NHL Expansion Draft FAQS
Who’s eligible?
Any player under contract for the 201718 season who played in 40 or more NHL games the past season or 70 games the previous two seasons.
Who’s exempt?
All first- and second-year professionals, any unsigned draft picks, players who have missed 60 consecutive games.
How many players can Vegas take? The Golden Knights can select a maximum of one player per team. If they sign a free agent in the 72-hour window before turning in their selections, that player counts as the choice from that team. They must select a minimum of three goaltenders, nine defensemen and 14 forwards. The remaining four choices are at the team’s discretion.
Are side deals allowed?
The Golden Knights can make deals with teams to either select or not select an exposed player from that team’s unprotected list. Such moves are expected to yield additional players or draft picks to the Knights.
How about trades?
Teams can trade with the Golden Knights from 7 a.m. Sunday until 5 a.m. Thursday, when the moratorium is lifted and all 31 teams can trade with one another. Any players picked by Vegas cannot be traded back to their former team before Jan. 1, and any player picked in the expansion draft cannot have their contracts bought out until after the completion of the 2017–18 season.
Are there salary cap implications for the Golden Knights?
Yes. The team’s 30 selections must total 60 percent ($45 million) of the allowable cap, which Sunday was raised to $75 million after the NHL Players Association executive board and the league worked out an increase for 2017-18.
What are the deadlines?
The Golden Knights must submit their list to the NHL by 7 a.m. Wednesday. Of that list, a minimum of 20 players must be under contract for 2017-18.
When will the Golden Knights’ picks be announced?
The Golden Knights’ picks will be revealed during the NHL Awards Show on Wednesday at T-mobile Arena. The event is open to the public, and tickets — priced at $15 and $30 — are available at the T-mobile box office or Nhl.com.
Steve Carp