Seattle Kraken: Tri-City Americans alumni who could come back to the PNW

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Sep 6, 2020
Seattle Kraken
Carey Price, Montreal Canadens. Seattle Kraken. (Photo by Kristina Servant, via Flickr)
Seattle Kraken

Olaf Kolzig, Washington Capitals. Seattle Kraken. (Photo by rjv541, via Flickr)

Welcome to part four of our series looking at players with ties to the Pacific Northwest who could come “home” in the Seattle Kraken 2021 Expansion Draft. Today we look at former members of the Tri-City Americans.

No one knows yet who NHL teams will or will not expose to the Seattle Kraken in next year’s expansion draft. After the Stanley Cup Playoffs, free agency, arbitration, and 2020 NHL Entry Draft, all of which should be wrapped up by November, will make the picture much clearer. Of course, those dates may still change due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s a good rule of thumb at this point.

Draft Rules

Here is a brief recap of the rules in place when the Seattle Kraken make their selections in the Expansion Draft some time in early-to-mid-summer of 2021.

  • All teams except Vegas, who are exempt, have two options for protecting players.
  • Option 1: Protect seven forwards, three defensemen, and one goalie.
  • Option 2: Protect eight skaters, in any combination of forwards or defensemen, and one goalie.
  • At least one defenseman, two forwards, (who played at least 40 games in the prior year or 70 games in the two previous years), and one goalie that are under contract (goalies can be restricted free agents as well).
  • First and second-year players, in addition to unsigned draft choices, are exempt. Many young players are ineligible because they have not had enough games in the NHL in the last two years.

Seattle Kraken General manager Ron Francis would love to acquire any of Michael Rasmussen, C, Detroit; Jusso Valimaki, D, Calgary; or Morgan Geekie, C, Carolina. Unfortunately, all three will be second-year players and ineligible for the expansion draft.

There are several former Tri-City players, in and around the NHL, who are worth more than a cursory glance come expansion time.

Next: Page 2 – Goalies

Pages: 1 2 3 4

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