FHN Daily
FHN Today: Seattle expansion draft protection lists due Saturday
It is almost time to see which NHL players are available to the expansion Seattle Kraken and who are not as every team — save for the Vegas Golden Knights — have to have their official protection lists in by 5 p.m. on Saturday.
As we close in on the protection lists, more trades and more signings could be on the horizon.
Today at 3, rosters are frozen; teams cannot make any moves — unless it involves the Kraken directly — until the expansion draft comes to a close on Wednesday night. That means no trades, no signings, no buyouts, no waivers.
Seattle, of course, can make moves during this so-called dead period.
The Kraken can begin talking to free agents who are not protected and, if it signs one, that counts as a player taken.
So, just for fun, if Seattle were to sign — oh, I don’t know — goalie Chris Driedger before the expansion draft, the free agent goalie would count as the player the Panthers would lose.
Could the Kraken sign Driedger before Wednesday?
Perhaps.
Word is there is mutual interest. If Seattle were to ink Driedger it would not only do so before the Florida goalie hits the open market, it would also be doing Florida a solid. And would probably get some sort of future deal from the Panthers in return.
I wrote the latest list of players I think the Panthers will protect on Friday. You can read all about it RIGHT HERE.
We will see which ones are held in a few hours.
And, perhaps, some other news hits along the way.
Stay tuned.
FLORIDA PANTHERS LINKS
The Panthers did not ask Keith Yandle to waive his no-movement clause perhaps because they knew he was not going to do it. Or, they already knew if he had, there wasn’t much of a trade market for him.
Regardless, on Thursday, the two sides parted ways after five seasons as the Panthers bought out the final two years of Yandle’s contract. Yandle will be a free agent and free to sign with anyone (Boston?) come the end of the month. (FHN)
— Once the Yandle buyout was announced, the Panthers made some other moves, locking in Anthony Duclair and Gus Forsling with three-year contracts.
They will almost assuredly now be protected from the Kraken later today. (FHN)
— Duclair talked about sticking around with the Panthers. I will have a story on what this means for both sides on Sunday. (WPLG-10)
— Jeff Chychrun joins the boys on Territory Talk. (Panthers)
AROUND THE NHL
Columbus goalie Matiss Kivlenieks was memorialized at a service in the Columbus suburbs after he was killed in a fireworks accident on the Fourth of July in Michigan. (Columbus Dispatch)
— The Detroit Red Wings were the latest team to make a deal before the roster freeze, swinging a deal with the Islanders for Nick Leddy. (DHN)
— It looks like the Penguins are all over pending free agent — and former Panthers prospect — Zach Hyman. (PHN)
— Erik Haula, whom the Panthers allowed to walk last October, could be returning to the Music City. (TSN)
— The Avs knew they would probably lose defenseman Ryan Graves — so they traded him to Jersey. (CHN)
— The Flyers are one of the teams in on St. Louis’ Vladimir Tarasenko. So are the Panthers. (PHN)
— Speaking of players the Panthers may have interest in: The Canadiens are apparently going to watch Phillip Danault hit the open market. (TSN)
— Did the Sharks overpay for Dylan Gambrell? Yup.(SJHN)
LOCALS ONLY
The good, the bad and the ugly as the Marlins come out of the All-Star break with a doubleheader split in Philly. (Miami Herald)
— Look who is back with the Dolphins: It’s Isaiah Ford. (MH)
— FIU baseball coach Mervyl Melendez will finally get the shot to coach one of his sons. (MH)
— Bam Adebayo is both pupil and teacher with Team USA. (Sentinel)