Editor In Leaf
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Who the Toronto Maple Leafs Protect In Expansion Draft

By James Tanner

Apr 17, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Tyler Bozak (42) is embraced by forward Auston Matthews (34) after scoring the overtime winner in a 4-3 win over Washington Capitals in game three of the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 17, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Tyler Bozak (42) is embraced by forward Auston Matthews (34) after scoring the overtime winner in a 4-3 win over Washington Capitals in game three of the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Toronto  Maple Leafs are well positioned for the upcoming expansion draft.

The Las Vegas Golden Knights might have the stupidest name this side of the Ottawa Red-Blacks, but they will draft their team nevertheless on June 18th. The results will be announced at the NHL awards on June 21st.  While some teams are destined to lose valuable players, the Toronto Maple Leafs should find themselves in a decent enough position due to having so many ineligible players.

Teams can protect any combination of eight players and a goalie, or they can protect seven forwards, three defenseman and a goalie.

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The rules make it so that each team will have to expose a top-four defenseman or protect less forwards in exchange for not doing so.

All players who have no-movement clauses need to be protected.

All players who are in their first or second year in the NHL are ineligible.

Teams must expose at least two forwards and one defenseman who played 40 games this past season, or 70 over the course of the last two, and who are under contract for next year.

Some teams in the NHL are going to either have to make trades or lose high quality players.  The Ducks for example have to protect Kevin Bieksa, so without risking a very good forward, they’ll have to expose Cam Folwer, Sami Vatenan or Josh Manson (as obviously Hampus Lindholm is Automatic).

This might not be a problem for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but it will still be interesting to see who they protect and expose.

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