Huge week in the NHL offseason with the Seattle Kraken expansion draft on Wednesday and the entry draft on Friday/Saturday.
The Kraken can pick one player that the Wild currently own the rights to that is not on the protected list. Based on CapFriendly's Expansion Draft Simulator Tool, here's everyone available:
FORWARDS
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DEFENSEMEN
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GOALIES
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Soucy is probably the most enticing player for Seattle here, but it's hard to predict how the Kraken will construct the rest of their roster (finding centers better than Rask in an expansion draft might be harder than it seems it should be ... so maybe?)
There aren't really any exciting free agents or minor league prospects for Seattle to dip into - Brennan Menell scored a bunch of points two years ago and played well in Russia, but if Seattle is picking D they probably go Soucy.
LATE EDIT TO ADD - as the draft gets closer, it feels like there is consensus that Kahkonen is the likely pick.
For the entry draft, the Wild have two first round picks (for now) and five picks in the first three rounds. No NHL- ready players to be had at those draft slots, and its hard to predict who will be available that deep into the draft, so there's lots of available names.
I kind of want them to take a defenseman, but mostly because I've convinced myself that the organizational pipeline is a little thin at the blue line.
https://twitter.com/WWhangdoodle/status/1416051966996893707?s=19
Are the expansion draft rules any different for Seattle than they were for Golden Knights? Regardless, I am thinking NHL GM's won't be loading up Seattle like they did Vegas.
Essentially the same rules.
It sounds like fewer side deals are being offered, but who knows? GMs always value players differently than fans/analysts.
Seattle can make a pretty decent team with what's available, plus they get a real weak division to play in. They won't be Wild/Blue Jackets/Senators level bad.
GMs always value players differently than fans/analysts.
Much to Vegas' delight in their case.
Also it would be amazing to see Montreal fan's reaction if the Kraken took Price. I know they won't due to salary cap issues but still fun to watch.
Now it sounds like the Wild are one of the last teams still in on Jack Eichel.
That would change things quite a bit.
Seeing a lot of "sounds like Kahkonen will be taken" now.
Kahkonen the Kraken does have a nice ring to it.
It's going to be Bjugstad who then gets flipped to another team.
That take didn't age well.
Russo says Soucy is the Kraken's pick.
Wild now have 3 to 4 D-men
Addison - Spurgeon
Brodin - Dumba
??? - ???
Mennell as depth D if he signs.
Ian Cole is a real possibility as a free agent signing, but I think they need to sign someone to a little longer deal (3 years? ) because signing free agents is going to be tough next year as I said in the tweets above.
This is awfully good.
Goalie prospects are always a bit of a gamble, but the Wild have another first round pick and this was probably the best pick available
They took a defenseman, I think that's good. I honestly don't know anything about Lambos.