Rules of the NHL Expansion Draft

• The rules for the Seattle Kraken 2021 Expansion Draft are the same as they were for the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017. The Vegas Golden Knights is the only current NHL club that is exempt from the 2021 Expansion Draft.

Rules of the NHL Expansion Draft

*The expansion club must select one player from each of the other thirty hockey organizations (excluding Vegas)

*The expansion club must select a minimum of 14 forwards, 9 defensemen, and 3 goalies

*The expansion club has a 3-day window before the day of the expansion draft to interview and sign pending UFAs who were left unprotected in the expansion draft. If the expansion team signs a player during that window of time, then the signed player counts as the selection for his former team.

*Established clubs can choose to either protect 7 forwards, 3 defensemen, and a goaltender, or 8 skaters and a goaltender.

*All players with no-movement clauses are required to be protected unless the player waives the no-movement clause.

*All first-year professionals, second-year professionals, and unsigned draft choices are exempt from the expansion draft.

*Established clubs must leave at least one defenseman exposed who meets the following criteria: is under contract for the upcoming season and either played at least 40 NHL games in the previous season or at least 70 NHL games in the previous two seasons combined.

*Established clubs must leave at least two forwards exposed who meet the following criteria: is under contract for the upcoming season and either played at least 40 NHL games in the previous season or at least 70 NHL games in the previous two seasons combined.

*Established clubs must leave at least one goalie exposed who is either under contract for the upcoming season or will become an RFA immediately prior to the upcoming season. If an RFA goalie is used by a club to meet this requirement, then that goalie must have received his qualifying offer prior to the submission of the club’s list of protected players.

Citations

NHL.com. (2021, July 13). Kraken 2021 NHL Expansion Draft rules same as Golden Knights followed. NHL.com. https://www.nhl.com/news/seattle-kraken-2021-nhl-expansion-draft-rules-same-as-vegas-golden-knights-followed/c-302586918.