Expansion Looming - have you started looking at it?

 With expansion looming and Monday's trade deadline upon us, it might be time to start evaluating what you have and need to protect for the upcoming expansion draft.  

I highly suggest you start reviewing your rosters and developing mock protection lists using both the 14 skaters OR nine forward, four defencemen, and one goaltender protection model to see which one works best for you.  I suggest this because things are going to get moving fast following the season so preparation is paramount to your team not losing somebody you really like.  

It is also important you must expose at least two players for the expansion draft.  Seeing as teams cannot lose more than one forward OR one defenceman or goalie, you need to ensure you are going to expose at least one forward and one goaltender or defenceman.  If you do not have it, be prepared to act quickly to acquire something to expose in the short trading period prior to expansion because you may have to expose a player you would have protected if you do not have enough to expose.  Most of us should not have a problem with this, but it's something to be very keenly aware of heading into the Expansion Draft.  

One other thing to review is your first CCHL contract-exempt players.  Those players are often the ones on the payroll page that have lower salaries or are M designated this year.  Don't forget, if they are RFA but coming off that first contract, they are still exempt from the expansion draft.  

There are some exceptions, such as European free agents that sign their first deals (think Mikheyev) that will have some higher values on first contracts or some goaltenders like Alex Nedeljkovic who did not qualify for the disk until his cheap entry-level deal was up.  His first CCHL contract became three million bucks so while the earlier cheap years are lost, it allows a team to protect a goalie in their prime still since it's their first CCHL contract.  It really is the old 'you win some and lose some' with some of the older players being more expensive but protect worthy on their first deal.  

If you aren't sure if it's the first contract, please check with Matt and Bobby as we should have the data.  

I think that's it but figured this would be a relevant blog given the trade deadline is coming up and people should really start trying to plan accordingly for expansion.  If you're thinking about it in April, it's probably a little late!  

Enjoy trade deadline 2022!

-The Commish