This past week the NHL and NHLPA met in New York City to begin initial discussions about the NHL expanding into possibly two new cities by the 2017-18 season. While the talks are preliminary in setting the terms of expansion draft rules and laying a foundation, there are some early indications of what city(es) they may plan to move into.
All indications point towards Las Vegas, NV being a guaranteed destination to host a new NHL team. Rumors have swirled for the last year, but just recently it was learned the league has been in active talks to bring one or two more teams to the family. Another city with the potential to host a new team is Quebec City, Quebec.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced that if the league does decide to expand, an announcement will be made before this summer’s entry in June. It is thought that if this were to be done it would give the expansion team enough time to put a solid product on the ice. Since the demise and total failure of the Atlanta Thrashers, the NHL is taking the right course of action to ensure a Las Vegas and/or Quebec City team does not follow the same fate.
But, more importantly, what does this mean for the Pittsburgh Penguins? To begin, here is what we already know about the rules regarding the expansion draft:
- Teams will have two options in who they protect: either they safeguard seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie; or they protect eight skaters (whether they’re defensemen or forwards) and one goalie.
- First and second-year pros will be exempt from the expansion draft. This also includes players playing in the pros or any level. But if they’re entering their third year of pro hockey, they’re no longer exempt.
- Unsigned draft picks are exempt from the expansion draft for two years from their draft year but not in year three. Teams will have to either rush to sign those guys or simply expose them in the expansion draft.
- The total salaries for the players made available by each team in the expansion draft must be at least 25 percent of the previous season’s payroll for that team.
What it all comes down to is who the Penguins value and whether or not they are willing to stick to proven and aged players or take a risk and put their money on young players who have yet to fully prove themselves.
This brings Pittsburgh to a very harsh reality: Since a team can only protect one goalie, do they protect veteran Marc-Andre Fleury or put all their chips on Matt Murray, who has looked good thus far, but still unproven.
As of right now it is unsure who on the Penguins roster could have the potential of being taken by an expansion team. Pittsburgh will look to protect as many of their young and seasoned veterans as possible, though the it is likely they will lose at least one player when all is said and done.
Hopefully Pittsburgh does not have to face this situation, no-movement clauses could protect players from the expansion draft, but it is not guaranteed. If the league does plan do expand, expect mass transactions in the NHL to take place in the year leading up to the expansion.
This could mean the Penguins moving either Fluery or Murray via trade to soften the blow and getting some type of asset in return. This thought might be a tough pill to swallow. Only time will tell on who may be swiped away.
Image Credit: Joshua Dahl/Las Vegas Review-Journal
