Before the Seattle Kraken entered the league at the start of the 2021-2022 season, an expansion draft was held and general managers had two options when deciding who would be on their protection list. The first option was to protect seven forwards, three defensemen, and one goaltender. The second option was eight skaters and one goaltender, that gave you less protected players but they could all be forwards if you so desired.
Players in their first or second professional seasons (for players aged 18 or 19, playing 10 games equals a season. For older players, any play in AHL or NHL counted) didn't have to be protected while those who had a no-movement clause had to be protected. For the purpose of today's exercise, we'll use the same parameters meaning Lane Hutson, Logan Mailloux, David Reinbacher, Joshua Roy and the likes would all be exempt.
Players Eligible to Be Picked
For this exercise, decisions will have to be made on the roster the Canadiens used in the season which has just finished. In net, Samuel Montembeault and Cayden Primeau would both need protection, so that's already a choice that would have to be made.
On the blueline, David Savard, Mike Matheson, Kaiden Guhle, Justin Barron, Jordan Harris, Arber Xhekaj, Jayden Struble would all be need protection as well.
Up front, Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovski, Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook, Brendan Gallagher, Jake Evans, Joel Armia, Josh Anderson, Christian Dvorak, Rafael Harvey-Pinard and Michael Pezzetta.
Protection List
Whichever kind of protection list you opt for, you need to protect at least one goaltender. For me, it would be Samuel Montembeault, simply because Cayden Primeau has not convinced me that he can be a starter in the NHL. Last Summer, Montembeault showed at the World Championships that he could be solid in a big game with high stakes.
I believe the Canadiens' blue line is well on its way to be a real solid defensive corps and I think it's easy to pick three blueliners. My protection list would include the names of Matheson, Guhle and Xhekaj. I'd keep the high scoring defenseman as an insurance policy and a mentor while Lane Hutson and Logan Mailloux are still developing and polishing their play.
Guhle has so far been the most impressive blueliner of the 2022-2023 promotion, his health is a worry but still, I'd keep him. Finally, I would add Xhekaj on my list, because of his rugged style of play and the fact he can play hockey on top of being the team's official protector.
Which leaves seven spots up front, if using the 1-3-7 option. First, let's get the movement clauses out of the way, the Canadiens do not have a single one. Thankfully, the contracts signed only included a modified no-trade clause at most, meaning the team's hands are not tied at all and they can pick whichever seven forwards they want.
The first line is obviously going straight on the list, Caufield, Slafkovsky and Suzuki are a lock. Leaving four spots only, Dach is another obvious choice, followed by Newhook, bringing us to five forwards.
The Canadiens first line Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky and Nick Suzuki.
Looking at the remaining forwards, there is no-one else I would feel a real urge to protect. To be fair, Gallagher and Anderson's contract are better protection than any list. As for Harvey-Pinard and Pezzetta, they are not essential to the team, nor are Christian Dvorak and Jake Evans.
To be honest, Evans was the only one I might have wanted to put on the protection list, but then I remembered Owen Beck should be graduating soon, and when he does, either Dvorak or Evans will become surplus to requirements.
Of course, this exercise was done in a vacuum, not worrying about expiring contracts and all that jazz. Nevertheless it's an interesting exercise to force you to project yourself in the future to see who you really consider as being part of the team's core.
