seattle

Jake Bean has been electric in the AHL this season, but he hasn't found his way into full-time NHL duty. With Seattle set to join the league in 2021-22, the newest expansion team could be a perfect landing spot for Bean.

Moves teams make today can affect how they look heading into the 2021 expansion draft. Looking at current contracts, here's an early look at a few of the bigger names that could be available for Seattle when the time comes.

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.

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

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

With how good Carolina's youth is, the Hurricanes are bound to lose a good player at the expansion draft in 2021. But fortunately, they're in a position to rebound better than most thanks to years of successful drafting and smart decisions.

Buffalo's future looks bright and the team should have no issues coming out of the 2021 expansion draft on good footing. But with over half a roster hitting free agency next summer, the Sabres will need to tread carefully over the next two years.