Yesterday’s article broke down the Eastern Conference players that each team could lose to the Vegas Golden Knights\u00a0in June’s Expansion Draft. Today, the NHL writers\u00a0break down the West.<\/p>\n
Marc Maisonneuve (@Davidpollen1<\/a>)<\/p>\n Jakob Silfverberg<\/a> – Right Wing<\/p>\n The Ducks will likely choose to protect eight skaters. This means that Jakob Silfverberg<\/a><\/strong> will be the player they are most likely to lose in the draft. Silfverberg has been a productive winger for the Ducks and will help Vegas by doing the same. Silfverberg should be one of the top right wings with experience in the draft. He will help the younger players grow in Vegas.<\/p>\n Nicholas Di Giovanni (@LWOSNick<\/a>)<\/p>\n Jamie McGinn<\/a> – Left Wing<\/p>\n With a lot of first and second-year players and expiring contracts, the Arizona Coyotes will have a tough time just making a protected list. One player whom they might expose, and Vegas could select, is\u00a0Jamie McGinn<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n After\u00a0hitting his first 20-goal season in his eight-year career last season with 22 goals, the Coyotes offered McGinn a three-year, $10-million contract. He has yet to live up to his billing, with only six goals and three assists in 32 games.<\/p>\n The veteran of nearly 500 games could fit in well in a young franchise. He has the ability to play as a top-six forward at his best, but the grit to play in the bottom-six as well. A change of scenery might also be good for the 28-year-old if he wants to bounce back from this bad season.<\/p>\n Nick Seguin (@ NickSeguin19<\/a>)<\/p>\n Michael Frolik<\/a> – Right Wing<\/p>\n The Calgary Flames will leave right winger Michael Frolik<\/a><\/strong> unprotected and this is who the Vegas Golden Knights<\/a>\u00a0should select. Frolik is good for 20 goals and 40 points and can fill a top-six role. He also won the Stanley Cup in 2013, which is an invaluable experience to bring to a room that has never played together before.<\/p>\n Alex Hernandez (@svnchxz<\/a>)<\/p>\n Trevor van Riemsdyk<\/a> – Defense<\/p>\n The Vegas Golden Knights should pick Trevor van Riemsdyk<\/strong> in the Expansion Draft from the Chicago Blackhawks. \u00a0He is a solid young defenseman who can add value to the Vegas roster immediately.<\/p>\n His stats are not elite – 19 points\u00a0in 120career games \u2013 but he is on a Chicago team that is full of veterans on defense. His current cap hit is $825,000, and becomes a restricted free agent in 2018. This makes him affordable for the Golden Knights.<\/p>\n Vegas will have the opportunity to see if van Riemsdyk has blue-line potential, and if so, they will have a solid top-four defenseman for the upcoming years.<\/p>\n Connor Dobos (@ConnorDobos97<\/a>)<\/p>\n Calvin Pickard<\/a> – Goalie<\/p>\n The Colorado Avalanche will face the unfortunate task of choosing whether to protect Calvin Pickard<\/a><\/strong> or Semyon Varlamov<\/a><\/strong>. Out of the two goaltenders, Pickard has the biggest upside for the Vegas franchise. He is only 24 years old, carries a team-friendly cap hit of $1 million per year until he becomes arbitration eligible after the 2017-2018 season, and has a 3.06\u00a0GAA and .902 SV% through 21\u00a0games.<\/p>\n With the Golden Knights presumably years away from evolving into a contender, having a young goaltender with a high ceiling is imperative for the NHL\u2019s newest franchise.<\/p>\n Nicholas Di Giovanni<\/p>\n Antoine Roussel<\/a> – Left Wing<\/p>\n The Vegas Golden Knights will have a luxurious choice of players available from the Dallas Stars. The Stars could be going the route of the eight-player protection list, leaving players like\u00a0Cody Eakin<\/a>, Antoine Roussel<\/a>,\u00a0<\/strong>Jordie Benn<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Jamie Oleksiak<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>exposed.<\/p>\n Roussel is the no-brainer choice for Vegas. The physical winger has yet to break the 30-point barrier, but brings so much more to a hockey team than just points. He is not afraid to play rough hockey, get in the dirty areas or stand up for his teammates. He could play on a second line if Vegas needs him to.<\/p>\n His $2-million cap hit is also friendly to the Golden Knights.<\/p>\n Nicholas Di Giovanni<\/p>\n Brandon Davidson<\/a> – Defense<\/p>\n The Vegas Golden Knights have limited options from the Oilers.\u00a0With captain\u00a0Connor McDavid<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>and rookie\u00a0Jesse Puljujarvi<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>being exempt from the protected list, the Oilers could protect players deeper in their lineup. But the Oilers might have trouble meeting the requirement of exposing two forwards under contract for next season.<\/p>\n Mark Letestu<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>will be one of those exposed forwards, and unless the Oilers sign\u00a0Matt Hendricks<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>to a contract extension through next season,\u00a0Patrick Maroon<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>will be another exposed forward. If this is the case, the Vegas Golden Knights will select Maroon, and acquire an example player with whom to start an expansion franchise.<\/p>\n If not, the best bet would be to take\u00a0Brandon Davidson<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong>The 25-year-old defenseman missed time earlier this year with injuries, but if healthy, has a lot of potential to bring to Vegas. At 6’2″ 210 lbs, Davidson is a tough\u00a0defenseman who fits well in the physical Pacific Division. He’s a player the Golden Knights could use in their bottom pairing.<\/p>\n Nicholas Di Giovanni<\/p>\n Brayden McNabb<\/a> – Defense<\/p>\n The LA Kings have a majority of their players signed through at least next season. This means they can expose depth players and still follow the three-players-signed-through-2018 rule. The Kings will keep their core together, so the Knights are limited to depth players and veterans.<\/p>\n Expect\u00a0Vegas to take\u00a0Brayden McNabb<\/a><\/strong>. The 25-year-old defenseman will be the youngest player the Kings could expose, and he is a solid pick-up for the Golden Knights. With a modest 200 games under his belt in five seasons, he has the experience to adjust to a new team, but also the young age to grow with them. At 6’4″ 212 pounds, McNabb is a rugged defenseman who can play on the third pairing, and move up if need be. He is signed through the 2017-2018 season with a cap hit of $1.7 million.<\/p>\n Graham Anderson (@GHam614<\/a>)<\/p>\n Marco Scandella<\/a> – Defense<\/p>\n The Vegas Golden Knights are going to look to build their defense with a player the Wild will expose. Marco Scandella<\/a><\/strong> will be a top-pairing blueliner for the expansion franchise. His over-300 career games played will likely make him a veteran of this franchise and although a 20-point defenseman isn’t ideal for a top-four\u00a0D-man it’s the best an expansion team can do.<\/p>\n READ: @theahl<\/a> decision, off-ice hires top @gmMcPhee<\/a>\u2019s agenda heading into the New Year-> https:\/\/t.co\/FuOzrCtthY<\/a> #BoldInGold<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/XN3dGlKu7u<\/a><\/p>\n — Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) December 21, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\nArizona Coyotes<\/h3>\n
Calgary Flames<\/h3>\n
Chicago Blackhawks<\/h3>\n
Colorado Avalanche<\/h3>\n
Dallas Stars<\/h3>\n
Edmonton Oilers<\/h3>\n
Los Angeles Kings<\/h3>\n
Minnesota Wild<\/h3>\n
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