Every Saturday I plan on doing a data dump on something I find interesting around the hockey world. I will approach it with some knowledge, a theory, or based on something I heard in the media that I find worth exploring. Some things may be interesting to you, and some not so much, but I hope you find some appreciation in this data and exploration.
This week I will be exploring some of the demographics across the NHL, specifically player nationalities, birth states of US-born hockey players in the league, and how these have changed year over year.
Nationality of NHL players
Everyone knows that hockey is dominated by Canadians, but not everyone realizes that the percentage of NHLers that are Canadians has been dropping steadily since 1981-82 season.
This is less of a decline of hockey in Canada and more of a testament of hockey’s growing popularity across the world, particularly in the US. Here is a look at the current nationality makeup of the current NHL season.
Here is the breakdown of the nationalities of players on NHL teams.
Given the growth in American players, I wanted to dig into where this growth might be happening.
US-born players
Here is a look at the birth state of American NHL players since 1981-82.
It may be difficult to see, but California ranks fifth in the NHL with the most US-born players in the NHL. If the lastfew NHLDrafts are a leading indicator, I would anticipate these numbers to continue to climb.
The NHL southern expansion has also had a huge impact on broadening the sport to more people in more states. Over the last three years, there have been 31 states with at least one NHL player born from their respective states.
And while we are here….Washington State has been well represented over the last three years.
Just wait until the Kraken start playing in our region.
I hope that gives you a little more insight of the nationalities and states represented in the NHL and how those trends have changed over time.
It will just be 24 games. The games will be against just four different opponents. There will be no playoffs, no overnight trips, no long swings through the Canadian prairies, and there will be no fans in the building. Without a doubt, the 2021 Western Hockey League’s U.S. Division will look different this season.
Now that the Washington State government has given the WHL the green light, the U.S. Division will open the season on March 19th. It will be over a year since the last game in the division and it comes at a time that normally is reserved for playoff races and positioning.
“It’s nice to finally know that we’re going to play some hockey,” Seattle Thunderbirds forward Lucas Ciona says. “It’s been a tough year just sitting at home, training, and doing schoolwork. It’s nice to know that we’re getting to go back to Seattle, and it will be good to be with the guys again.”
While not the most ideal situation the short season will allow the Thunderbirds, Everett Silvertips, Portland Winterhawks, Tri-City Americans, and Spokane Chiefs to play hockey.
Pulling this off will be a financial burden on the five clubs as they rely heavily on gate receipts for income. There will be none of that.
On the surface it begs the question of why go through with it at all?
The WHL is one of the top development leagues in the world — last year’s draft saw 28 WHL players selected — and it’s that development that’s the driving influence for the league and its member teams.
“It’s definitely about developing our group but it’s also about making sure that these kids have as much normalcy as possible,” Seattle general manager Bil La Forge says. “Hockey is a great game, and they get to play it. We want to develop our team and our young men. We want to reward these kids for the hard work they’ve put in.”
It’s been a long summer for U.S. Division players
The last game played in the division was a 3-0 win by the Spokane Chiefs over the visiting Kamloops Blazers on March 10th, 2020. Two days later the league and most of the world shut down due to concerns over the growing Covid-19 pandemic.
Players were sent home and the playoffs, Championship Series, and Memorial Cup were all shelved.
Ciona, 17, was one of those players. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound winger had just finished his rookie season in Seattle and was suddenly homebound in Edmonton. Since then, he and the rest of the WHL’s players have been waiting for the call to return to their teams.
“We’ve been finding ways to keep busy,” Ciona says. “I’ve been working out and doing schoolwork. I really enjoy working out, so it hasn’t been too bad. Skating, going out to the ODR’s (outdoor rinks). We’ve been going full pads at the ODR so it gets a little competitive.”
💪WORKOUT WEDNESDAY💪 Brought to you by our friends at @PlanetFitness.
Endless split squats and lunges are great for a player’s endurance. So is playing pick-up games on an outdoor rink, but for young players to develop, they need to play real games. The speed, competition, and intensity just aren’t the same.
To find that edge, Ciona was one of many U.S. Division players who hit the ice last November to get ice time by playing in Junior A leagues like the Alberta Junior Hockey League. He got into four games with the Spruce Grove Saints as did a handful of his Seattle teammates like Kai Uchacz, Tyrel Bauer, and Matthew Rempe.
