Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

As the NHL expansion draft for the Seattle Kraken is around a year away, what could their inaugural season roster look like? NoVa Caps does its annual mock expansion draft for the NHL’s 32nd franchise. You can see last year’s mock draft here.

Each team has the option of protecting seven forwards, three defensemen, and one goaltender or eight skaters (forwards plus defensemen) and one goalie. Seattle gets the same rules as the Vegas Golden Knights did in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. The Kraken have to select one player from every team except the Golden Knights, who are exempt from the expansion draft. Ultimately, the Kraken must draft at least 14 forwards, nine defensemen, three goaltenders, and 20 players who are under contract for the 2020-21 NHL season while staying compliment with the $81.5 million salary cap.

While these players would be our picks today, that could change. One reason why that could be is that there are still plenty of unrestricted free agents (such as forward Mike Hoffman, center Mikael Granlund, center Erik Haula, forward Dominik Kahun, and defenseman Sami Vatanen) who could be protected by whoever signs them.

NOTE: Players must be protected (unless they waive) if they have an NMC – No Movement Clause (player has to be protected unless he waives), M-NTC NMC – Modified No-Trade Clause No Movement Clause

Anaheim Ducks

Protected: F Danton Heinen, C Sam Steel, C Troy Terry, C Rickard Rakell, F Sonny Milano, F Max Jones, F Jakob Silfverberg, D Josh Manson, D Cam Fowler, D Hampus Lindholm, G John Gibson

Kraken select: C Derek Grant

Arizona Coyotes

Protected: C Nick Schmaltz, C Christian Dvorak, F Conor Garland, F Lawson Crouse, F Christian Fischer, F Phil Kessel (NMC), F Clayton Keller, D Kyle Capobianco, D Jakob Chychrun, D Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D Darcy Kuemper

Kraken select: F Tyler Pitlick

Boston Bruins

Protected: F Charlie Coyle (NMC), C Patrice Bergeron (NMC), F Brad Marchand (NMC), F Jake DeBrusk, F David Pastrnak, F Craig Smith, F Ondrej Kase, D Brandon Carlo, D Charlie McAvoy, D Matt Grzelcyk, D Daniel Vladar

Kraken select: D Connor Clifton

Buffalo Sabres

Protected: C Casey Mittelstadt, C Zemgus Girgensons, C Tage Thompson, C Jack Eichel, F Jeff Skinner (NMC), F Victor Olofsson, F Sam Reinhart, D Lawrence Pilut, D Henri Jokiharju, D Rasmus Dahlin, G Jonas Johansson

Kraken select: D Colin Miller

Calgary Flames

Protected: C Sam Bennett, C Sean Monahan, F Matthew Tkachuk, F Johnny Gaudreau, F Andrew Mangiapane, F Milan Lucic (NMC), F Elias Lindholm, D Mark Giordano, D Noah Hanifin, D Chris Tanev, G Jacob Markstrom

Kraken select: D Rasmus Andersson

Carolina Hurricanes

Protected: C Jordan Staal (NMC), C Sebastian Aho, F Andrei Svechnikov, F Teuvo Teravainen, D Haydn Fleury, D Jake Bean, D Jaccob Slavin, D Brett Pesce, G Alex Nedeljkovic

Kraken select: F Warren Foegele

Chicago Blackhawks

Protected: C Jonathan Toews (NMC), F Patrick Kane (NMC), F Alex DeBrincat, F Dylan Strome, D Duncan Keith (NMC), D Brent Seabrook (NMC), D Nikita Zadorov, D Connor Murphy, G Colin Delia

Kraken select: D Calvin de Haan

Colorado Avalanche

Protected: C Nathan MacKinnon, F Mikko Rantanen, F Andre Burakovsky, D Cale Makar, D Samuel Girard, D Devon Toews, D Erik Johnson (NMC), D Ryan Graves, G Pavel Francouz

Kraken select: F J.T. Compher

Columbus Blue Jackets

Protected: C Max Domi, F Cam Atkinson, C Pierre-Luc Dubois, F Oliver Bjorkstrand, D Seth Jones, D Zach Werenski, D David Savard, D Vladislav Gavrikov, G Joonas Korpisalo

