Expansion draft

[Flathead]

With the WHL expansion draft set for June 5th Moberg explained the process.

"Each team gets a decision on whether to protect 15 or 16 players. If you protect 16 it means you protect 13 guys between the ages of 17 and 19 (as of next year) plus three 20 year olds. Or if you don't protect three 20-year-olds you can only protect 15, so those 15 you protect are anywhere from 1987-1990 born guys. So you can be 13 and three or 15 of any age. The draft is June 5th, so each Western League team needs to put in their list and Edmonton gets to decide which one player they will select from each team."

Moberg also explained that he and Head Coach/General Manager Dean Chynoweth have been discussing whom they will protect since the Edmonton franchise was approved. Moberg noted that they would sit down in the next few days to discuss their options.


What does everyone think we should do? I think we should protect the 15 players from '87-'90, and leave the 20 year olds unprotected. The youth of this club looks very good, for years to come. We have 4 players that will be 20's next year and it would suck to see any of them go, but we have to let one go anyways and maybe Edmonton would only pick one leaving us with three for the season, or maybe they wouldn't pick any. 15 players doesn't seem like a lot to be able to protect, glad I'm not the one deciding who to protect and who not to, lol. Anyways those are my thoughts on the situation. Should be interseting to see what happens.

[Toswammi]

I would protect our 15 players, and let the cards fall as they will. In the end we will lose someone (likely a younger player)

[Scout]

We have 4 - 20 year olds next year. Leavold, Rakos, Wilson and R.J. LaRochelle. Can't see them wasting a 20 year-old spot on a Euro, so i think that counts out Rakos. Wilson is a good defenceman but lack size. A 160 lb. D-man i can't see being very appealing. That leaves a gritty forward with toughness and improved two fold over the year or a hardcore tough D-man is R.J. who is expected to step in and take over where Rumsey left off. If i was picking in the expansion draft i would go for a R.J. unless other teams have a glut of vet D-men who are tough and will punish you if need be. There will be alot more forwards available than defencemen. I realize we have some very good defencemen coming up but not alot of toughness and not many are punishing defencemen. If the Broncos leave our 20 year olds unprotected than i expect to see R.J. get taken unless the Broncos make a trade with Edmonton for a good young forward with the understanding they will pass the Broncos in the draft.

Scout

[Flathead]

unless the Broncos make a trade with Edmonton for a good young forward with the understanding they will pass the Broncos in the draft.

Scout
Teams have done that in the past and that might be a good thing to look at as well.