This week, theScore's unveiling a five-part series in which we predict who will be protected and picked when the new Seattle franchise selects one player from every other NHL team except Vegas in 2021.
Others in the series: Atlantic | Metropolitan | Central | Pacific |
Let’s get something out of the way off the hop: The Seattle mock expansion draft series has been an exercise dominated by projections.
We don't have all the answers relating to an event that will take place in June 2021. The protected lists and picks we've posted over the past few days and the mock lineup below are educated guesses, not absolute certainties.
Even NHL Seattle senior advisor Dave Tippett - a man who will have his fingerprints all over the actual expansion draft process - is guessing at this point in time, a good 30 months out.
All of that being said, this week we attempted to:
Fairly assess not only the trajectory of the 30 NHL clubs faced with filing protected lists in 2021 but also their salary cap situation in the short, medium, and long term
Make rational decisions on pending free agents for 2019 and 2020, factoring in each player’s relationship with his current club and perceived motivation to hit the open market
Avoid any hypothetical trade or buyout scenarios
The end result? A 30-man roster for the Seattle Whatevers. Enjoy.
Depth chart
Forwards
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
| Kevin Fiala | Tyler Johnson | TJ Oshie |
| Ryan Dzingel | Vladislav Namestnikov | Jakob Silfverberg |
| Miles Wood | Denis Malgin | Tyler Toffoli |
| Nikolay Goldobin | Ivan Barbashev | Connor Brown |
| Jason Dickinson | Antti Suomela | Dominik Kahun |
| Vladislav Kamenev | Jujhar Khaira |
Defensemen
| LD | RD |
|---|---|
| TJ Brodie | Josh Manson |
| Sami Niku | Chris Tanev |
| Jake Bean | Jared Spurgeon |
| Matt Grzelcyk | Philippe Myers |
| Victor Mete | Vili Saarijarvi |
Goalies
| G |
|---|
| Jonathan Quick |
| Casey DeSmith |
| Adin Hill |
Roster takeaways
A few thoughts on the projected depth chart:
- Plenty of modern blue-liners at Seattle's disposal. A top six of TJ Brodie, Josh Manson, Sami Niku, Chris Tanev, Jake Bean, and Jared Spurgeon looks silly-good on paper, especially when you consider the development period between now and the start of the 2021-22 season.
- Right wing is another strength. Barring major drop-offs in production, TJ Oshie, Jakob Silfverberg, and Tyler Toffoli could form a legitimate one-two-three punch. And Connor Brown, who will be 27, slides in nicely in the four-spot.
- As for weaknesses, the center position lacks both a star and depth, and goaltending is very much up in the air. None of the six pivots seem fit for first-line duty, while Jonathan Quick's age may deem him largely irrelevant. Also of note: Casey DeSmith and Adin Hill are still vastly unproven at this point, so nothing is a sure thing.
- Overall, as with most expansion rosters, this group lacks offensive catalysts. Who is grabbing the bull by the horns up front? Who is the go-to playmaker? A guy like Kevin Fiala, for instance, is probably more of a complementary piece than a line driver. Seattle, like Vegas last year, would be scoring by committee in the early going of its inaugural season.
Seattle mock expansion draft series:
Atlantic | Metropolitan | Central | Pacific | Full Seattle Roster
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