Kraken select: F Gustav Nyquist

Dallas Stars

Protected: C Tyler Seguin (NMC), F Jamie Benn (NMC), F Alexander Radulov (NMC), C Radek Faksa, C Roope Hintz, F Denis Gurianov, F Joe Pavelski, D Miro Heiskanen, D John Klingberg, D Esa Lindell, G Ben Bishop (NMC)

Kraken select: G Anton Khudobin

Detroit Red Wings

Protected: C Dylan Larkin, F Evgeny Svechnikov, F Tyler Bertuzzi, F Robby Fabbri, C Michael Rasmussen, F Anthony Mantha, F Vladislav Namestnikov, D Danny DeKeyser, D Filip Hronek, D Dennis Cholowski, G Thomas Greiss

Kraken select: D Troy Stetcher

Edmonton Oilers

Protected: C Leon Draisaitl, C Connor McDavid, F Jesse Puljujarvi, F Kailer Yamamoto, D Oscar Klefbom, D Caleb Jones, D Ethan Bear, D Darnell Nurse, G Mikko Koskinen

Kraken select: F James Neal

Florida Panthers

Protected: C Aleksander Barkov, F Jonathan Huberdeau (NMC), F Brett Connolly, C Henrik Borgstrom, D MacKenzie Weegar, D Aaron Ekblad, D Keith Yandle (NMC), D Markus Nutivaara, G Sergei Bobrovsky (NMC)

Kraken select: F Frank Vatrano

Los Angeles Kings

Protected: C Anze Kopitar, F Adrian Kempe, C Carl Grundstrom, D Matt Roy, D Olli Maatta, D Sean Walker, D Drew Doughty (NMC), D Kale Clague, G Cal Petersen

Kraken select: C Lias Andersson

Minnesota Wild 

Protected: F Kevin Fiala, F Zach Parise (NMC), F Jordan Greenway, F Mats Zuccarello (NMC), D Jared Spurgeon (NMC), D Ryan Suter (NMC), D Jonas Brodin (NMC), D Carson Soucy, G Kaapo Kahkonen

Kraken select: C Joel Eriksson-Ek

Montreal Canadiens

Protected: C Jesperi Kotkaniemi, F Arturri Lehkonen, F Paul Byron, F Jonathan Drouin, F Josh Anderson, F Brendan Gallagher (NMC), F Tyler Toffoli, D Victor Mete, D Jeff Petry (NMC), D Cale Fleury, G Carey Price (NMC)

Kraken select: D Ben Chiarot

Nashville Predators

Protected: C Matt Duchene, F Filip Forsberg, F Viktor Arvidsson, C Luke Kunin, D Roman Josi (NMC), D Ryan Ellis, D Mattias Ekholm, D Dante Fabbro, G Juusse Saros

Kraken select: C Colton Sissons

New Jersey Devils

Protected: C Nick Merkley, C Nico Hischier, C Michael Mcleod, C Brett Seney, F Miles Wood, F Jesper Bratt, F Andreas Johnsson, D Will Butcher, D Ryan Murray, D Damon Severson, G MacKenzie Blackwood

Kraken select: G Corey Crawford

New York Islanders

Protected: C Brock Nelson, C Jean-Gabriel Pageau, C Mathew Barzal, F Anders Lee, F Anthony Beauvillier, F Michael Dal Colle, F Josh Bailey, D Adam Pelech, D Ryan Pulock, D Nick Leddy, G Semyon Varlamov

Kraken select: F Kieffer Bellows

New York Rangers

Protected: C Mika Zibanejad (NMC), F Artemi Panarin (NMC), C Filip Chytil, F Brett Howden, F Chris Kreider (NMC), F Julien Gauthier, F Pavel Buchnevich, D Jacob Trouba (NMC), D Anthony DeAngelo, D Ryan Lindgren, G Alexander Georgiev

Kraken select: C Ryan Strome

Ottawa Senators

Protected: C Logan Brown, F Drake Batherson, C Chris Tierney, F Connor Brown, F Brady Tkachuk, C Colin White, F Evgenii Dadonov, D Thomas Chabot, D Christian Wolanin, D Josh Brown, G Filip Gustavsson

Kraken select: G Matt Murray

Philadelphia Flyers

Protected: C Kevin Hayes (NMC), C Nolan Patrick, C Sean Couturier, F Scott Laughton, F Claude Giroux (NMC), F Oskar Lindblom, F Travis Konecny, D Travis Sanheim, D Ivan Provorov, D Philippe Myers, G Carter Hart

