Seattle Expansion Draft Prediction

Expansion drafts are wickedly fun, and I hope this isn't the last time we engage in this exercise. I've reached a point where I would support expanding the league to 50 teams. Or perhaps develop some kind of relegation system, where can simultaneously expand and retract. Whatever it takes to do this again. It'll be sad if this is the last expansion draft of my lifetime, because this is too awesome. Cherish these moments.

Here are my predictions for who will be selected by the Seattle Kraken. There were a few teams where there did not seem to be any particularly appealing options. I'm mostly just curious to see how many I can get correct. There is an obvious lack of top line forwards, but at least they can make up for that with Conn Smythe level goaltending. Of all the players I've selected, at least 1/3 or more are likely to be shipped out of town before the season starts, otherwise they're going to get devastated on the waiver wire at the roster deadline. Chris Dreidger is the only pending UFA on this list. I'm not sure why Seattle would burn a pick on a player they can sign in 2 weeks. Landeskog might be worth it, but couldn't you also get Landeskog AND Donskoi?

One footnote; the only reason that I chose Jason Zucker instead of Zach Aston Reese is because I think the Penguins will move an asset to unload the Zucker contract to free up room to re-acquire Marc-Andre Fleury. If that trade never materializes, then I renege my Zucker pick.

**Those coloured blue turned out to be correct. Red was wrong.**

Forwards

Christian Fischer
Nick Ritchie
Adam Gaudette
Joonas Donskoi
Max Domi
Tyler Benson
Calle Jarnkrok
Kieffer Bellows
Colin Blackwell
Chris Tierney
Jason Zucker
Ryan Donato
Ondrej Palat
Jared McCann
Kole Lind

Mason Appleton

Defense

Jacob Larsson

Mark Giordano

Jake Bean

Andrej Sekera

Troy Stecher

Kale Clague

Will Butcher

Shayne Gostisbehere

Vince Dunn

Colin Miller

Justin Schultz

Goalies

Carey Price

Chris Driedger

Kaapo Kahkonen