Toronto Maple Leafs: Predicting the Entire Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft
By Jeff Borsuk
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets have chosen to protect:
Forwards
Cam Atkinson
Gustav Nyquist
Patrik Laine
Boone Jenner
Oliver Bjorkstrand
Jack Roslovic
Eric Robinson
Defense
Seth Jones
Zachary Werenski
Vladislav Gavrikov
Goaltender
Joonas Korpisalo
Prediction: The Kraken will select Max Domi. While there may be more to like about Kevin Stenlund in terms of age, contract, and career direction, Domi seems like the sensible pick. Though he had a down year in Columbus, Domi is still a 26-year-old player who racked up 28 goals and 44 assists in 2019. He is in the final year of his contract with a $5.3 million AAV.
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars have chosen to protect:
Forwards
Tyler Seguin
Jamie Benn
Joe Pavelski
Alexander Radulov
Radek Faksa
Roope Hintz
Denis Gurianov
Defense
Esa Lindell
John Klingberg
Miro Heiskanen
Goaltender
Anton Khudobin
Prediction: The Kraken will select Ben Bishop. This is a move that will help the team be competitive in its very first season. In order to select the 34-year-old stopper, he had to waive the no-move clause on his $4,916,666 contract. Joel L’Esperance might have been tempting at just 25 years old but with Bishop in net, the Kraken have the potential to steal games.