Kraken select: D Shayne Gostisbehere

Pittsburgh Penguins

Protected: C Sidney Crosby (NMC), C Evgeni Malkin (NMC), F Jake Guentzel, C Jared McCann, F Bryan Rust, F Jason Zucker, F Kasperi Kapanen, D Kris Letang (NMC), D Brian Dumoulin, D Marcus Pettersson, G Tristan Jarry

Kraken select: F Zach Aston-Reese

San Jose Sharks

Protected: C Logan Couture, F Alex True, F Tomas Hertl, F Evander Kane, F Timo Meier, F Kevin LaBanc, C Ryan Donato, D Erik Karlsson (NMC), D Marc-Eduoard Vlasic (NMC), D Trevor Carrick, G Josef Korenar

Kraken select: D Radim Simek

St. Louis Blues

Protected: C Brayden Schenn, C Ryan O’Reilly, F Zach Sanford, F Robert Thomas, F David Perron, F Sammy Blais, F Vladimir Tarasenko, D Vince Dunn, D Torey Krug, D Colton Parayko, G Villie Husso

Kraken select: D Marco Scandella

Tampa Bay Lightning

Protected: F Nikita Kucherov, F Steven Stamkos, C Brayden Point, F Ondrej Palat, C Anthony Cirelli, F Yanni Gourde, F Alex Barré-Boulet, D Victor Hedman, D Mikhail Sergachev, D Erik Cernak, G Andrei Vasilevskiy

Kraken select: F Alex Killorn

Toronto Maple Leafs

Protected: C Auston Matthews, F William Nylander, C John Tavares, F Mitch Marner, D Travis Dermott, D Jake Muzzin, D T.J. Brodie, D Morgan Reilly, G Jack Campbell

Kraken select: C Alexander Kerfoot

Vancouver Canucks

Protected: C Elias Pettersson, C Bo Horvat, C Adam Gaudette, F J.T. Miller, F Brock Boeser, F Jake Virtanen, F Kole Lind, D Nate Schmidt, D Olli Juleovi, D Brogan Rafferty, G Thatcher Demko

Kraken select: D Ashton Sautner

Washington Capitals

Protected: F Alex Ovechkin, C Nicklas Backstrom (NMC), F Jakub Vrana, C Evgeny Kuznetsov, F Tom Wilson, F T.J. Oshie, F Garnet Hathaway, D John Carlson, D Jonas Siegenthaler, D Brenden Dillon, G Ilya Samsonov

Kraken select: D Dmitry Orlov

Winnipeg Jets

Protected: C Mark Schiefele, F Blake Wheeler (NMC), F Kyle Connor, F Nikolaj Ehlers, F Patrick Laine, C Adam Lowry, C Jack Roslovic, D Dylan DeMelo, D Neal Pionk, D Josh Morrissey, G Connor Hellebuyck

Kraken select: F Andrew Copp

Here is a look at the projected lineup with this roster:

Killorn — Strome — Nyquist

Vatrano — Eriksson Ek — Compher

Kerfoot — Sissons — Neal

Foegele — Roslovic — Aston-Reese

Gostisbehere — Miller

Orlov — De Haan

Chiarot — Scandella

Khudobin

Murray

Other options: Grant, Copp, Pitlick, Bellows, Andersson, Simek, Clifton, Stetcher, Sautner, Crawford

This team currently has an average age of 27.37 years old.

The roster breakdown goes 16 forwards, 11 defensemen, and three goaltenders and the cap hit is around $92 million, so the Kraken would have to shed $10.5 million in salary-cap space prior to the start of the 2021-22 season if they were to draft this roster. This team also currently has 22 players under contract for Kraken’s inaugural year.

This would not be a bad start for the Kraken as this team has a solid first-line, bottom-six, and goaltending but perhaps the blueline and center depth could use a little work. However, they will have to build a strong blueline and center group through the draft as teams will almost certainly not expose their top-six centers or top defensemen in the expansion draft.

NoVa Caps will do two more mock expansion drafts next offseason. The first will come before each teams’ protection lists are revealed and the other after.

A final note: this is likely to change significantly as players over-perform or under-perform and change teams in the coming two seasons.

By Harrison Brown