Seattle Expansion Thread

[Hoss]

As currently constructed there is again no concern about losing a valuable piece in the expansion draft. We could even have an extra spot to protect guys like Bogo or Okposo if they still look damn good next year.

[Brawndo]

With Seattle all but assured to be granted the NHL’s 32nd Franchise Tomorrow, once interesting tidbit has come out. Seattle cannot guarantee that the renovations to Key Arena will be completed before the start of the 2020-21 Season and with a possible looming league work stoppage for the same season, it’s expected that Seattle will start playing in the 2021-2022 Season. 

The same expansion rules are expected to be in place as with the Vegas Draft 

And Arizona is expected to move into the Central Division with Seattle entering the Pacific. 

[Randall Flagg]

They should go back to a 1-8 playoff seeding too, so Toronto isn't stuck playing the 3rd best team in the entire league, the Buffalo Sabres, in the 1st round.

[Taro T]

14 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

With Seattle all but assured to be granted the NHL’s 32nd Franchise Tomorrow, once interesting tidbit has come out. Seattle cannot guarantee that the renovations to Key Arena will be completed before the start of the 2020-21 Season and with a possible looming league work stoppage for the same season, it’s expected that Seattle will start playing in the 2021-2022 Season. 

The same expansion rules are expected to be in place as with the Vegas Draft 

And Arizona is expected to move into the Central Division with Seattle entering the Pacific. 

Really won't be happyif the Seattle S###heads don't enter the league until '21-'22.  The Sabres will end up having to protect a bunch of guys that they wouldn't have to protect a year earlier.  Guys like Mittelstadt & Dahlin head that list.

 

[Brawndo]

That was my first thought as well 

[IKnowPhysics]

It's in the league's interest to have Seattle start in 2020-21, in order to establish the massive TV ratings for the next TV contract negotiations (that new contract would start in 2021-22).

The Seattle mayor and the ownership said the other day that they think the arena can be done before 2020-21. https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle-center-arena-will-be-ready-for-nhl-team-in-2020-seattle-mayor-says/617889847

[Taro T]

15 minutes ago, IKnowPhysics said:

It's in the league's interest to have Seattle start in 2020-21, in order to establish the massive TV ratings for the next TV contract negotiations (that new contract would start in 2021-22).

The Seattle mayor and the ownership said the other day that they think the arena can be done before 2020-21. https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle-center-arena-will-be-ready-for-nhl-team-in-2020-seattle-mayor-says/617889847

Let's hope.  The Sabres will definitely benefit by Seattle coming in on schedule.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Don't we have a Seattle thread already?

 

[LGR4GM]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/watch-live-nhl-announces-decision-seattle-expansion/

Watch the announcement live. 

[Taro T]

'21-'22 officially.

[Taro T]

They will use the same rules for expansion in June '21 that were in place for the Vegas draft.  (####!)  (Bye, bye, Pilut?)

$650MM for the priviledge.

Yotes to Central.  S###heads to Pacific.

Edited December 4, 2018 by Taro T

[Sabel79]

I am all in favor of anything that ***** over Arizona.  Good move.

[Taro T]

Sabres ####ed by expansion delay.

My EXTREMELY early expansion protection list:

F (7): Eichel, Reinhart, Mittelstadt, Skinner, Olofsson, Thompson, Asplund (possibly Nylander over 1 of the last 4)

D (3): Dahlin, Ristolainen, McCabe (possibly Pilut, Guhle, or Borgen depending on how they develop)

G (1): Ullmark

HATING that this got delayed.  The Sabres will lose a good young player.

 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

25 minutes ago, Taro T said:

'21-'22 officially.

RIGGED!!

That's all.

Well, not quite all ...

... by the power that be in (you guessed it) ... THE GREAT SATAN!!

[GASabresIUFAN]

51 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Sabres ####ed by expansion delay.

My EXTREMELY early expansion protection list:

F (7): Eichel, Reinhart, Mittelstadt, Skinner, Olofsson, Thompson, Asplund (possibly Nylander over 1 of the last 4)

D (3): Dahlin, Ristolainen, McCabe (possibly Pilut, Guhle, or Borgen depending on how they develop)

G (1): Ullmark

HATING that this got delayed.  The Sabres will lose a good young player.

 

Good thing we have 4 1st rd picks over the next 2 years to recover the one player lost to expansion.

I do agree that we were in a great position for 2020 as I wrote at the top of this thread, but on the bright side all 4 1st over th next two years will be exempt.  Also guys like UPL, Okkari, Pekar, Davidsson, and Samuelsson will also be exempt.  Also depending on how Asplund and or Olofsson develop and play for us, we may not be to worried about losing one to expansion. Frankly, Asplund could be surpassed on the depth chart by Davidsson sooner then later.  I’m also protecting Nylander over both Asplund and Olofsson because of age and higher ceiling. 

Edited December 4, 2018 by GASabresIUFAN

[Sabres Fan in NS]

55 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Sabres ####ed by expansion delay.

My EXTREMELY early expansion protection list:

F (7): Eichel, Reinhart, Mittelstadt, Skinner, Olofsson, Thompson, Asplund (possibly Nylander over 1 of the last 4)

D (3): Dahlin, Ristolainen, McCabe (possibly Pilut, Guhle, or Borgen depending on how they develop)

G (1): Ullmark

HATING that this got delayed.  The Sabres will lose a good young player.