Other players found some ice time in other Junior A leagues. Among those guys were Everett Silvertips and Montreal Canadiens prospect defenseman Gianni Fairbrother who played for the Nanaimo Clippers of the BCHL and was joined by teammate Dylan Anderson who played for the Cowichan Valley Capitals.
Those stints ended up being short-lived as the Canadian provinces ultimately would shut down all hockey leagues after just a few games. By the time these players get through quarantine and back on the ice for abbreviated training camps, any advantage they earned will be long gone.
“It’s going to be a whole other thing,” Ciona adds. “We’ll be coming back and it will be another fresh start for everybody. Nobody has been practicing or playing too much so it will be interesting.”
No fans and new safety protocols for U.S. Division
When the league starts up in March there will be no fans allowed in the building.
The U.S. Division has become known for loud, large, and intimidating crowds in its arenas. Last season, four of the division’s five teams were in the top seven in WHL attendance. It’s going to be a bit quieter this year and is something the players will have to adjust to.
“We’re going to have to learn to create our own emotion,” La Forge says. “The one thing that this has taught all of us is to not take this game for granted. Not being able to do it for 12 months, I know the excitement I have, and I won’t be on the ice. I don’t think emotion will be a problem.”
Having to create that emotion without a crowd is another skill these players can develop this season. It’s one that should pay off when fans are able to come back to the arenas.
Emotion may come easier than one might think when you consider the schedule being played. The U.S. Division has some well-established and heated, rivalries. The heat is already there, fans or not.
“There’s always some bad blood between Everett and Portland,” Ciona says. “I think it’s going to be getting in those games, getting riled up for those. It’s kind of like the Battle of Alberta here. That’s still pretty heavy even without fans. It’s going to be fun to play those rivalry games even if we don’t have a crowd.”
Another big adjustment for players will be the safety protocols required to play. They’re aware that the NHL has had its share of troubles with Covid cases popping up which has led to the postponement of games with a lot of questions and scrutiny.
The WHL doesn’t want the same hurdles, and it will require both the clubs and the players to follow the protocols and stay safe.
“We’re going to be on top of that and we feel really comfortable with the protocol set in place,” La Forge says. “We think if we do that, we’ll have a really good chance. It’s not something you can guarantee but we’re going to give ourselves a chance. If there’s an issue we’ll address it and deal with it, but we’re confident with the group of young men that we have that we’re going to put our best foot forward and give ourselves a chance.”
WHL teams have been in touch with their players during the shutdown, reminding them of the seriousness of staying safe. The motivation should be easy. Having missed over a year of hockey, getting players 16 to 20 years old to toe the line should not be too hard.
“It’ll be hockey, hockey, hockey,” Ciona says. “There won’t be anything else going on for us. We’ll be coming from our billets to the rink every day. We won’t be out getting distracted by the malls or tourist things. We’ll be locked down, focused on hockey and being safe.”
Eye on the next level
Staying safe and getting the full season in is important to Ciona.
Like many players in the U.S. Division, this is his NHL Draft season. He’s on the radar, having received a ‘C’ ranking by NHL’s Central Scouting. Being drafted is a dream for every young player, but so far this season, he has not been able to be seen by NHL scouts.
Getting 24 games will go a long way for him to show off his progression from last year. He’s not alone. This coming season is going to give other Draft hopefuls a chance to shine for the pros as well.
“I want to be higher on that list,” Ciona, who had 13 points in 53 games as a rookie last year says. “I don’t want to be a ‘C’ prospect. It was cool and humbling to see my name and see that some of my hard work got noticed, but that’s not the end game. I want to continue to push and get myself higher on that list.”
Seattle Thunderbirds winger Lucas Ciona will benefit from playing hockey this year. (Brian Liesse/T-Birds photo)
First time NHL Draft eligible players are not the only ones who will benefit from playing this season.
There are many players in the Division who were passed up the last Draft, sitting on the NHL bubble. They are still eligible to hear their names called during this year’s Draft which is scheduled for July. Continued development could push them over the line but could also lead to a free agent signing, getting to play pro in Europe, or in Canadian college.
Incoming rookies will also get valuable ice time and a taste of the higher level of play the WHL offers. These are players that will be looking forward to the 2022 NHL Draft as well as restocking the U.S. Division and league with more talent.
