expansion plan

The Jets are lacking financial flexibility, but exposing a veteran could alleviate the cap concerns if Seattle bites. Even if they don't, though, Winnipeg has an opportunity to keep its core together, even if a difficult decision will have to be made at the bottom of the lineup.

The Capitals have managed to keep most of the 2018 Cup team intact, but new contracts to Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Braden Holtby could shake things up ahead of the 2021 expansion draft.

The Vancouver Canucks are still rebuilding. But unlike other teams in the same situation, they're unlikely to lose an important piece, instead sitting with an opportunity to shed some salary.

Not one of the forwards who was protected last time around remains with the franchise, but that opens up room for the Maple Leafs to keep its core together – though there is one tough decision that has to be made.

Like any contending team, Tampa Bay is going to surrender a good player to Seattle in 2021. But will that really matter?

The Blues have the good fortune of being able to keep their championship-winning roster together, and if St. Louis so wishes, they might be able to keep much of the current group intact beyond the expansion draft.

The Sharks watched a couple of key players depart via free agency, but much of the core remains intact, and if they play their cards correctly, San Jose could come out of the expansion draft in 2021 on the right foot.

The Penguins' roster is getting awfully thin at the bottom, but that means Pittsburgh need not worry about losing one of their stars come expansion and instead focus on keeping important secondary players.

Philadelphia's core roster is often overlooked, but with a promising young goaltender and talented veterans, the Flyers look ready to tackle the 2021 expansion draft head-on.

The New York Rangers have had a big summer, but how much of their core will they be able to keep together when Seattle takes action in 2021?

The Islanders were the only team to protect five defensemen ahead of the 2017 expansion draft, but expect a different protection scheme this time around as New York keeps its forward group together and awaits younger blueline reinforcements.

The New Jersey Devils made a couple of major acquisitions this summer. They're in a good spot for the future, but the 2021 expansion draft will see them lose a much better player than in 2017.

Expect more of the same from Nashville in the next round of expansion, particularly as the blueline remains the foundation for success.

The Habs have been searching for a group that can become true Stanley Cup contenders. They'll lose a good player in the expansion draft, but years of solid drafting have put the team in a good situation to make up for it.

A trio of no-movement clauses will make force Minnesota to make some decisions, but the Wild will have learned a valuable lesson about going out of its way to protect those it can't.

Old, expensive veterans from the Kings' Stanley Cup runs stifle a roster today that can't wait for the future. When the expansion draft comes around, they may find a way to dump a bad contract to make room for some talented young prospects.

The Panthers made some of the worst choices of any franchise at the Vegas expansion draft, but a hard lesson learned will mean Florida takes its chances and protect only who it can protect when Seattle comes calling.

Edmonton's rebuild seems to never end, but some young talent in the system could replace some of the more expensive veterans by the time the expansion draft rolls around in 2021.

Last time, the youth was exempt and the Red Wings were able to keep their veterans in town. When Seattle arrives, though, Detroit will have to protect its young core and hope to shed an aging piece.

The Dallas Stars may have four NMCs, leaving the focus of the expansion draft to protect young assets. They lost a key one in 2017, but they won't allow that to happen this time around.

Jarmo Kekalainen has freedom to protect his best with zero no-movement clauses blocking the way, and that means Columbus should be able to keep its core intact without the risk of another William Karlsson-esque gaffe.

The Avs are almost certainly going to lose a better player to Seattle than they did with Vegas, but that means that the building blocks for a bright long-term future in Denver are more than adequate.