Bob McKenzie explains the rules, deadlines you need to know about ahead of expansion draft

BarDown Staff

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The NHL season is over, but there are still so many things for hockey fans to look forward to in the coming weeks.

With the Stanley Cup Final complete, here is another look at the upcoming NHL schedule, which will be a busy two weeks ahead. pic.twitter.com/0H0LbxGZIq
— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) June 12, 2017

The expansion draft is obviously the most notable event on the list as the Vegas Golden Knights will be taking players from the other 30 NHL teams and announcing their picks on June 21st at the NHL awards.

The expansion draft process, however, is a lot more complicated than that and over the course of the next week, you'll see a lot of tweets about protected and unprotected players, no-move clauses and buyouts.

Luckily for hockey fans, Bob McKenzie took the time to explain some rules and deadlines you need to know about ahead of the expansion draft.

It's probably worth noting some of the rules/deadlines regarding the expansion draft, especially as they pertain to No Move Clauses.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 13, 2017

Yesterday at 5 pm ET was the deadline for clubs to ask a player to waive his NMC for purposes of being exposed in the expansion draft.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 13, 2017

NSH and PIT, by virtue of being in the Cup final, had until 5 pm ET today as their deadline for asking players to waive NMC for expansion.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 13, 2017

Friday June 17 at 5 pm ET is deadline for a player to agree waive his NMC for expansion draft purposes. So nothing is official until then.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 13, 2017

First NHL buyout period begins Thurs June 15. It's also deadline for clubs to ask players with NMC if they want to be on waivers pre buyout.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 13, 2017

Note: A NMC prohibits a player being put on waivers without his permission but a NMC does not prevent a player from being bought out.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 13, 2017

League-wide (except for VGK) trade/waiver freeze kicks in @ 3 pm ET on Sat. June 17 and clubs must submit protection lists to NHL by 5 pm ET
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 13, 2017

Many get confused by waivers and NMC. A player with NMC rarely, if ever, "wants" to be put on waivers. So it's a mostly moot point.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 13, 2017

It's a moot point because player with a NMC can be bought out without being put on waivers. So we'll know potential buyouts by Thur/Fri.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 13, 2017

So, based on all of that info, the Dion Phaneuf news that came out Tuesday may make more sense to those that were a little confused.

Dion Phaneuf is not expected to waive his NMC, as was requested by OTT. That means Phaneuf would have to be protected in expansion draft.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 13, 2017

The other option for OTT would be to trade Phaneuf before submitting protected/exposed lists for expansion draft.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 13, 2017

Some of the rules are definitely a little confusing, but things will become clearer once protection lists are submitted and then released on Sunday June 18th.

Until then, take a shot at building the Golden Knights with TSN's expansion draft simulator.

The @GoldenKnights are coming! Play GM and 'Assemble the Knights' in our expansion draft simulator https://t.co/ZRc2O83b2V #TSNHockey pic.twitter.com/fzYrvj06LW
— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) June 13, 2017

(H/T: Bob McKenzie)