Development is the key to this season but that doesn’t mean teams aren’t looking to win. There will be no playoffs to aim for, but hockey players and general managers alike are hyper-competitive, so winning is still number one.
“If they kept score in the warmup, we’d win that,” La Forge says.
Seattle will ice a young team that is loaded with talent and potential. They’ll be competitive but will have to deal with good teams such as the Portland Winterhawks – last year’s U.S. Division champions – and the always tough Everett Silvertips.
It’s going to make for a fun sprint of a season that will provide entertaining games for fans who will either have to watch online or on television. The coaches, general managers, and players will be ready to go on March 19th.
“I want to win every single (game).” Ciona says. “Obviously it’s a bummer there won’t be any playoffs, but I still want to win them all. We’re competitive, that’s been our identity and we want to show that. We don’t just want to get through the 24 games, we want to dominate.”
With a compressed schedule this year there is a tasty menu of NHL games to decide between every night. But which one should you watch? Do you choose the best matchup between good teams or do you look for a game that offers potential Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft targets?
It can be a tough call when there are six or seven every night.
Don’t despair. We have you covered with this week’s Games on the Radar, so get some snacks, find a comfy couch, and enjoy the hockey.
Montreal Canadiens versus Toronto Maple Leafs
When: Wednesday, 4:30 P.M. Pacific on NHLTV and Saturday 4:00 P.M. Pacific on NHL Network, CBC
It’s been a while since two of the more storied franchises in the NHL were both top teams at the same time. That adds to the promise of great hockey during a crucial home-and-home match up between the pair this week. The Maple Leafs come in holding a three-point lead in the Scotia North Division over Montreal while the Canadiens have a game in hand.
This week’s pair of contests will be the first since the two entertained with a thriller on opening night, January 13th. In that game, Toronto’s Jimmy Vesey scored midway through the third period to tie the back-and-forth game at 4-4. The contest would be decided in overtime when Morgan Rielly converted on a two-on-one break to give the Maple Leafs the win.
Fast forward a month and the two clubs are among the best in the NHL. There’s a lot going on in these two games so they will be well worth propping your feet up and enjoying.
Players to watch
Toronto’s Mitch Marner comes into the week third in NHL scoring with 21 points in 13 games, but he’s not alone in the Maple Leafs attack. His running mate, Auston Matthews, has scored 11 times in 12 games. Can he score 40 in this year’s shortened season? He’s getting just over four shots a game and converting on an incredible 21.2 percent which gives him a chance.
Goalie Carey Price is the marquee name in the Montreal net, but it’s been backup Jake Allen who has starred early for the Canadiens. In his five starts he’s won four times while posting a .940 save percentage. Not bad for the number two goalie who, by-the-way, could be on the Seattle Kraken radar at the Expansion Draft.
Montreal’s Tyler Toffoli has as many goals as Matthews does and has been a great free agency pick-up. Of his 12 goals, eight have come against Toffoli’s former team, the Vancouver Canucks. Can he keep it up against different clubs?
The Seattle Kraken watchlist
Outside of Allen, Kraken fans should keep an eye on Montreal’s Jonathan Drouin, Phillip Danault, Shea Weber, Victor Mete, and Cale Fleury as potential players who may be available to Seattle at the Expansion Draft.
On the Leafs ledger, players like Justin Holl or Travis Dermott on the back end could end up with the Kraken. Wayne Simmonds might also be a free-agent target for the Kraken, but he is out with a broken wrist so Seattle fans should keep an eye on Vesey who is also a free agent of note.
Tampa Bay Lightning versus Florida Panthers
When: Thursday, 4:00 P.M. Pacific on NHL.tv and Saturday, 4 P.M. Pacific ESPN+
With an 8-1-1 record starting the week, the defending Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning are right where you’d expect to see them, leading the Discover Central. They’re looking down on the division again, but a new face sits just three points behind them. That face is mascot look-alike head coach Joel Quenneville and the Florida Panthers.
Florida is off to an impressive and somewhat surprising 6-1-2 start that puts them in playoff contention within the division. The two games between the Florida rivals will be a big test for the upstart Panthers. Are they for real? We will get a clue this week.
Players to watch
With Florida playing well it must mean that goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has regained his form, right? Well, not quite. Bobrovsky has won three of his four starts this season but his save percentage is a worrisome .881. Instead, Chris Driedger has been stellar. He has five starts for Florida and a 1.97 goals-against average with a .937 save percentage. That’s good and he could end up being an unsung hero for the Panthers.
