Blueshirt Banter Expansion Draft: Central Division Protection Lists

The Blueshirt Banter team of writers are serving as general managers for the NHL, creating protection lists in preparation for the Blueshirt Banter NHL Expansion Draft. For a refresher on the rules of play, click here.

And now, we kick off the Western Conference with the Central Division.

Central Division

Chicago Blackhawks (GM: Jake DiBlasio)

• Protection plan: 7F-3D-1G
• Forwards
  • Connor Bedard
  • Tyler Bertuzzi
  • Teuvo Teravainen
  • Frank Nazar
  • Ryan Danato 
  • Andre Burakovsky
  • Jason Dickenson
• Defensemen
  • Alex Vlasic 
  • Kevin Korchinski
  • Wyatt Kaiser 
• Goaltender
  • Spencer Knight

The Chicago Blackhawks are looking to take the next step in their rebuild, and players like Connor Bedard, Alex Vlasic, Kevin Korchinski, and Spencer Knight were among the young players clearly worth protecting. Both Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel were automatically protected from being taken in an expansion draft. I also decided to protect 2024 free agent signings Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen. From here, it seems I could have gone a couple of different ways. The team just extended Ryan Danato, which influenced my decision to protect him even though his AAV is a bit high. I also chose Jason Dickenson despite him being an older player because of the value he provides as a two-way player. 

Colorado Avalanche (GM: Chip)

• Protection Plan: 7F-3D-1G
• Forwards
  • Nathan MacKinnon (NMC)
  • Gabriel Landeskog (NMC)
  • Martin Necas
  • Brock Nelson
  • Arturi Lehkonen
  • Ross Colton
  • Jack Drury
• Defensemen 
  • Devon Toews (NMC)
  • Cale Makar
  • Samuel Girard
• Goaltender
  • Makenzie Blackwood

The Expansion Draft provides an opportunity for Colorado to get out from under the contract of Valeri Nichushkin. He’s a dynamic player who puts up elite numbers, but is as reliable as a Yugo. Between injuries and his off-ice problems, Colorado would love to free themselves of the contract and invest the money elsewhere.

Dallas Stars (GM: Jake DiBlasio)

• Protection Plan: 7F-3D-1G
• Forwards
  • Mikko Rantanen (NMC)
  • Tyler Seguin (NMC)
  • Roope Hintz (NMC)
  • Matt Duchene (NMC)
  • Jamie Benn (NMC)
  • Wyatt Johnston
  • Jason Robertson 
• Defensemen 
  • Miro Heiskanen (NMC)
  • Esa Lindell 
  • Thomas Harley
• Goaltender
  • Jake Oettinger (NMC)

The Dallas Stars was a very straightforward team to select for. Being such a veteran-heavy team in contention for the Stanley Cup, all of these selections felt like no-brainers, even if six of their players did not have no-movement clauses.

Minnesota Wild (GM: Eric Kohn)

• Protection Plan: 7F-3D-1G
• Forwards:
  • Kirill Kaprizov (NMC)
  • Joel Erikkson Ek (NMC)
  • Mats Zuccarello (NMC)
  • Marcus Foligno (NMC)
  • Marco Rossi
  • Matt Boldy
  • Ryan Hartman
• Defensemen
  • Jacob Middleton (NMC)
  • Brock Faber
  • Jared Spurgeon
• Goaltender
  • Filip Gustavsson

Once again, the no-movement clauses made a chunk of this list pretty easy. Anyone would protect Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Erikkson Ek, and probably Marcus Foligno, too. Jacob Middleton also has an NMC, though for the life of me I can't figure out why. Not that it matters; he's got it so he's protected. A truly dispassionate person might have left Mats Zuccarello exposed if he didn't have an NMC, given that he's 37 years old. But he does have an NMC and I am not dispassionate about Zuc, so he'd be protected anyway. Marco Rossi remains an unsigned RFA and his future in Minnesota is in question, but he's too valuable to leave exposed. Protecting Matt Boldy is also obvious. For the final spot, there aren't a lot of great options, and the best of them is 30-year-old Ryan Hartman. On the blueline, protecting Brock Faber is obvious, and Jared Spurgeon is the team captain and a franchise legend. In net, Jesper Wallstedt is supposed to be the goaltender of the future, after being drafted in the first round in 2021. But he really hasn't shown much in the AHL or in his few NHL appearances, so I'm protecting Filip Gustavsson.

