NHL teams’ protection lists for the Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft were due at 5 PM. But two hours before that deadline was another and it turned out to be a big driver of activity leaguewide.
At 3 PM on Saturday, an Expansion Draft trade/waiver freeze was officially put into effect, giving Seattle the floor to make roster moves and start crafting its team. The freeze will be lifted the day after the Expansion Draft — Thursday at 1 PM — which will then give other NHL clubs another day to maneuver before the NHL Draft starts Friday night.
The NHL’s Expansion Draft trade/waiver freeze is now in effect through 1 p.m. ET on Thursday.
The #SeaKraken are the only team permitted to make roster moves during this period.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 17, 2021
Around a dozen moves were made on Saturday, which apparently did not surprise Kraken GM Ron Francis.
#SeaKraken GM Ron Francis says he’s not surprised by today’s busy NHL trade activity even though it didn’t happen before Vegas expansion in 2017: “The rules were the same but they had four years to prepare.”
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 17, 2021
Some were made to get value for players destined to be lost in the Expansion Draft while others were made to get cap space ahead of free agency. There were also several big signings.
COL sends Ryan Graves to NJD
Graves, a talented young defenseman, was likely going to be exposed by the Avalanche in the Expansion Draft.
🚨 TRADE ALERT 🚨
We have acquired defenseman Ryan Graves from Colorado in exchange for forward Mikhail Maltsev and our second-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. pic.twitter.com/GiVocf6b3g
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) July 16, 2021
DAL signs Miro Heiskanen to an 8-year extension
Heiskanen signed an eight-year, $67.6 million extension with the Stars. The 21-year-old defenseman scored 27 points (8g, 19a) in 55 games during his third season in the NHL. He was the third overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft.
MIROOOOOOOO! 🙌
We have signed Miro Heiskanen to an 8-year contract extension through the 2028-29 season
📝 » https://t.co/xO2feRBrZ2 pic.twitter.com/5RxyMdYeIa
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) July 17, 2021
Here to stay #GoStars pic.twitter.com/bkoswRX1sZ
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) July 17, 2021
Miro Heiskanen has a full no-move clause on the final four years of his contract that runs through the 2028-29 season.
— Matthew DeFranks (@MDeFranks) July 17, 2021
VAN acquires Jason Dickinson from DAL
The 26-year-old forward had seven goals and eight assists in 51 games last season.
Vancouver #Canucks General Manager Jim Benning announced today that the club has acquired forward Jason Dickinson from the Dallas Stars in exchange for a third-round draft pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. pic.twitter.com/igzJxi1epr
— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) July 17, 2021
TOR acquires Jared McCann from PIT
McCann had 32 points (14g, 18a) in 43 games for the Pens. Unlikely to be protected in the Expansion Draft, Pittsburgh flipped McCann to Toronto and get a prospect back in Filip Hållander who may be the best in their system. The Leafs got Hållander in the Kasperi Kapanen trade last fall.
TRADE: We’ve acquired forward Jared McCann from Pittsburgh in exchange for forward Filip Hållander and a 2023 seventh-round selection. #LeafsForever
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) July 17, 2021
Chris Johnston added this tidbit.
There was no salary retained in the Jared McCann trade. He counts $560,000 less on the salary cap than Alexander Kerfoot next season, with Kerfoot a potential loss to #SeaKraken in expansion.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 17, 2021
3-team trade between NSH, PHI, and VGK
Ellis to PHI for Philippe Myers and Nolan Patrick. Patrick is going to Vegas for Cody Glass https://t.co/I9sxL4TLmV
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 17, 2021
Some context.
Remember that Vegas is exempt from the expansion draft (not receiving any of the expansion fee, so not losing a player to #SeaKraken).
Cody Glass, just traded to Nashville, doesn’t require expansion protection. Nolan Patrick would have.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 17, 2021
VGK has now officially jettisoned all three of their first-round picks from the 2017 NHL Draft.
The #VGK have now traded their three first-round picks from inaugural 2017 entry draft: Cody Glass (NSH), Nick Suzuki (MTL) and Erik Brannstrom (OTT).
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 17, 2021
NYR acquires Barclay Goodrow’s negotiating rights
Of note with #NYR acquiring pending UFA Barclay Goodrow’s negotiating rights: There’s chatter that some teams are prepared to offer him a six-year deal if he hits the open market on July 28. https://t.co/Wt5Gs4I8n5
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 17, 2021
ARI eats NYI’s Andrew Ladd contract for 3 highs picks
Ladd has two years remaining on a seven-year, $38.5 million deal. His cap hit is $5.5 million. He spent the majority of the 2020-21 season on the Islanders’ taxi squad and played one game for the AHL Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
TRADE: We have acquired forward Andrew Ladd, a 2021 2nd round pick, a 2022 conditional 2nd round pick, and a 2023 conditional 3rd round pick from the New York Islanders. https://t.co/YrfSSEOp9i
— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) July 17, 2021
Bill Armstrong tells reporters that the #coyotes hope Andrew Ladd can be a culture-changer/leader for them. Adds that his playing time will have to be earned, though.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 17, 2021
Conditions for the 2023 3rd rounder going to Arizona #Yotes in the Ladd trade: the 3rd round pick is transferred if Ladd plays in at least 1 game in 2022-23
— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) July 17, 2021
Goalie swap: SJS acquires Adin Hill for Josef Korenar
TRADE: We’ve acquired goaltender @Adin_Hill and a 2022 seventh-round draft pick from the @ArizonaCoyotes.https://t.co/JGOp8MSzFD pic.twitter.com/wX89wuQYBy
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) July 17, 2021
NYI re-signs Andy Greene
Greene now gives the Islanders its required one defensemen to be exposed in the Expansion Draft. The Islanders had to sign or acquire someone Expansion Draft eligible after dealing rearguard Nick Leddy to the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night for Richard Panik and a second-round pick.
#Isles have signed Andy Greene to a one-year, $1-million deal, according to a league source.
$750,000 salary/$250,000 bonus.
Greene meets the eligibility requirements for exposure in the expansion draft. List was submitted to the league at 5 p.m.
— Arthur Staple (@StapeAthletic) July 17, 2021
Report: Chris Driedger to sign UFA deal with Seattle Kraken
Driedger, Florida’s backup goaltender last season, was sensational, posting a 2.06 GAA and a .927 save percentage in 23 games. The 27-year-old was less effective in his three postseason games (3.69 GAA and .871 SV%). With the signing, Driedger will become Seattle’s Expansion Draft pick from the Panthers.
All signs point to the Seattle Kraken signing and selecting pending UFA goalie Chris Driedger from the Florida Panthers as part of the expansion draft process, sources say. @TSNHockey @TheAthletic
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 17, 2021
Ron Francis wouldn’t comment about Chris Driedger while adding they do not know for sure if Vladimir Tarasenko has been exposed until they see the lists & will then make a decision.
Francis also estimates they have done at least 100 mock drafts over time. #SeaKraken
— Ryan S. Clark (@ryan_s_clark) July 17, 2021
So that was a lot. What do you think of the deals? Let us know in the comments.
Headline illustration: Pixabay images