Former Lightning Carter Verhaeghe is off to a strong six-goal and nine-point start for Florida and should be motivated against his old club.
Tampa Bay is still loaded and so good that they’re almost boring. Captain Steven Stamkos is healthy and leading the Lightning in scoring along with Brayden Point. The pair both have 11 points in their first 10 games and are leading the charge. Defenseman Victor Hedman and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy are already on form and always worth watching.
The Seattle Kraken watchlist
The same depth that makes the Lightning so tough to beat will benefit the Kraken as Tampa Bay can’t protect everyone. Some good players will be available so keep an eye on Alex Killorn, Tyler Johnson, Yanni Gourde, and Ondrej Palat. It’s best to just marvel at all the Lightning.
Patric Hornqvist is off to a good start for Florida and potentially an Expansion Draft exposure. On defense, watch Anton Stralman or former Everett Silvertip Radko Gudas as two more potential Kraken targets.
Other NHL games of note
Columbus Blue Jackets versus Chicago Blackhawks: Thursday, 5:00 P.M. Pacific on NHL.tv. It has been a dramatic start to the season for the Blue Jackets and not because of what is happening on the ice. Head coach John Tortorella is taking no guff this season and has already benched newly acquired Patrik Laine.
Detroit Red Wings versus Nashville Predators: Thursday, 5:00 P.M. Pacific on NHL.tv. Detroit is not a good hockey team, but this game is attractive from a Kraken Expansion Draft perspective. Forward Givani Smith was recently recalled and off to a four-point start. He is the most attractive forward from Detroit and may be exposed.
Armed with an interim coach, a backup goalie, and a mix of young upstarts and veterans of the grizzled variety the Dallas Stars made a valiant run to the Stanley Cup Final last summer. They came up two games short of winning it all but are off to a hot start this season in an attempt to get back.
The mixologist behind that winning concoction is general manager Jim Nill who will try to win again while navigating July’s Expansion Draft. His interim coach is now head coach Rick Bowness who was rewarded for his playoff performance. The backup goalie is Anton Khudobin, who has become the number one starter as Ben Bishop continues to be out with injury.
Nill and the Stars currently have zero cap space, but thanks to a number of unrestricted free agents whose contracts are up after this season, they won’t necessarily lose any of their core to the Seattle Kraken.
That doesn’t mean that the Stars won’t have a good player to offer – we’ll get to the goalie situation below – but unlike other top teams, Nill isn’t going to be hamstrung by the Expansion Draft.
Assumptions
While the Stars don’t have cap space, they have eight pending unrestricted free agents and obviously they won’t all be back. A couple of those free agents would be worth Kraken general manager Ron Francis at least kicking the tires on.
Up front, that list includes a couple of veteran forwards such as Andrew Cogliano, Blake Comeau, and Justin Dowling. None of these players are at the peaks of their careers but if Francis doesn’t like the rest of the Stars offerings, it might be a path to explore.
On defense, 30-year-old Jamie Oleksiak is a solid, stay at home defenseman who won’t score a lot of goals for you but could be a contributing bottom pairing type of player.
Dallas Stars protected list
Forwards
Jamie Benn (NMC)
Alexander Radulov (NMC)
Tyler Seguin (NMC)
Joe Pavelski
Radek Faksa
Roope Hintz
Denis Gurianov
The key player to watch regarding how Nill is going to handle the Dallas Stars protected forwards is Joe Pavelski. A legend in San Jose where he served as the Sharks captain, the 36-year-old center will have one season left on a $7 million contract after this year.
His production last season was half of what it was during his final campaign in San Jose – going from 38 goals and 64 points to 14 goals and 31 points – but he was clutch in the Dallas run to the Cup Final last summer. So far this year, he seems to be closer to his former production. It’s early but through six games he’s scored six times and has 10 points.
At first glance, it would seem like an automatic that the Stars would leave Pavelski unprotected, due to his age and $7 million contract. But if the team feels that they are in a win-now window and Pavelski continues his hot start, there might be a reason to keep him, despite the cap trouble that would cause.
Pavelski had a no-move clause over the first two years of his contract, but it will expire in time for the Expansion Draft. What that means is that if Nill wants to shed his contract prior, he won’t be able to trade him.
