When is the NHL Expansion Draft?
All teams not named Vegas Golden Knights must submit their list of protected players by 2 p.m. PT on June 17. Vegas will make (and submit) its selections by 7 a.m. PT on June 21, and those results will be announced during the NHL Awards at T-Mobile Arena.
Expansion Draft Rules
Clubs have two options for players they wish to protect in the Expansion Draft: Teams can protect seven forwards, three defensemen and one goaltender OR eight skaters (forwards/defensemen) and one goaltender.
But here's an important caveat, as explained by the NHL: All players who have currently effective and continuing no-movement clauses at the time of the Expansion Draft (and who decline to waive such clauses) MUST be protected (and will be counted toward their club's applicable protection limits). The Ducks currently have four players with no-movement clauses: forwards Ryan Getzlaf, Ryan Kesler and Corey Perry, and defenseman Kevin Bieksa.
There are more players exempt from selection: All first- and second-year pros, as well as all unsigned draft choices. Those players won't be counted toward their club's applicable protection limits. The Ducks currently have four players who fit the criteria: Forwards Ondrej Kase and Nick Ritchie, and defensemen Brandon Montour and Shea Theodore.
Here's another thing to keep in mind. Once the protected lists are made, every team must have exposed at least two forwards and one defenseman who are under contract for the upcoming season and played in 40 or more NHL games the previous season OR played in 70 or more NHL games in the previous two seasons. Additionally, all teams must expose at least one goaltender under contract in 2017-18 or who will be a restricted free agent immediately prior to the 2017-18 campaign. Clubs choosing the RFA route must extend a qualifying offer to the goaltender prior to the submission of the team's protected list.
Players with potential career-ending injuries who have missed more than the previous 60 consecutive games (or who otherwise have been confirmed to have a career-threatening injury) cannot be exposed unless approval from the league has been granted.
Keep in mind these key dates:Monday, June 12 (2 p.m. PT): Deadline for teams (with the exception of Nashville and Pittsburgh) to ask players with no-movement clauses to waive them.
Friday, June 16 (2 p.m. PT): Deadline for players who have no-movement clauses to waive them.
Saturday, June 17 (2 p.m. PT): All 30 NHL clubs must submit their list of protected players to the NHL. A league-wide roster freeze (meaning no trades/waivers) will take effect until June 22 (5 a.m. PT).
Sunday, June 18: The protected lists for all 30 teams is expected to be released.
Wednesday, June 21: The NHL will announce Vegas' selections at the NHL Awards.
