The Next NHL Expansion Draft. 2027? A Mock Draft

[TBone]

The Athletic did a 32 team NHL mock draft for a potential new franchise in 2027.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/745068 ... ion-lists/

They projected us to expose Buchnevich and Cam Fowler due to salary while protecting those in the chart below.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. My first is if we're protecting Pius Suter we should be making a deal for a better protectable player.

[TruBlueFan_1970]

Behind a paywall for me, but I guess I’m wondering if it’s the same rules as before. I think players with 3 or less of NHL/AHL seasons are exempt. So, we would not have to protect Dvorsky, Stenberg, Lindstein or Snuggerud. If I’m wrong, please let me know.

We also would likely not protect any UFAs, so we don’t get burned again like we did with Schwartz, where they selected Dunn and then signed Schwartz, which should have been disallowed.

With that in mind, there list is pretty accurate. Suter, Carlo, Dube, Tucker and Binnington would all be UFA, so leave them exposed. Better yet, if expansion is coming in 2027, which I’m doubtful about, you try to flip Binner and Suter for futures, to reduce your players to leave exposed.

Buch and Fowler will be a year older, so you cross your fingers that one gets taken. Others would be guys like Toro, (who you could protect if you trade Suter) Johnston and Walker. I would love it if it played out this way, as none of those guys are key players. My gut is that either Fowler (shorter contract) or Berggren would get selected.

[UMR-alum-05]

Suter might not even be on the roster when this season starts. He would be a free agent after this season. If he makes it with the Blues that far. Which he surely won't in my opinion.

Why wouldn't Dvorsky need to be protected?

Buch and Fowler are obvious choices to leave exposed a year from now, I agree with that. Carbonneau or Ralph would step in.

[netboy65]

Aren’t they jumping the gun a little bit? I think it would be at least 28-29 for a new team.

[FunSeeker]

Pius Suter? Seriously, protecting Pius Suter? Sad times if we dont have ANYONE better than him to protect.

[HighStick]

Aren't they planning on adding 2 teams at once?
I thought I read that somewhere.

[BalotelliMassive]

Chicago isn’t protecting Bertuzzi….he’s a short timer.

[TBone]

Aren’t they jumping the gun a little bit? I think it would be at least 28-29 for a new team.

I think it's been reported the owners would like to add two teams before the next CBA since they wouldn't have to share that revenue with the players.

[netboy65]

Aren’t they jumping the gun a little bit? I think it would be at least 28-29 for a new team.

I think it's been reported the owners would like to add two teams before the next CBA since they wouldn't have to share that revenue with the players.

Huh. Could be, but as the song says, that’s a long way to go and a short time to get there

[Pierre McGuire]

Aren't they planning on adding 2 teams at once?
I thought I read that somewhere.

I heard they won’t do two at a time because of the complaints of GM’s when Columbus and Minnesota were added at the same time. Should be one team added for 2028 and one for 2029 most likely but both before 2030.

[TBone]

Aren't they planning on adding 2 teams at once?
I thought I read that somewhere.

I heard they won’t do two at a time because of the complaints of GM’s when Columbus and Minnesota were added at the same time. Should be one team added for 2028 and one for 2029 most likely but both before 2030.

Care to venture a guess as to who of our young talent would become protectable and who could potentially be exposed under this timeline?

I'd hate to see the Blues efforts to assemble a large core of prime year players chipped away after all the effort to align them together.

[HighStick]

Aren't they planning on adding 2 teams at once?
I thought I read that somewhere.

I heard they won’t do two at a time because of the complaints of GM’s when Columbus and Minnesota were added at the same time. Should be one team added for 2028 and one for 2029 most likely but both before 2030.

Care to venture a guess as to who of our young talent would become protectable and who could potentially be exposed under this timeline?

I'd hate to see the Blues efforts to assemble a large core of prime year players chipped away after all the effort to align them together.

I also fear that. The Blues will have a good handful of guys at the wrong time and they will get dismantled via expansion.
That would be a very Blues type thing to happen.

[Pierre McGuire]

Aren't they planning on adding 2 teams at once?
I thought I read that somewhere.

I heard they won’t do two at a time because of the complaints of GM’s when Columbus and Minnesota were added at the same time. Should be one team added for 2028 and one for 2029 most likely but both before 2030.

Care to venture a guess as to who of our young talent would become protectable and who could potentially be exposed under this timeline?

I'd hate to see the Blues efforts to assemble a large core of prime year players chipped away after all the effort to align them together.

I would say it’s possible we could end up losing a guy like Neighbours for sure but Dagenais should be knocking on the door by then. We will be ok, and that’s about $140mil pure profit for Stillman and the ownership group once both teams are added so I’m ok with losing a couple of players for a payout to Stillman.

[LGB73]

I'm not a big fan of expansion but I would prefer they did it all at once and the sooner the better for the Blues. They wouldn't have some of their younger players becoming subject to protection. Also just rip a hole in the roster and adjust once instead of having it done twice.

[Nublues69]

Chicago isn’t protecting Bertuzzi….he’s a short timer.

nobody gives a sheet about the freaking hawks on this board please go get effed

[Absolut]

Better than losing Dunn and Perron