For this exercise, we will put him on the protected list with a healthy spoonful of hesitation as he remains very likely to be in the mix for Francis and the Kraken. If he is protected look for 25-year-old Jason Dickenson to be on the list.
Defense
Esa Lindell
John Klingberg
Miro Heiskanen
Nill won’t have to think hard when it comes to which defensemen to keep away from the Kraken.
Esa Lindell, 26, and John Klingberg, 28, are effective puck-movers and are in their primes. The third protected blueliner is even more of a lock. Miro Heiskanen, 21, has perennial Norris candidate written all over him and will end up protected.
The Dallas Stars defense is going to be set for many years to come.
Goalie
Ben Bishop (NMC)
Things get a little complicated in the Stars crease. After his stellar work in the playoffs, Khudobin was rewarded with a three-year contract that pays him $3.3 million a year. It seems counterintuitive that Dallas would expose its playoff hero, but it may not have a choice.
Ben Bishop was the number one starter last season before injuring himself. He starts this season on the injured list and isn’t expected back until this spring, near the end of the season. If he is able to return and resume his career, he has a no-move clause in his contract which will require the Stars to protect him.
That will leave Khudobin there for the taking.
Top Dallas Stars targets for Kraken Expansion Draft
Forwards
Joe Pavelski
Jason Dickinson
Justin Dowling (UFA)
Andrew Cogliano (UFA)
Blake Comeau (UFA)
Defense
Jamie Oleksiak (UFA)
Mark Pysyk (UFA)
Julius Honka
Goalie
Anton Khudobin
Thoughts
The choice here for the Kraken could be between Khudobin and Pavelski, if he’s available.
While Pavelski will be 37 when the Kraken start, he is a proven scorer in the NHL. His long tenure as the captain in San Jose is well recorded and he could help bring together a young and thrown together expansion roster. He makes a lot of money, more than maybe a player of his age should make. However, Seattle needs to spend money and hit the required cap floor. Not only would Pavelski’s money help do that but he is showing this year that he still has some juice in his game.
Khudobin, 34, is another aging player and is not a long-term option to be the Kraken number one goalie. But, if Francis finds a younger goalie elsewhere, Khudobin would be a great mentor for the two years he’d have remaining on his contract. He’s been a backup for the bulk of his career and we’ll get a good look at how he handles the top spot in net this year.
He’s off to a good start and if he shows he can handle the workload, the Kraken might be convinced to pull the trigger.
Honka, 25, is a former first-rounder who is on the Stars taxi squad to start the season. Since joining the Stars organization in 2014 he has not lived up to the potential he had in junior with the Swift Current Broncos.
Side deal scenarios
A good team with no cap space might lead one to think there are side deals to have but there is no obvious deal here. The two biggest salaries that could be available are Pavelski and Khudobin and they both would be the top choices for Seattle regardless. Other, younger players who would be available aren’t prevalent so Seattle wouldn’t have much leverage. Nill isn’t going to offer anything to Seattle in a deal to take players the Kraken were going to take anyway.
Before you ask, the guys recorded this episode on Monday of this week, so the news of John Forslund’s hiring by the Kraken and ROOT Sports being named as its broadcasting partner had not yet come out. So no, they don’t talk about that, but will talk about it next week.
What is on this episode, though, is a big-time guest. Yes, Jason Botterill – the former Associate GM of the Penguins, GM of the Sabres, and current Assistant GM of the Kraken – is on the show! With Jason, the guys talk about his hockey career, including his NCAA championship at the University of Michigan and his three gold medals in the WJC, as well as his expectations for the Kraken and his fascinating upbringing. This is a very fun interview with a very successful hockey man. You don’t want to miss this.
On this episode, John, Andy, and Darren do another round of Sound Of Hockey’s Three Stars, the new segment that launched last week. They also discuss Carter Hart losing his mind, NBCSN going away, and the Pierre-Luc Dubois for Patrik Laine trade.
Segments include Goalie Gear Corner (covering this mask, these pads, and these pads), Weekly One-Timers, and Tweets of the Week.
Also, as mentioned at the end of the show, here is the GoFundMe for Kyrell Sopotyk, a Kamloops Blazer who was sadly paralyzed in a snowboarding accident.
The Colorado Avalanche are in the middle of a Stanley Cup contending window that only comes around once every 25 years, if you are lucky. After an earlier-than-expected exit in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, general manager Joe Sakic made only a few tweaks to the already potent roster. Sakic first traded big defenseman Nikita Zadorov to Chicago for forward Brandon Saad. A few days later, Sakic would acquire defenseman Devon Toews from the New York Islanders for two second-round draft picks.
