Carolina Hurricanes: Updated Look at Seattle Expansion Draft Scenarios

Scenario #2: Jordan Staal Doesn’t Waive NMC

This scenario, as I mentioned before, throws a wrench in things for the Canes.

If Jordan Staal doesn’t waive his NMC, the Carolina Hurricanes would be forced to protect him. If they went the 8 skaters, 1 goalie route I mentioned before, they’d likely protect Staal, Aho, Teravainen, Svechnikov, Slavin, Pesce, Fleury, Bean, and Nedeljkovic. This would mean that none other than Vincent Trocheck would be exposed, and likely selected, in the Seattle Expansion Draft.

Of course, the Canes could opt to go for the 7 forwards, 3 defensemen, and 1 goalie route, in which I think they’d protect Staal, Aho, Teravainen, Svechnikov, Niederreiter, Trocheck, and one of Morgan Geekie, Brock McGinn, or Steven Lorentz alongside Nedeljkovic, Slavin, Pesce, and one of Fleury or Bean.

In that specific scenario, the Carolina Hurricanes would definitely lose whichever of Fleury or Bean remained exposed for selection; Francis drafted both of these young burgeoning defensemen, and would know exactly what kind of return he’d be getting in either of them.

This scenario would obviously be the worst of the two, and would result in the Carolina Hurricanes losing either a powerhouse forward who has become (despite missing a chunk of games this season due to injury) the wind in the sails of the Canes’ powerplay and netfront presence, or one of two very promising young defensemen.

If these past couple years haven’t been proof that we live in the worst timeline, I don’t know what further evidence we’d need aside from scenario #2 taking place over scenario #1.

Like I said before, the Carolina Hurricanes are going to lose a good player, at the bare minimum; let’s all keep our fingers crossed that Staal waives his NMC or that Don Waddell starts putting together some trade sorcery before or at the trade deadline in a couple weeks. I’m going to go ahead and start manifesting that they don’t lose a great player instead.