Who stays and who could be chosen in Seattle Kraken’s expansion draft? – The athlete

By 5 p.m. on July 17th, the Capitals must file their Protected List for the Seattle expansion draft.

Four days later we find out in a TV special which player the Kraken has chosen.

The Caps are expected to use the 7-3-1 (striker-defender-goalkeeper) protection strategy instead of 8-1 (eight skaters and one goalkeeper where they would likely protect four forwards and four defenders) for a number of reasons. Use: You are a future-oriented team and it also enables you to shield 11 instead of nine players.

But that doesn’t mean the decisions are easy to make. They won’t be anything but as General Manager Brian MacLellan ponders the final striker and defender to protect, which young goalkeeper to expose, and who Seattle might be keeping an eye on.