The NHL has released all 30 teams’ expansion draft protection lists. The Winnipeg Jets joined a majority of teams in going with a 7-3-1 protection set up while a few went with the 4-4-1 protection set up. The Jets asked Toby Enstrom to waives his no movement clause about three weeks ago and he agreed to. The move freed up the Jets to protect Tyler Myers. The other players protected are: Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, Mathieu Perreault, Adam Lowry, Joel Armia, Andrew Copp, Bryan Little, Dustin Byfuglien, Jacob Trouba, and Connor Hellebuyck.
The full lists from all the teams are available here.
It is unlikely that Enstrom will be taken with Marko Dano available. Dano is younger and is capable of playing in any role up front for the Vegas Golden Knights. The only scenario that the Golden Knights might consider Enstrom over Dano is if the Golden Knights have plans to take many other young forwards and need a contract to take up space while still being capable of playing. Enstrom would be very good for them if that is the case.
Over the next few days there will be plenty of mock rosters drawn up by fans and media a like. Remember that the Golden Knights have to take one player from each team and select at least 14 forwards, 9 defencemen, and 3 goalies. They can pick pending free agents (UFA and RFA), but that player counts as the pick for that team. They can only have 10 players who are not under contract for next season already. They have the next couple of days to talk to potential RFAs and UFAs to see if the interest is mutual.
The actual expansion draft runs during the NHL Awards on Wednesday, June 21. The selections will be announces in descending order from worst to first, starting with the Colorado Avalanche.
