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Expansion Draft -- Sabres moves and speculation


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Is there anything written into the rules that stops a team from reclaiming a drafting player if they wind up on waivers in October?  I don't believe for a second that Ullmark will be claimed, but I'll use him as an example.  If Vegas picks him, but then waives him to send him down to the minors in October, can Buffalo just claim him back?  They're going to be picking 30 players, so some wind up traded or waived shortly after.

 

Speaking of the minors, do they have an affiliate yet?

As of 1 month ago the Knights did not have an AHL affiliate lined up but are planning on having one of their own (either expansion or poached). Haven't seen any info more recent.

 

As far as Vegas waivers, would EXPECT their farm guys would have to clear waivers like every other team this fall. So, if the Sabres were willing to keep Linus in Buffalo & LV tried to sent him to Reno (or wherever the #### their AHLers end up calling home) they should be able to grab him.

 

Seems that might cause hard feelings, both w/ Ullmark & whoever the Sabres snag to be the backup while Linus isn't Sabre property. Would be better off & more likely that the Sabres would make a deal to keep Linus in-house prior to the Vegas draft if he's pencilled in as the backup.

 

But speaking of potentially exposed goalies, how will the Pens get Fleury to waive his NTC so they can protect Murray? Can see that one getting hairy/ugly.

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Worst case scenario, can't the Pens buy Fleury out?

Or is the cap hit too outrageous?

He has 2 years left at $5.75MM average (too disinterested to see how/if the contract varied through the years to work out actual cap hit the next 4 years). On a team w/ a $59MM cap hit next year and only 9 F's & 3 D signed, it would seem to be a big hit.

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I mentioned earlier Fleury and 4 others w NMC who can and might be bought out on June 15 to avoid protecting them for expansion. Fleury is near the top of the list. His buyout is 1.9 mill for 4 years. That means a 3.8 mill cap savings for the next 2 years and a cap hit of 1.9 the last two.

 

Guys like Pommers, Hartnell and Bieksa could also go. I'd also buyout Gorges.

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  1. Interesting: have heard from teams who are contemplating using Vegas' unique free-agent window prior to June 21 in this fashion (con't)...

    Team X could offer Vegas an asset in exchange for signing a pending UFA from another team during that unique window (con't)....

    Then Vegas would flip that signed player to Team X. But key is that Vegas must wait until after expansion draft to flip the signed player

    That's because any signed free agent during the unique window counts as one of Vegas' roster picks for expansion draft...

    Might be worth the asset for Vegas if it counts as an expansion draft pick from a team that doesn't have much to select from to begin with

    And FYI, league source says all of this is permissible. Just another potential expansion draft week wrinkle....

     
Edited by PromoTheRobot
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Wondering if there's any chance they expose Okposo.  Long-term liability wise he's as big a risk any anybody else on that list.  If the Sabres are concerned about the long term outlook they could put him out there.  Would Vegas take him?  If he were exposed there'd have to be huge worry about his health.

 

No way, no how.

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He has 2 years left at $5.75MM average (too disinterested to see how/if the contract varied through the years to work out actual cap hit the next 4 years). On a team w/ a $59MM cap hit next year and only 9 F's & 3 D signed, it would seem to be a big hit.

$1.92M for next 4 years

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Wondering if there's any chance they expose Okposo. Long-term liability wise he's as big a risk any anybody else on that list. If the Sabres are concerned about the long term outlook they could put him out there. Would Vegas take him? If he were exposed there'd have to be huge worry about his health.

He's not a risk. If he's permanently injured, LTIR. He's the best RW we have. It is dumb to expose him.

I mentioned earlier Fleury and 4 others w NMC who can and might be bought out on June 15 to avoid protecting them for expansion. Fleury is near the top of the list. His buyout is 1.9 mill for 4 years. That means a 3.8 mill cap savings for the next 2 years and a cap hit of 1.9 the last two.

 

Guys like Pommers, Hartnell and Bieksa could also go. I'd also buyout Gorges.

We get it, you want to buyout Gorges.
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Wondering if there's any chance they expose Okposo.  Long-term liability wise he's as big a risk any anybody else on that list.  If the Sabres are concerned about the long term outlook they could put him out there.  Would Vegas take him?  If he were exposed there'd have to be huge worry about his health.

