In tomorrow’s paper I have an advance story for the expansion draft, from which the Edmonton Oil Kings will stock their roster for their inaugural season, along with a chart listing Everett’s players with their probability of being exposed to the draft. That list is nothing concrete, more an educated guess. I thought I’d give a little reasoning behind those guesses here. The Tips will protect 16 players, including three overagers. Players born in 1991 and 1992 are exempt.
Probables
Dan Gendur, RW, 1987
Dane Crowley, D, 1987
Peter Mueller, C, 1988
Zach Hamill, C 1988
Jonathan Harty, D, 1988
Taylor Ellington, D, 1988
Graham Potuer, D, 1988
Leland Irving, G, 1988
Zack Dailey, C, 1989
Kyle Beach, LW, 1990
Jordan Mistelbacher, LW, 1990
Everett GM Doug Soetaert said the Tips will go ahead and protect 16, meaning three of the players have to be overagers. Before he said that I figured only Gendur was a lock to be protected among the 1987-born players. But if the Tips are protecting three, then Crowley will be one, despite the fact he might end up playing pro next season. The same applies for Mueller, who could be in the NHL, but Soetaert said he was going to protect him anyway. The rest of this list is obvious except perhaps Mistelbacher, who the Tips brass is really high on and who showed great promise when called up for the playoffs.
Possibles
Brennan Sonne, LW, 1987
David Reekie, G, 1987
Shane Harper, LW, 1989
Lukas Vartovnik, LW, 1989
Mike Alexander, D, 1989
Matt Ius, RW, 1990
Tyler Eskesen, LW, 1990
Tyler Hlookoff, D, 1990
Matt Strong, D, 1990
The third overage slot could go either way. I’m sure the Tips would have been happy to deal Reekie to Edmonton to avoid the draft, as there’s no way the Tips burn an overage spot on a backup goalie, and Reekie would give the Oil Kings the type of solid veteran necessary to backstop an expansion team. However, the Tips may feel Reekie has more trade value than an expansion pick and thus deem him worthy of protection. If they leave Reekie exposed, Sonne is probably the choice for the third slot. He’s not really any better than his Joes linemates (Jesse Smyke and Damir Alic), but he has some characteristics (alternate captain, willingness to fight, money in a shootout) that nose him ahead.
Of the rest, Ius is the likeliest bet given his youth and size. Harper has more offensive skill than one would normally be willing to leave exposed in an expansion draft, but in two seasons he has yet to turn that skill into production. Vartovnik played himself onto the possibles list with his improved play in the last month of the season, otherwise he might have been considered replacable through the import draft. Alexander is further along as a player than Hlookoff or Strong, but might be considered more expendable since he’s a smallish defenseman and a year older. Eskesen is a late bloomer (never drafted) and has value as a left-handed shot as the Tips are short of lefty forwards.
Unlikely
Ondrej Fiala, LW, 1987
Jesse Smyke, RW, 1987
Damir Alic, C, 1987
Brandon Campos, RW, 1987
Carter Smith, RW, 1988
Jesse Burt, RW, 1989
Fiala won’t be back as he’ll play pro somewhere. Smyke, Alic and Campos are probably longshots to make Everett next season as overagers even if they’re back. Smith was little more than a throw-in in the Zetariuk-Calla deal, and Burt was rarely used last season.
Three other players who weren’t a part of the season-ending roster should be mentioned: 1989-born goaltender Shayne Barrie, 1990-born forward Ty Skauge and 1990-born defenseman Chris de la Lande. I doubt any of the three will be protected, but it’s not out of the question that they could be taken by Edmonton.
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