March 3, 2000

The upcoming Expansion Draft to be held this June will provide the Columbus Blue Jackets (to join the Blues in the Central Division) and Minnesota Wild with 26 players apiece. Every existing NHL club, except the Nashville Predators and Atlanta Thrashers, will lose two players each. Since this is the last round of expansion for the foreseeable future, the Blues should breathe a sigh of relief if they approach the Draft correctly.

Each existing NHL club (except Nashville and Atlanta) will submit a protected list to the NHL in which it may protect either up to 5 Defensemen, 9 Forwards and one Goaltender, or up to 3 Defensemen, 7 Forwards and 2 Goaltenders. The number of players in each category to be selected by Columbus and Minnesota will be at least 3 Goaltenders, 8 Defensemen and 13 Forwards. Only 6 may be restricted or unrestricted free agents, of which there may be no more than one Goaltender, 3 Defensemen or 3 Forwards. Got all that?

Exempt from the Expansion Draft are all first- and second-year pros (meaning getting paid $$$) and unsigned draft choices (except unsigned draft choices drafted from European clubs in the 1996 or before Entry Draft who remain unsigned). Exempt players include: Worcester Goalie Cody Rudkowsky, Defensemen Didier Tremblay, Jan Horacek, Christian Backman, Barret Jackman, Libor Prochazka, and Peter Smrek. Exempt forwards include: Marty Reasoner, Jochen Hecht, Derek Bekar, Daniel Corso, Ladislav Nagy, Andrei Podkonicky, Tyler Rennette, and a bunch of other guys you’ve never heard of.

Unless Larry Pleau does something stupid, I am willing to bet he will protect one Goaltender, 5 Defensemen, and 9 Forwards. I say this because the Blues are deep at every position and, therefore, it would be in their best interest to protect as many players as possible even if it means risking losing one of our backup goalies.

With all the particulars out of the way I offer you the Blues protected and unprotected lists for this years Expansion Draft. Barring a drastic change in performance or some other circumstances, here’s who I feel the Blues will protect this summer: The one Goaltender they will protect will be Roman Turek (duh!). The Blues should protect the following 5 Defensemen: Chris Pronger, Al MacInnis, Todd Reirden, Jeff Finley, and Jaroslav Obsut. Before I go any further let me explain. You’re probably wondering why they would protect Obsut over Marc Bergevin. Well the answer is simple- Bergie is an Unrestricted Free Agent at the end of the year and if he gets claimed by one of the expansion teams all the Blues would have to do would be to sign him after July 1^st. Obsut is eligible to be protected because he is a third-year pro having played in the ECHL since 1997 when he played with Toledo. I saw this guy in training camp last September and he’s the real-deal (provided he comes back from knee surgery the same way) nearly making the big club.

The 9 Forwards I would protect would be: Pierre Turgeon, Pavol Demitra, Michal Handzus, Lubos Bartecko, Scotty Young, Craig Conroy, Mike "The Beast" Eastwood, Stephane Richer, and Jamal Mayers.

Unprotected players would include: Goaltenders Jamie McLennen and Brent "Big" Johnson, Defensemen Dave Ellett (another UFA), the aforementioned Marc Bergevin, Bryce Salvador, Bryan Helmer, Retard Persson, Rudy Poeschek, Matt Smith, and unsigned Europeans Edvin Frylen, and Yuri Gunko. Forwards not protected would include in no particular order: Kelly Chase, Jim Campbell (last year of his contract), Derek King, Bob Bassen, Sylvain Blouin, Reed Low, Tyson Nash, Tyler Willis (the next Nash?), Scott Pellerin, Pascal Rheaume, and unsigned Russian Andrei Petrakov and even more guys you’ve never heard of.

The most likely to be taken by one the expansion teams are goalie Brent Johnson or Jamie McLennen and Forward Scott Pellerin. Either goalie could be a suitable starter for an expansion team and the one not taken in the Draft would be a more-than-capable backup to Turek next year. Scott Pellerin would provide leadership and role playing for a young expansion team.

So there ya have it. Don’t say I didn’t warn you of this unfortunate event that will take place two days after the Stanley Cup Playoffs are over with. It’s simply one of those necessary talent-sharing evils that must take place in Commissioner Gary Bettman’s over-expanded NHL pool. And remember, there are always potentially a bunch of trades and side-deals made with expansion clubs before, during, and after the Expansion Draft. So hopefully one or two of your favorite Blues will not be lost.

Questions? Comments? Concerns? I can be reached at [email protected]