Pre-ExpansionDraft Edition - 7/18

With the expansion draft just around the corner (Wednesday 7/21), the Seattle Kraken and NHL received a list of the players they can and cannot choose from this morning. That list included some very good players from every team and some surprises on the exposed side. In this post, I will describe a little more about how the rules and how the draft will play out, as well as who I believe to be the best available players from each team in the East Division.

(Image Credits: NHL.com)

The Expansion Draft is set to give the Kraken one player from every team in the league, with certain restrictions on who the new club is able to select. The rules are:

- The "UFA's" or Unrestricted Free Agents are able to be signed before the date of the draft, but the teams that sign one of these players before Wednesday lose their slot.

- The cap plays a factor for Seattle as well, as they will likely not choose a player that has a binding contract requiring them to get paid big money.

- The players that have no movement clauses will not be taken by the Kraken unless that player gives their current team permission to be moved to the new team.

- The Kraken has $81 Million to pick from what's available on each teams' unprotected list.

- The Kraken cannot take any player who is under a 3-year rookie contract.

- Each team was allowed to protect 7 forwards, 3 defensemen, and a goaltender which cannot be taken by the Kraken no matter what.

List of best available players on each team in the East Division:

Pittsburgh Penguins:

- Zach Aston-Reese (F)

- Marcus Petterson (D)

- Jason Zucker (F)

- Casey DeSmith (G)

- Brandon Tanev (F)

Washington Capitals:

- Conor Sheary (F)

- Nic Dowd (F)

- Carl Hagelin (F)

- Justin Shultz (D)

- Brenden Dillon (D)

Philidelphia Flyers:

- James Van-Riemsdyk (F)

- Jakub Voracek (F)

- Shayne Gostisbehere (D)

- Brian Elliot (G)

- Alex Lyon (G)

Boston Bruins:

- Taylor Hall (F)

- David Krejci (F)

- Sean Kuraly (F)

- Jaroslav Halak (G)

- Tukka Rask (G)

New York Rangers:

- Brendan Smith (D)

- Colin Blackwell (F)

- Philip Di Giuseppe (F)

- Keith Kinkaid (G)

- Barclay Goodrow (F)

New Jersey Devils

- Scott Wedgewood (G)

- Will Butcher (D)

- P.K. Subban (D)

- Connor Carrick (D)

- Nicholas Merkley (F)

New York Islanders

- Jordan Eberle (F)

- Josh Bailey (F)

- Casey Cizikas (F)

- Kyle Palmieri (F)

- Thomas Hickey (D)

Buffalo Sabers

- Cody Eakin (F)

- Jeff Skinner (F)

- Colin Miller (F)

- Carter Hutton (G)

- Kyle Okposo (F)