Colorado entered the season as one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup this year with its high-end talent and player depth at every position. The subtext here is that the Kraken will have quality options at all positions.
Assumptions
The Avalanche will have a few pending unrestricted free agents at the end of this season that will impact their protected list and therefore selections for the Kraken. In the forward group, Gabriel Landeskog and the newly acquired Saad are on the last year of their current contracts. Both have signaled that they want to continue playing in Denver. It is possible that both forwards re-sign, but for now, we only think there is room for one of them due to cap space. We believe that they will hold onto Landeskog.
The other pending UFA of note is starting goaltender Philipp Grubauer. Grubauer platooned with Pavel Francouz last year to be one of the better goalie tandems in the league. As well as Francouz played, we still believe Grubauer is the preferred option and assume that he re-signs before the Expansion Draft.
Another open item on the roster is whether Erik Johnson waives his no move clause (NMC). This has been bantered about by several other media outlets already. Given that the Avalanche may have a team that can compete for the Stanley Cup for many years, we are assuming that Johnson will not be waiving his NMC to assure he stays with the Avalanche in this window.
There is no discussion on MacKinnon, Rantanen, or Landeskog being protected. The three of them make one of the best lines in hockey and will not be going anywhere. Kadri and Burakovsky are close to locks and the only argument to be made about exposing either of them in the Expansion Draft could be an effort to free up some cap space. Kadri carries an annual cap hit of $4.5 million while Burakovsky has a cap hit of $4.9 million. Both players are productive middle-six forwards with reasonable contracts and are unlikely to get exposed.
The last two protected slots are where it gets interesting. If Saad is re-signed, he takes one of those spots, but for now, we assume that will not happen based on the earlier assumption. A case can be made for Nichushkin, Jost, and J.T. Compher to fill out the rest of the forward protected list.
Nichushkin’s Corsi for statistics give him an edge over the others which is why we list him sixth. Jost is the youngest of the three players and has the most upside of the players mentioned, so we forecast him as being the seventh and final protected forward. As much as we would love to see Jost exposed, we believe Sakic takes a long view by protecting Jost over Compher.
Defense
Erik Johnson (NMC)
Cale Makar (Lock)
Samuel Girard (Probable)
The addition of Devon Toews this offseason makes the decision on who to protect on defense a bit more challenging. There could be an argument for Colorado to go with protecting four forwards, four defense and one goalie (the eight total skaters format) to protect Toews, but with Bowen Byram, who is ineligible for the Expansion Draft, Colorado will be able to afford losing a blueliner.
Goalie
Philipp Grubauer (if re-signed)
If Grubauer is re-signed, then it will be very clear he is the goalie they want for the immediate future.
Colorado Expansion Draft targets
Forwards
Brandon Saad (Pending UFA)
Joonas Donskoi
J.T. Compher
Vladislav Kamenev
Tyson Jost (if exposed)
Donskoi, Compher, and Jost give the Kraken options from the forwards. Donskoi is a good skating middle-six forward with a scoring touch. Compher is a two-way forward with a strong work ethic, which might be the ideal player to have on an expansion team. If exposed, Jost has the highest ceiling at 22 with his best years in front of him.
Defense
Devon Toews
Ryan Graves
Devon Toews is the best option on defense. He was one of the top defensemen on the New York Islanders last year. Comparing his point production to Ryan Graves is a bit misleading. Colorado scored 25% more goals than the Islanders last year and play a different style than the Avalanche. Look for Toews’s point production to increase this year while playing with Colorado.
Goalie
Pavel Francouz
Francouz is a goalie to keep an eye on. He played great last year, but that was his first year in the NHL. We will need to see if he can be a regular starter in this league. With the options available at forward and defense, we think the Kraken look elsewhere for their starting goalie.
Colorado Avalanche side deal scenarios
With the depth and quality of options available across this team, the Avalanche could certainly be a side deal candidate. Toews and Jost (if Saad re-signs) are players the Avs probably want to hold onto beyond this season. There could be a scenario where Joe Sakic offers up a draft pick to Ron Francis in exchange for the Kraken to select someone further down the depth chart.
Previous Sound of Hockey Expansion Draft team previews
