Expansion draft could also add to Arizona Coyotes’ roster

WASHINGTON – The NHL expansion draft scheduled for this summer is designed to shore up the roster for the league’s newest team, the Vegas Golden Knights, who will debut next season in the Pacific Division.

But the Golden Knights may not be the only club receiving an influx of players as the Coyotes could try to do the same despite having to lose one player in the draft like the other 29 incumbent teams.

“We see it as an opportunity potentially to add a player or two that can really help our group next year,” General Manager John Chayka said.

Vegas’ selections are set to be revealed June 21, a day after it submits its picks, with the other 30 teams sending in their lists of who they’ve decided to protect June 17.

First- and second-year pros are exempt, along with unsigned draft choices, and all players who hold no-movement clauses at the time of the draft must be protected unless they choose to waive those clauses. Currently, defenseman Alex Goligoski is the only Coyotes player signed beyond this season with a no-movement clause.

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Each team must expose one defenseman and two forwards who are under contract for next season and have played 40 or more games this season or 70 or more the past two seasons. A goalie who is under contract for next season or will be a restricted free agent but has already received his qualifying offer must also be exposed.

Teams have two options of how to fill their protected spots; they can distribute them among seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie or eight skaters (any combination of forwards and defensemen) and one goalie.

The debate about which format the Coyotes should pick is ongoing and likely won’t be resolved until they see how their roster may change leading up to the draft, but what isn’t up in the air is which current players they’d protect.

“It’s pretty clear cut right now I’d say,” Chayka said. “But again, if we make a move, that’s when hard decisions would have to be made. That’s kind of the trade-off, right? If you are going to acquire a player that needs to be protected, then there’s a chance that we have to expose a player on our end.”

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Arizona’s rookies are safe; so is second-year player Max Domi. Forwards Tobias Rieder, Jamie McGinn, Brad Richardson, Jordan Martinook and Anthony Duclair are non-exempt, while defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Connor Murphy, Luke Schenn and Kevin Connauton all require protection to avoid being exposed.

Trades sparked by the fear of teams losing a valuable player for nothing via the expansion draft is a real possibility and one the Coyotes hope to capitalize on for a couple of reasons.

First of all, they have assets such as prospects and draft picks that are exempt – bargaining chips that teams not wanting to lose a player in the draft without receiving a return could recoup by swinging a deal ahead of time.

Also, Chayka feels the team has spots available to take on a non-exempt player – especially if that player would improve the Coyotes.

“We can use up all our spots at this point if we do that,” Chayka said. “But at the same time, if there’s an opportunity to protect better players, you protect better players.”

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What could also affect the team’s roster makeover this summer is the player they lose. Having other options in place to replace that player is a focus of the Coyotes’.

“Everyone’s going to get stung to some degree,” Chayka said. “We want to be the ones that are stung the least and maybe even take advantage of an opportunity to get a really good player that just can’t be protected.”

Chatter about these scenarios was popular at the trade deadline, and more talks are poised to happen once the season ends.

This offseason, however, won’t be the only one influenced by the Golden Knights’ arrival as the NHL’s decision to add a team should instigate ripple effects for years to come.

“Some of those rare assets you’re talking about, whether it’s centermen, goalies, defensemen, they become even rarer,” Chayka said. “So I think it just reinforces some of the team-building principles we have in terms of solidifying a core foundation, keeping that foundation for a long time. With 31 teams, that makes it even more difficult to acquire those types of players. Obviously a lot harder in free agency (because) you’ve got another team. Harder with trades; you’ve got another trade partner out there that’s driving prices up. So drafting and developing is still the main model.”

Reach the reporter at [email protected] or 602-444-8276. Follow her at twitter.com/azc_mclellan.

Saturday’s game

Coyotes at Capitals

When: 4 p.m.

Where: Verizon Center, Washington D.C.

TV/radio: Fox Sports Arizona/KTAR-AM (620).

Capitals update: Washington continues to lead the NHL in points with 104 after pocketing a 2-1 shootout win over Columbus Thursday. It was the Capitals’ third straight win and fourth in their past five after a four-game slump. During that slide, Washington was outscored 17-8. The team has been tough to corral on home ice this season as the Capitals are 30-6-2 at Verizon Center. Center Nicklas Backstrom has a team-high 78 points, while winger T.J. Oshie paces the group in goals with 30. Winger Alex Ovechkin, who has 29 goals and 61 points, has two goals and five points over his past five games.