When is a pass like this ever a problem?
Or like this?
They're not -- except such plays, which are becoming a routine sight for Kings fans, might also be making the Vegas Golden Knights salivate.
Dowd, who has been the answer to LA's question at third-line center this year, could indeed be a perfect fit for a top-six role with the expansion team next year -- he's young enough, skilled, and has some upside.
There had been some thought that Dowd, as a second-year NHL player, might be exempt from the upcoming Expansion Draft. This rule,
from NHL.com, spells out his eligibility:
All first- and second-year professionals, as well as all unsigned draft choices, will be exempt from selection.
"All first- and second-year professionals," which some took to mean first and second-year NHL'ers, actually means players in the first and second-year of their professional contracts. Dowd, currently a third-year pro, isn't exempt under this rule.
So why doesn't Los Angeles simply protect the centerman next June? Now that's the real problem:
Clubs will have two options for players they wish to protect in the Expansion Draft:
a) Seven forwards, three defensemen and one goaltender
b) Eight skaters (forwards/defensemen) and one goaltender
For the Kings, forwards Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter, Tyler Toffoli, and Tanner Pearson are pretty much sure things to be protected. Defensemen Drew Doughty, Jake Muzzin, and Alec Martinez, and goaltender Jonathan Quick should also feel safe.
From there, the intrigue starts.
Right now, protecting blueliner Brayden McNabb would be my guess, with Los Angeles marking eight skaters as off limits. Of course, such a list would expose mainstays like Marian Gaborik, Dustin Brown, Trevor Lewis, Matt Greene, and Kyle Clifford.
But does Derek Forbort challenge McNabb by season's end? Or does LA protect seven forwards (say Kopitar, Carter, Toffoli, Pearson, Gaborik, Lewis, Dowd) -- leaving McNabb or Forbort to fry?
That Dowd is playing well enough for LA to even contemplate protecting him is certainly a good problem to have...this year.
Anyway, a lot can happen between now and the Trade Deadline, where a number of Expansion Draft-motivated swaps are expected to take place league-wide. But as of now, these are the Kings who will be eligible this summer:
FORWARDS -- Andreoff, Auger, Brown, Carter, Clifford, Crescenzi, Dowd, Gaborik, Latta, Lewis, Mersch, Nolan, Pearson, Shore, Toffoli
DEFENSEMEN -- Doughty, Forbort, Greene, MacDermid, Martinez, McNabb, Muzzin, Trotman
GOALTENDERS -- Campbell, Quick, Zatkoff
UFAs -- Budaj, Gilbert, King, LoVerde, Purcell, Scuderi, Setoguchi
For what it's worth, TSN's Craig Button "selected" Forbort in
his recent mock Expansion Draft.
What do you think? Between Dowd, McNabb, and Forbort -- and assuming Carter, Doughty, Kopitar, Martinez, Muzzin, Pearson, Quick, and Toffoli are locks -- who would you prioritize protecting this June? If your answer is Other, I'd love to hear who & why!
Who Would You Prioritize Protecting?
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