Michael Pachla: Expansion draft. Who would you protect, Sabres fans?

I think you do your best to protect the future of the team. I agree with your choice is Pysyk.


However the other question to be raised, does the NHL need expansion? Hell no. So the Sabres stand to lose players to an unnecessary expansion, the Pegula's get cash back in return in the form of the expansion fee. Whoopty do.

Woah woah woah, wait, what? I thought Bettman just said it wouldn't be until 2017-18 at the earliest? And I'm assuming anyone on a NTC and NMC are automatically protected, not additionally protected.

But, to play along:
Forwards:
ROR
Jack
Sam
Kane
Moulson (NMC)
Gionta (NTC)
Ennis (Trade purposes)

Defense:
Risto
Bogo (NMC)
Gorges (NTC)
We could lose McCabe because of this. NTCs are the devil.

Goalie:
Lehner.

Boos, they typically have a rule in there that players with fewer than 2 seasons experience are ineligible to be picked. That would keep Eichel and Reinhart safe without needing to take up protection spots.

Michael Pachla: Expansion draft. Who would you protect, Sabres fans?
- Michael Pachla

Nice dig on Evander

Boos, they typically have a rule in there that players with fewer than 2 seasons experience are ineligible to be picked. That would keep Eichel and Reinhart safe without needing to take up protection spots.
- stashu

and if it's after the 17-18 season then Eichel and Reinhart would have those 2 yrs exp.

Michael Pachla: Expansion draft. Who would you protect, Sabres fans?
- Michael Pachla

I think it will work itself out

my guess is we are exposing players like gionta, moulson, cal o reilly, ruhwedel, donovan maybe gorges/franson


all the more reason for murray to package a few to upgrade before the sh!t hits the fan

Michael Pachla: I am not the official sabres blogger but I do write blogs for the sabres
- Michael Pachla

this is a good title

Boos, they typically have a rule in there that players with fewer than 2 seasons experience are ineligible to be picked. That would keep Eichel and Reinhart safe without needing to take up protection spots.
- stashu

thx, stash...

and if it's after the 17-18 season then Eichel and Reinhart would have those 2 yrs exp.
- cabin

Yep, but Boos said this summer.

This

Nice dig on Evander
- cabin

nice catch, cab

Yep, but Boos said this summer.
- stashu

yeah...oops...have fun with it anyway

yeah...oops...have fun with it anyway
- Michael Pachla

I'm sure we will.

I think you do your best to protect the future of the team. I agree with your choice is Pysyk.


However the other question to be raised, does the NHL need expansion? Hell no. So the Sabres stand to lose players to an unnecessary expansion, the Pegula's get cash back in return in the form of the expansion fee. Whoopty do.
- Buffalo--Sabres

I think it needs expansion because you can't have 14 teams fighting for 8 spots in the west and 16 teams fighting for 8 spots in the east

I am surprised the nhl players union has not stepped in yet on this since playoff revenue is involved

Yep, but Boos said this summer.
- stashu

Well it's nice to have more than a couple things to stir the pot with. Even more pots are helpful .

Yep, but Boos said this summer.
- stashu

summer blogs don't matter

With the rumor being that NMC contracts are a must to be on the protected list, that means Gionta and Bogosian must be protected.

That leaves either 6F 2D 1G or 6 skaters and 1G to protect.

Ignoring Eichel, Reinhart and McCabe since they're exempt, here are the rest of who I would protect:

O'Reilly, Kane, Ennis, Foligno, Larsson, Girgensons
Pysyk, Ristolainen
Lehner

McCabe wouldn't be exempt - his time in Rochester under a pro contract counts

With the rumor being that NMC contracts are a must to be on the protected list, that means Gionta and Bogosian must be protected.

That leaves either 6F 2D 1G or 6 skaters and 1G to protect.

Ignoring Eichel, Reinhart and McCabe since they're exempt, here are the rest of who I would protect:

O'Reilly, Kane, Ennis, Foligno, Larsson, Girgensons
Pysyk, Ristolainen
Lehner
- stashu

Gionta's NMC becomes a NTC next year.

McCabe wouldn't be exempt - his time in Rochester under a pro contract counts
- turbo044

If that's the case, bye-bye Pysyk

I think it needs expansion because you can't have 14 teams fighting for 8 spots in the west and 16 teams fighting for 8 spots in the east

I am surprised the nhl players union has not stepped in yet on this since playoff revenue is involved
- homiedclown

I've heard the excuse for that being that the west has a lot more travel miles, so having only 14 in their conference evens things out.

I think it needs expansion because you can't have 14 teams fighting for 8 spots in the west and 16 teams fighting for 8 spots in the east

I am surprised the nhl players union has not stepped in yet on this since playoff revenue is involved
- homiedclown

Yeah that's a good point

I've heard the excuse for that being that the west has a lot more travel miles, so having only 14 in their conference evens things out.
- sskkoo1

I never got the "travel" thing. You fly on an airplane. Once you put you bag in the overhead compartment and put your headphones on, is a 2hou flight really that different from a4 or 5 hour flight? It's like they are driving.

If that's the case, bye-bye Pysyk
- stashu

Jeez, if they could pull a guy of Pysyk's caliber from all the teams, than Vegas could be a playoff bubble team in year one.