Expansion Draft

[GBG BLEED BLUE]

Who do you think the Blades will protect?

[Blades 4 Life!]

I think the Blades should protect Justin McCrae. He is the future of the Blades. He will be the captain in the next couple of years. He plays the whole game; Scoring, forchecking, hitting, Penalty kill, power play, leadership. This kid is going to be a Ahl player hopefully Nhl one day.

[GBG BLEED BLUE]

The Blades and every other team(except the Tri City Americans) will be allowed to protect either 14 players born in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, or 12 players born in 1987, 1988, 1989 and three over-age players (1986). Players born in 1990 and 1991 are exempt.

I think this is how the Expansion draft works :confused:

I would protect:Barnes,Rabbit,Holtby,Watt,Crowley, Zasitko,Geric,Panchyson,McCrae,MacAuley,MacAngus,
Hengen,Gillies,Funk,Cloud and Cameron.

Setoguchi might not be back(since he signed a contract with San Jose,Khudobin,and Bahensky probably will not be back(they would both take up 2 spots,and 20 yr old Europeans are not usually kept around.

Would the import players that are drafted in the next import draft by the Blades be protected? or would they be exempt? :confused: (That is if they need to draft 2 more players,I think they will)

So now list the 12 or 14 players that you would protect and the three 20 yr olds.

[wango tango]

if i'm protecting 14. cameron, cloud, gillies, macangus, macaulay, mccrae, setoguchi, funk, ward, panchyson, holtby, rabbit, macpherson, lamoureux.

if i'm protecting 12 with 3 20's. cameron, cloud, gillies, macangus, macaulay, mccrae, setoguchi, funk, ward, panchyson, holtby, macpherson. rabbit, cole, watt.

[Warrior Fan]

Not coming back?

[GBG BLEED BLUE]

Not coming back?

I would think that once he recovers from his injury,that he would go to Carolina try and make the Carolina Hurrricanes squad,If he does not make it,then that would mean that he would be returned to the Blades,because he has not been signed,unless they sign him this summer but I doubt that would happen. We will have to wait and see.

[Koivu 11]

Who cares if barnes comes back, he's a 1 dimensional player that is a puck hog and can't hit. We'd be better off giving someone like Gillies or McRae first line centre.

[Trav]

Everyone should remember that an expansion team can pick anyone on their protected list thats not protected for the draft meaning that 17-18 yr old prospects coming up will be available if there not protected. The Blades do have some good youngsters coming up as 17 yr olds, guys like Troy Crowley, Walker Wintoneak (sp?), Dustin Cameron, Braeden Holtby who should be the backup this year.

Really I'd go with this protected list.

20's - Rabbit, Cole, Schultz
19's - Setoguchi
18's - Cloud, Zasitko, MacCrae, Ward, MacAngus, MaCauley, Pancheyson
17's - Funk, Gillies, Crowley, Holtby

Can't see Watt being the starter really next year unfortunately. The Blades have two highly touted youngsters coming up in net. Holtby and sixteen year old Carey Dyck who was one of the top goaltenders in the Manitoba AAA Midget League.

I do think the Blades wll lose a good player. Hopefully Molleken can work out a deal with the Bruins.