purposes of this article we’ll consider this option simply because it provides a greater level of protection.

To meet minimum requirements for exposing players, teams must make available at least one goalie, one defenceman and two forwards. Skaters must have 40 games played in the previous season, or 70 games over the previous two seasons to be eligible, while goalies merely need to be under contract.

What this means for the Canucks is that they’ll need to acquire a veteran backup goalie to meet that minimum-exposure requirement if Demko is actually traded away ahead of the draft.

Finally, after much explanation and exploration, let’s take a look at the list of players the Canucks may choose to protect and expose.