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canes2112 · 06-05-2021, 07:43 PM

I’m looking to make a bit of money and had some extra time to throw together a mock expansion draft. Honestly, it’s surprising that more people haven’t tried to do something like this but regardless, I’ll jump right in.

Round 1, Pick 1: Philadelphia selects G Scoochie Stratton from Edmonton

With the state of goalies, Stratton is the clear best option available and provides either team with a solid backstop at a decent TPE level several seasons from regression. With the state of other players available, I think either team would be wise to make this selection to avoid trying to find a goalie later.

Round 1, Pick 2: Montreal selects D Bork Lazer from Hamilton

Round 2, Pick 1: Montreal selects D Zlatan Ibrahimavic Jr. from Hamilton

Hamilton has been one of the top teams for the past few seasons so it makes sense they have two quality players to expose. The thinking with these picks is to solidify a top defensive pair for seasons to come. Lazer and Ibrahimavic Jr. are both great earners approaching and in their prime, respectively. Considering the expansion draft rules, this locks other players from being picked, specifically SLATT Potts who might be of interest later in the draft.

Round 2, Pick 2: Philadelphia selects F Taylor Johansson from Toronto

Round 3, Pick 1: Philadelphia selects F Justin Keahi from Tampa Bay

The opposite position strategy from Philadelphia has them selecting two forwards to go with their goalie. With Johansson being a S53 and Keahi a S54, there are many seasons of growth ahead for both players. A little bit of danger not grabbing a defenseman but with the nature of expansion drafts, these players are solid foundational picks that could be with the team for a long time.

Round 3, Pick 2: Montreal selects F Bobby Sharp from Buffalo

Round 4, Pick 1: Montreal selects G White Goodman from Texas

Picking Goodman might be considered a stretch at this point but factoring in that one player from Texas is automatically selected, Montreal risks being locked out from this pick if Goodman is the goalie they want. This locks Texas from selecting any other Texas player, of which there are several worth consideration. Bobby Sharp provides one of the highest TPE totals available to be selected. He’ll hit regression harder sooner but has been a mainstay for Buffalo in recent seasons. If this selection is made this high, it’s a big indicator that Montreal is looking to be competitive sooner rather than later.

Round 4, Pick 2: Philadelphia selects D Abel Skinner from Seattle

Round 5, Pick 1: Philadelphia selects D Adam Friedland from Baltimore

To Two selections that indicate that Philadelphia is looking to not fully commit to winning immediately but rather in a couple of seasons. There are a lot of players with higher TPE available at this point but selecting Friedland ahead of players like Mathias Seger or Zizagooney shows the commitment to the future. Skinner on the other hand is older at a S51 but will still be effective for many seasons when players like Friedland come into their prime.

Round 5, Pick 2: Montreal selects D Delver Fudgeson from Toronto

Round 6, Pick 1: Montreal selects F James Ronlain from Tampa Bay

Two players in the prime of their career, Montreal should feel fortunate that they are available at this point considering that Philadelphia chose to build differently. A s50 and S48 player at 1500-1600 TPE range provide solid contributors to win now. Notably, both Tampa Bay and Toronto are locked now so First-Name Last-Name is not available to be taken, fortunately for Toronto.

Round 6, Pick 2: Philadelphia selects Patrick Shepard from Baltimore

Round 7, Pick 1: Philadelphia selects Satoshi Zizagooney from Seattle

And just like that, two more teams are done losing players with Baltimore and Seattle losing their last two players. The first player selected for Philadelphia in regression comes because there are already 3 defenders selected by Montreal and Philadelphia can’t afford to have a significant hole on the backend. Closing out teams to be selected from also makes managing future selections easier because it’s less likely a team gets locked out when you’re counting on a player to be there later in the draft.

Round 7, Pick 2: Montreal selects F Barrett Blackwood from Los Angeles
Round 8, Pick 1: Montreal selects D Matias Seger from Los Angeles

Los Angeles players were available until they weren’t. Seger is one of the top defensemen available TPE wise but is older as a S46 player. Perhaps there was some worry from Montreal that Philadelphia would grab someone like TURG TURG and felt the need to grab both players who fit the build of the team.

Round 8, Pick 2: Philadelphia selects F Jean Paul Blovin from Edmonton

Round 9, Pick 1: Philadelphia selects F - Nathan Thomas from San Francisco

Another player early in regression makes sense for Philadelphia to not rely on their younger players quite so quickly. Nathan Thomas has the room to grow along players like Friedland and Stratton to reach their peak in a few seasons so two more picks that make sense.