 

This is terribe for the Sabres.  The only saving grace is that it will be equally terrible for several other teams ... Jets, I think.

I don't think our Nylander would be protected over Skinner (of course we both are assuming he is signed by the Sabres), but the other 3?  Maybe.

Edited December 4, 2018 by New Scotland (NS)
that was my 13,000 post ... sheesh ... about as memorable as the other 12,999 ...

[dudacek]

Here’s the deal, we are going to lose our 13th best veteran player.

And so will most everybody else.

 

Given Rochester and the two extra firsts, I think we have the depth to absorb it better than many.

[Taro T]

46 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Good thing we have 4 1st rd picks over the next 2 years to recover the one player lost to expansion.

I do agree that we were in a great position for 2020 as I wrote at the top of this thread, but on the bright side all 4 1st over th next two years will be exempt.  Also guys like UPL, Okkari, Pekar, Davidsson, and Samuelsson will also be exempt.  Also depending on how Asplund and or Olofsson develop and play for us, we may not be to worried about losing one to expansion. Frankly, Asplund could be surpassed on the depth chart by Davidsson sooner then later.  I’m also protecting Nylander over both Asplund and Olofsson because of age and higher ceiling. 

 Really considered putting Nylander on that list rather than Asplund but since I'd already typed it out that way, left it as is.

Could also see at least 1, if not 2, moves by then that have the Sabres altering the list of 11.

And losing Asplund, Nylander, Olofsson, or Pilut, or other comparable player won't be crippling; but it still stinks that they wouldn't even have to lose a player that good in '20.  Having those sorts of players filling in the depth, especially on cheap contracts, help champions slide that slight bit ahead of the also rans.  And my WAY too early guess is that Pilut will be the guy that gets selected.

Edited December 4, 2018 by Taro T

[jsb]

1 hour ago, Sabel79 said:

I am all in favor of anything that ***** over Arizona.  Good move.

Normally I'd be all in on this but there's a lot of conjecture that this franchise may move to Houston. In which case I'd say we need to get this franchise back on their feet. Pump it up.

[Taro T]

7 minutes ago, jsb said:

Normally I'd be all in on this but there's a lot of conjecture that this franchise may move to Houston. In which case I'd say we need to get this franchise back on their feet. Pump it up.

Well, if the Yotes do move to H*ll, er sorry, Houston, we'll be able to see which of us were correct about the lack of support the team will get.  REALLY expect that to be a short lived experiment, if it happens at all.

[Sabel79]

9 minutes ago, jsb said:

Normally I'd be all in on this but there's a lot of conjecture that this franchise may move to Houston. In which case I'd say we need to get this franchise back on their feet. Pump it up.

 

3 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Well, if the Yotes do move to H*ll, er sorry, Houston, we'll be able to see which of us were correct about the lack of support the team will get.  REALLY expect that to be a short lived experiment, if it happens at all.

Understanding that I'm being slightly hypocritical given the not too distant history of the Sabres ownership fiasco, but the Arizona experiment has been on life support long enough.  

[Randall Flagg]

2 hours ago, Sabel79 said:

I am all in favor of anything that ***** over Arizona.  Good move.

We have to be nice and send good vibes to the Yotes until they formally submit the 14 mil offersheet to Matthews. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

If I’m reading the rules correctly all players currently playing for us or the Amerks will be theoretically available for the expansion draft in 2021. Anyone turning NA pro after this season will be exempt.  

Forwards: Protected: Jack, Skinner, Sam, Casey, Tage plus 2 others from Asplund, Olofsson, Nylander, and maybe Smith or Sheary (if re-signed). Right now Nylander and Asplund top my list, but that can obviously change. Exposed Olofsson*, Berglund, Okposo, Smith etc..  Exempt: Pekar, Davidsson.

Defense: Protected: Dahlin, Risto and one of McCabe, Guhle, Pilut, and Borgen.  Exposed Beaulieu, Nelson (both if re-signed), and 3 of McCabe, Guhle, Pilut and Borgen. Exempt: Samuelsson, Bryson, Oskari.

Goalie: Protected: Ullmark.  Exposed: Johansson and maybe Hutton. Exempt: UPL

If I’m Seattle, I’m taking Guhle or Olofsson, but they also may want someone like Sheary if on the team and available.

Ultimately, this really isn’t much of a loss.  It’s just one player and one that is likely replaceable by someone already in the organization. If Olofsson becomes the scorer we hope he’ll be protected. That leaves Nylander and Asplund, one of which will be Protected.  Frankly, Davidsson and Asplund are fungible IMHO. 

Also losing one D isn’t really a problem for us anymore.  Because of the work Jbot has done, D has become one of our best depth areas.  Dahlin and Risto are probably the only givens are this time. Losing one of Borgen, Pilut or McCabe is not a game changer especially with Borgen, Hickey, Bryson, Daughtry, Samuelsson and Oskari in the system already.  However, this situation may make it more likely that we retain Beaulieu and/or Nelson.

 

[Brawndo]

I wonder if Botterill might be willing to move a 2021 1st or 2nd to protect certain players from being selected. 

[dudacek]

The value of Thompson, Guhle, Pilut, Nylander, Borgen, Asplund etc... is going to be lot more clear 2 1/2 years from now than it is right now. More will be Baileys and Beaulieus than McCabes and Reinharts.