Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs have chosen to protect:
Forwards
Auston Matthews
John Tavares
Mitch Marner
William Nylander
Defense
Jake Muzzin
Morgan Rielly
T.J. Brodie
Justin Holl
Goaltender
Jack Campbell
Prediction: The Kraken will select Alexander Kerfoot. The Leafs did make a questionable choice going with the model that protects fewer players but they clearly like their blueline and wanted as little disruption as possible.
Even though Travis Dermott is exposed, Kerfoot is too good to pass up. The good news for Leafs fans is that by Seattle taking the 26-year-old center, it takes $3.5 million off the books. Kerfoot could be used as the Kraken’s second-line center.
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks have chosen to protect:
Forwards
Brock Boeser
Bo Horvat
J.T. Miller
Tanner Pearson
Jason Dickinson
Tyler Motte
Elias Pettersson
Defense
Tyler Myers
Nate Schmidt
Olli Juolevi
Goaltender
Thatcher Demko
Prediction: The Kraken will select Jonah Gadjovich. Gadjovich is a 22-year-old prospect who managed to be nearly a point per game player last season for the Utica Comets in the AHL. The left-winger is being paid $783,333.