Round 9, Pick 2: Montreal selects F Nick Connoly from Chicago
Round 10, Pick 1: Montreal selects F Boris Poroshenko from Calgary

Rather surprising that it took this long for a Chicago player to be selected given their success recently but here we are. Connolly and Poroshenko provide current prime players for Montreal. After loading up on 4 defenders to this point, forwards are in demand and considering the strategy of Philadelphia so far, these picks could have waited maybe a couple more rounds but better safe than sorry for Montreal.

Round 10, Pick 2: Philadelphia selects F Lassi Suhonen from Chicago

Round 11, Pick 1: Philadelphia selects F Alex Marshall from Minnesota

At this point in the draft, it has become more about managing the available teams to ensure that players that you are targeting will be available and not be locked out by the other team. Both Luhonen and Marshall add forward depth with players whose best is yet to come, simply furthering Philadelphia’s strategy.

Round 11, Pick 2: Montreal selects D Tony Ford from Minnesota

Round 12, Pick 1: Montreal selects F “Clean” Andrei Kostitsyn from New England

An older defender and a younger forward, this seems to be best available players who will provide stopgaps in Ford’s case and a growing player to compliment those in regression in Kostitsyn’s case.

Round 12, Pick 2: Philadelphia selects D Slip McScruff from Winnipeg

Round 13, Pick 1: Philadelphia selects F Patrik Money from San Francisco

McScruff is the interesting pick considering all the other selections but his TPE level is high enough to warrant consideration at this stage in the draft. He also provides a stopgap to let the younger defenders grow. Money provides the same youth and room to grow that Suhonen and Marshall did with their previous picks.

Round 13, Pick 2: Montreal selects F Carlos Brown from Atlanta

Round 14, Pick 1: Montreal selects G Vincent Mietitore from Winnipeg

Rounding out the roster with some of the younger talent, Mietitore is a solid pick to get a goalie for the future once regression hits Goodman harder in around 5 seasons. With teams like Hamilton, Buffalo, Chicago and Toronto among others all locked out for some time now, the players left might not be the cream of the crop but still provide valuable depth to a brand new team and users to fill the locker room.

Round 14, Pick 2: Philadelphia selects D Bradley Barkov from New Orleans
Round 15, Pick 1: Philadelphia selects F Mack Daddy from New Orleans

As a bottom team the past few seasons, it was expected that New Orleans would be able to protect their stars quite well and just like that they lose their two players. Some more younger depth players that could emerge in the next few seasons make a lot of sense for Philadelphia considering the other players selected.

Round 15, Pick 2: Montreal selects D James Leblond from New England
Round 16, Pick 1: Montreal selects F Mikael Choybuk from Calgary

Pairing up former teammates from both Calgary and New England could bode well for locker room chemistry. Either way, Leblond rounds out the final defender on Montreal to finish their inaugural defense. Choybuk has good TPE level at this stage but in the later portion of his career, this seems to be one of the higher rated players to compete in the upcoming season.

Round 16, Pick 2: Philadelphia selects F Luca Veccelli from Manhattan

Round 17, Pick 1: Philadelphia selects G Peter Larson from Manhattan

It’s happened a few times where one existing team’s players are selected in the same rotation and this time it’s Manhattan’s turn. Manhattan had a lot of aging players to offer but a backup goalie of decent TPE is one of the better options with only a few players available to be picked anymore.

Round 17, Pick 2: Montreal selects F Simon Takshak

Very last unknown pick simply picks the best player left from the last team, which in this case is Atlanta.

The remaining picks are the GMs autod to their own teams. This was significant because each team, Texas and Buffalo were effectively afforded an extra protection slot by rostering the expansion GMs.

Hopefully this was at least entertaining to read. Nothing personal to any of the players selected or not selected in any particular order, I just wanted to speculate myself on at least one of the possibilities. My strategy was to build a younger team for Philadelphia in anticipation of their GM retiring sooner rather than later and Montreal’s GM was approaching their prime so they could try and compete sooner with the guaranteed player they were getting.

Good luck to all teams, players and expansion GMs in the upcoming draft, it’s an exciting time for a lot of people! Apologies for any mistakes or misspellings made, this was just thrown together.