They'd pretty much need to have someone they'd want to protect more (outside of the other 6 commonly expected to be protected). Who are you suggesting that is?

 

Personally, simply don't see a scenario where even if he is damaged goods that this happens.

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Is there anything written into the rules that stops a team from reclaiming a drafting player if they wind up on waivers in October? I don't believe for a second that Ullmark will be claimed, but I'll use him as an example. If Vegas picks him, but then waives him to send him down to the minors in October, can Buffalo just claim him back? They're going to be picking 30 players, so some wind up traded or waived shortly after.

 

Speaking of the minors, do they have an affiliate yet?

Vegas GM McPhee has stated they will most likely share an AHL affiliate this season. Also the AHL has no current plans to expand so vegas may be sharing for a while.

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We were talking about moving Gorges out in another thread and Dudacek raised the issue of a 2nd line stay at home D for the Sabres.  Here is a JB related idea.  How about acquiring Dumoulin from the Pens prior to the expansion draft?  He'd be a very in-expensive player to slide in as the 4 with Antipin (if he signs).   

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We were talking about moving Gorges out in another thread and Dudacek raised the issue of a 2nd line stay at home D for the Sabres.  Here is a JB related idea.  How about acquiring Dumoulin from the Pens prior to the expansion draft?  He'd be a very in-expensive player to slide in as the 4 with Antipin (if he signs).

 

I fully expect a move like this - or two - rather than a Fowler-type swing at the fences.

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Vegas GM McPhee has stated they will most likely share an AHL affiliate this season. Also the AHL has no current plans to expand so vegas may be sharing for a while.

 

I hope they fix that quickly.  I can never see how the sharing thing can work out well for anyone other than a team wanting to save some dollars.  There's so much that gets in the way of development when you're mixing prospects from different organizations.  I hope they wind up being shared with an organization with a polar opposite system in place.  That'll convince everyone to correct this quickly.

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We were talking about moving Gorges out in another thread and Dudacek raised the issue of a 2nd line stay at home D for the Sabres.  Here is a JB related idea.  How about acquiring Dumoulin from the Pens prior to the expansion draft?  He'd be a very in-expensive player to slide in as the 4 with Antipin (if he signs).   

The idea in general is one I like. It might be tricky/costly prying Dumoulin away, the way Maatta has regressed, I don't think they'll care much about exposing him.

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http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/article/15-goalies-who-could-start-for-vegas-next-season

 

I'm not saying this guy knows jack-squat but he does list 15 goalies (plus another 6, actually) that he thinks could end up on Las Vegas. Ullmark is not among them.

Then I read Scott Cullen who tags Ullmark as the guy!

 

http://www.tsn.ca/off-season-game-plan-vegas-golden-knights-1.749346

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If I'm McPhee, I'd still take Ullmark before I take Moulson, Ennis or Bogo, on the theory that I can stash Ullmark in the minors and/or trade him for a draft pick.  Those outcomes are still much better than being stuck with one of those crappy contracts.

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If I'm McPhee, I'd still take Ullmark before I take Moulson, Ennis or Bogo, on the theory that I can stash Ullmark in the minors and/or trade him for a draft pick.  Those outcomes are still much better than being stuck with one of those crappy contracts.

 

I'd be willing as to go so far as to trade the second 2nd rounder for them to take Bogosian.  God he's such a blight in the top four.  At least with Gorges, you only have one more miserable year of his pessimism.  He's barely an upgrade over Erik Gudbranson, and he spent 2/3rd's the season on IR.

Edited by TheCerebral1
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If I'm McPhee, I'd still take Ullmark before I take Moulson, Ennis or Bogo, on the theory that I can stash Ullmark in the minors and/or trade him for a draft pick.  Those outcomes are still much better than being stuck with one of those crappy contracts.

 

He needs to clear waivers to go to the minors.  If Buffalo is high on him, you'd have to think that's at least one team that would claim him to stick around as their backup.

 

And the thing about being "stuck" with bad contracts is that teams may incentivize you to take those deals off their hands.

Edited by shrader
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