I dont know, look at who they protected last time, Panik, Hartman, Jurco and Hammer.
Hammer dealt for a worse d man, Hartman might have got some promise with Kurashev, but I thought Ejdsell would have gotten some time last year, Jurco, I still dont know what we got for him, Panik was Duclair who never fit and Clendening, who we never wanted the first time. I know not many liked TVR, but I thought he should have been protected. It was pretty over rated.
Panik just camer off of a career year and looked like he had chemistry enough to kickstart Toews. In retrospect we maybe should have exposed him but at the time it looked like the change of scenery did him good.
Hjammer got someone in return--Even Murph is worse, he's at least an NHL D-man and Hjammer left unprotected would mean we lose him for nothing. I don't necessarily agree with the trade that sent him packing but losing him for nothing in the expansion draft? No.
TVR was an interesting case. If the 'hawks protected him, the 'hawks would have needed to run a 8 skater/1 goalie protection scheme (over the 7FWD, 3D, 1G scheme), and I think if they would have done so, it would have left a real asset (or at least a real asset at the time) at FWD unprotected. TVR was at the time "just a guy" and not an exceptional D-man by any means.
I thought it was going to come down between Kruger and TVR, and honestly, I was okay with losing either. I don't think TVR would have salvaged any of the intervening years.
The real issue is the NMC's. Just like last time there are a lot of players the 'hawks *have* to protect that maybe, if they weren't obliged to--wouldn't protect.
So the verdict is joker sucks and can't help us?
If Joker sucks, Mitchell going back, Pods is two years away, Turcotte is fucked up bad...Keith and Seabs are overpaid...
Byram is looking good.
Not in the least. Joker, having played his 1st NHL season this past one and likely will play next year will have to be protected or exposed like any other player. If Boqvist, Beaudin, Mitchell, etc.
don't play next year they are automatically protected in the expansion draft without using a protection slot--for the same reason why we didn't have to protect Panarin.
I see it like this: Keith, Seabrook, Toews, and Kane *have* to be protected due to their NMC status (unless they specifically waive). The goalie situation will sort itself out--Crawford's deal will be done and I figure the 'hawks will have a goalie on the roster who qualifies for the exposure requirements. Beyond that I don't the the 'hawks desiring to protect any more than 4 FWDs--Toews, Kane, Debrincat, and Strome. No other guy there is a *must keep* and even Strome is borderline. Any FWD prospect we have, much like our D prospects, simply doesn't have to play next year and they are protected. On D we have more blue-chips--like the guys you mentioned, but only Gus and Joker at this point are blue-chips that are exposable at this point. Every other D-prospect is in a position where by not playing them, they become protected--like Mitchel going back to school.
Now if Gus ends up being moved it gives the 'hawks some flexibility with our prospect D. However, I do think that it would be detrimental to keep a kid down if he's earned it up here (i.e. if Boqvist knocks it out of the park this preseason don't keep him down just because he might be exposed), but I think the 'hawks will take that into consideration and limit the D-prospects this coming year or make moves to accommodate.
