Photo: John Locher/AP
The most exciting as well as scary time in the NHL offseason for hockey fans everywhere is about to get underway. The process for the expansion draft goes into action this weekend and it’ll only be a matter of time til we find out who will be a member of the NHL’s newest team, the Vegas Golden Knights.
Per rules, each NHL team has to protect either seven forwards, three defensemen, and one goaltender or one goaltender and eight skaters. Each of the 30 teams is guaranteed to lose one top-four defenseman or third-line forward.
Here are the key dates:
June 17 (Saturday) – Clubs must submit their protected list for the Expansion Draft. Most teams are expected to protect seven forwards, three defensemen, and a goalie as opposed to eight skaters and a goalie. Las Vegas will select one Capital off the list of unprotected, eligible players. More here.
June 18 (Sunday) – Deadline for Central Registry to approve and simultaneously distribute the Protection Lists to all NHL Clubs (including the Expansion Club) and the NHLPA (10 a.m. ET). Protection lists must be approved by the league and the interview process opens for UFA’s and RFA’s. The lists will be made available to the public at 10 a.m. on Sunday.
June 21 (Wednesday) – The Vegas Golden Knights must submit their Expansion Draft picks to the NHL by 10 a.m. ET. At 8 p.m. ET that night, during the NHL Awards show, the picks will be announced.
The NHL’s complete listing of rules for the expansion draft can be found here.
For more stories on the expansion draft and a more detailed explanation on how things work check out these articles:
With NHL Rosters Now Set, All Eyes Are On The Expansion Draft: Here Are The Rules
Leaving (for) Las Vegas Series: Expansion Draft Rules
Predicting the Expansion Draft – Which Goalies are Heading West?
NHL Expansion Draft – Key Dates and Times to Know
By Michael Marzzacco
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