The NHL Expansion Draft will take place on June 21 – and in case you missed it, we outlined the complicated process and how it affects the Minnesota Wild.
Earlier this week, the NHL released more key dates for the upcoming expansion draft.
Monday, June 12 – Deadline for teams to request a player to waive their “No Move” clause. Players who posses no-movement clauses can not be exposed in the expansion draft.
As of this moment, Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu, Jason Pominville and Ryan Suter are the only Wild players who have the said clause in their contract. There’s been some speculation that the team may convince Pominville to waive his clause, but that remains to be seen.
Wednesday, June 14 – Last possible day of the Stanley Cup Final.
Thursday, June 15 – First Buy-Out Period begins.
If a team wants to buyout a player prior to draft – which the Wild have done each of the past two off-seasons – they can do so as of June 15. If the player is bought out, he will go through waivers and a team has 24 hours to claim him.
Friday, June 16 – This is the last day for teams to place players on waivers. It’s also the deadline for players to accept to waive their no-move clause.
Saturday, June 17 – The league commences a freeze of all teams (unless it involves Las Vegas) from trading or waiving players.
Sunday, June 18 – Deadline for clubs to register and distribute their protection list. Which means by 9 a.m central time, fans will know who’s protected and who will be exposed in the upcoming expansion draft.
Over the next 72 hours, Las Vegas will have a three-day window to sign exposed players to contracts.
Wednesday, June 21 – Las Vegas announces which players have been signed.
Thursday, June 22 – Expansion draft signing period ends and trade/waiver freezes are lifted.