Nashville Predators (GM: Chris Feldman)

• Protection Plan: 7F-3D-1G
• Forwards:
  • Steven Stamkos (NMC)
  • Filip Forsberg (NMC)
  • Jonathan Marchessault (NMC)
  • Michael Bunting
• Fyodor Svechkov
• Luke Evangelista
• Zachary L’Hereaux
• Defensemen
  • Roman Josi (NMC)
  • Brady Skjei (NMC)
  • Nic Hague
• Goaltender
  • Jusse Saros (NMC)

Filip Forsberg is the guy on this Nashville team and along with Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, has a full no-movement clause. Matthew Wood is exempt, while Fydor Svechkov, Luke Evangelista, and Zachary L’Hereaux are younger players that are worth holding on to in a situation like Nashville where you’re still navigating a retool. This would leave Ryan O’Reilly exposed, but Nashville shouldn’t be in a place to go out of their way to keep aging veterans when they already have Stamkos, Forsberg and Marchessault up front. The back end is pretty straight forward, as Roman Josi and Brady Skjei both have full protection and they just signed Nic Hague to a substantial new deal, so that’s the core you’re holding onto. And Jusse Saros is Jusse Saros, no explanation needed. 

St. Louis Blues (GM: Chris Feldman)

• Protection Plan: 8 Skaters-1 Goaltender
• Forwards
  • ​​Jordan Kyrou
  • Robert Thomas
  • Pavel Buchnevich 
  • Dylan Holloway
  • Jake Neighbors
  • Brayden Schenn
• Defensemen
  • Colton Parayko
  • Philip Broberg
• Goaltender
  • Joel Hofer

This is the only situation where I’m not going with the 7-3-1 protection plan. Jordan Kyrou, Robert Thomas, and Pavel Buchnevich all have no trade clauses and are the top forwards on this team, so we’re definitely keeping them. Dylan Holloway, Jake Neighbours, and Snuggerud are all younger forwards that should be in the long term plans for this team. Snuggerud is exempt, so that makes things a bit easier. I could see using this as an opportunity to try and move off of Brayden Schenn’s contract but frankly I’m not over the moon with many other choices on this team. Alexei Toropchenko is a sneaky player to keep an eye on that I’d maybe hold instead if we want to test the waters with Schenn. The defense situation in St. Louis is a mess, hence not going 7-3-1. Colton Parayko has a no-trade, Philip Broberg is a good, prime aged player, but everyone else is old, broken, both, or pretty replacement-level players. And in net, I’m trying to get out of the rest of Jordan Binnington’s contract, so I’ll hold on to Joel Hofer.

Utah Mammoth (GM: Chip)

• Protection Plan: 7F-3D-1G
• Forwards
  • J.J. Peterka
  • Clayton Keller
  • Dylan Guenther
  • Nick Schmaltz
  • Barrett Hayton
  • Logan Cooley
  • Jack McBain
• Defensemen
  • Mikhael Sergachev
  • John Marino
  • Sean Durzi
• Goaltender
  • Karel Vajmelka

Utah is going to lose a good player in this draft, but there’s really no way around it. Ultimately I decided to protect Jack McBain over Lawson Crouse or Alex Kerfoot based on the former's youth and potential. Crouse is definitely a guy who should be drafted though.

Winnipeg Jets (GM: Roberto Solis-Byxbee)

• Protection Plan: 7F-3D-1G
• Forwards
  • Mark Scheifele (NMC)
  • Jonathan Toews (NMC)
  • Gabriel Vilardi
  • Kyle Connor
  • Nino Niederreiter
  • Cole Perfetti
  • Morgan Barron
• Defensemen
  • Neal Pionk
  • Josh Morrissey
  • Dylan Samberg
• Goaltender
  • Connor Hellebuyck (NMC)

It hurts to expose captain Adam Lowry, but he’s 32 years old, on IR, and that’s what you get when you sign 37-year-old Jonathan Toews and hand him an NMC. Winnipeg will be fine, they’ll retain a good mix of veteran presence with up and coming young guns.

Tomorrow, we wrap up the protection lists with the Pacific Division, and then it's on to the expansion draft!