NHL GMs aren’t thrilled about making expansion draft lists public
As the NHL Expansion Draft moves closer to its June 21 announcement, details surrounding it continue to be a moving target.
The latest question is whether the league will make the protected lists of the 30 teams public. Some general managers would prefer the names not be made public, as it might be an indicator of whom the team deems to be less important and cause embarrassment.
But it also would mute some of the excitement leading up to June 21 if everything is kept secret. If you’re a Golden Knights fan, wouldn’t you want to know who is available?
Deputy commissioner Bill Daly told ESPN.com that no decision has been made on the issue, which would keep fans in the dark as to whom the Golden Knights might take. Each of the existing 30 teams must lose one player in the expansion draft.
“We haven’t made a final decision yet on what public access we may make available to the protected and available lists,” Daly said. “The managers have expressed a preference for maintaining the confidentiality of that information.
“We will make a final decision in due time,. There is no rush here.”
What is known is the 30 teams must submit their protected lists to the league by 2 p.m. (PDT) on June 15. The Knights must turn in their selections by 2 p.m. June 20. The unveiling of the roster will be June 21.
Hopefully, the NHL will capitalize on the opportunity to maintain a buzz from the end of the Stanley Cup Finals to the Expansion Draft by revealing the players available to the Golden Knights.
OUTDOOR GAMES
The league announced Friday its NHL100 Classic would be played Dec. 16 in Ottawa at Lansdowne Park. The Ottawa Senators will host the Montreal Canadiens to tie into the 100th anniversary of the first NHL game, which saw Ottawa play Montreal on Dec. 19, 1917.
Nothing is official, but according to reports, the 2018 Winter Classic outdoor game will be at Citi Field in New York, with the Rangers playing the Buffalo Sabres.
Newsday first reported the proposed game, in which the Rangers would be the visiting team, even though the game would be in Queens. The team’s lease with Madison Square Garden prohibits the Rangers from substituting a home date. When the Rangers played the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils in Yankee Stadium in 2014, they were the visiting team.
BLUES SEEK STATE HELP
The St. Louis Blues are asking the Missouri state legislature for $70 million to help upgrade the Scottrade Center.
The arena generates $11 million annually in tax revenue for the state, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The Blues are ready to kick in $50 million toward improvements, and the city recently approved an additional $64 million in bonds to help with funding for a new scoreboard, upgraded locker rooms, new seats and infrastructure upgrades.
Scottrade, which opened in 1994 as the Kiel Center, is owned by the city and leased to the Blues, who operate and manage it. The arena cost $170 million to build, with $62.4 million in tax-exempt financing.
STAMKOS UPDATE
There was good news for the Tampa Bay Lightning when center Steven Stamkos practiced Friday. He suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee Nov. 15 against Detroit and had surgery Nov. 17.
But don’t look for Stamkos to return in time to help the Lightning make their final push for a playoff berth. Tampa is two points behind Toronto for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 11 games left.
“When it’s 100 percent, I’ll be back,” Stamkos told the Tampa Bay Times on Friday in his first comments since surgery. “It’s a question I can’t answer. I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in this rehab process, where it feels like it’s never going to get better. Then you have a week where it goes through the roof in regards to how you’re feeling.
“I’ll be playing when it feels ready. And I can’t say it feels ready right now. But it was a start.”
Stamkos re-signed with the Lightning last summer and was in the first year of an eight-year, $68 million deal. He has nine goals and 20 points this season.
Steve Carp’s weekly NHL notebook appears Sundays. Contact him at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow @stevecarprj on Twitter.
WEEK’S THREE STARS
1. Brad Marchand, Boston. The NHL’s leading scorer has seven goals and 11 points in the past five games as the Bruins look to clinch a playoff berth.
2. Joe Pavelski, San Jose. The Sharks captain has four goals in the past three games for the division leaders.
3. Rickard Rakell, Anaheim. The Ducks forward has scored in four straight games.
