Golden Knights Expansion (Mock) Draft

The list of unprotected players from each team has officially been made public. So for the first time we can release a realistic mock draft for the brand new Las Vegas Golden Knights. Below is our breakdown of who the Golden Knights should take from each team. Key dates to remember:
     - June 18th-21st - Las Vegas can sign unrestricted free agents
     - June 21st - Las Vegas team is announced at the NHL Awards Ceremony
     - June 23rd-24th - NHL Entry Draft
     - July 1st - Free agency officially begins

Before we dive into this mock draft, let's go over some ground rules. First, the Knights will select a player from every NHL team. They must draft a minimum of 14 forwards, 9 defensemen and 3 goaltenders. Teams have submitted a list of unprotected players to the NHL. These unprotected players must include at least one forward, two defensemen and one goalie who are under contract for next season. Teams are obligated to protect any player with a "no movement" clause. Lastly, all first and second year pro players are exempt from being selected, they do not count against their team's protected player list.


If you want to make your own mock draft, I encourage you to checkout Cap Friendly's expansion draft tool. They did a great job putting it together and give you a great look at all the options for the Golden Knights.

Anaheim Ducks

Sami Vatanen - D

Other Notable Options
Nate Thompson
Patrick Eaves
Jonathan Bernier

Arizona Coyotes

Zbynek Michalek - D

Other Notable Options
Radim Vrbata
Shane Doan
Jarred Tinordi

Boston Bruins

Malcolm Subban - G

Other Notable Options
Jimmy Hayes
Dominic Moore
Adam McQuaid

Buffalo Sabres

Matt Moulson - F

Other Notable Options
Brian Gionta
Zach Bogosian
Josh Gorges

Calgary Flames

Michael Stone - D

Other Notable Options
Troy Brouwer
Kris Versteeg
Brian Elliot

Carolina Hurricanes

Bryan Bickell - F

Other Notable Options
Eddie Lack
Lee Stempniak
Cam Ward

Chicago Blackhawks

Trevor van Riemsdyk - G

Other Notable Options
Marcus Kruger
Johnny Oduya
Brian Campbell

Colorado Avalanche

Carl Soderberg - F

Other Notable Options
Rene Bourque
Fedor Tyutin
Carl Soderberg
Mikhail Grigorenko

Columbus Blue Jackets

Jack Johnson - D

Other Notable Options
Matt Calvert
Sam Gagner
William Karlsson

Dallas Stars

Dan Hamhuis - D

Other Notable Options
Ales Hemsky
Patrick Sharp
Antti Niemi

Detroit Red Wings

Jonathan Ericsson - D

Other Notable Options
Darren Helm
Niklas Kronwall
Petr Mrazek

Edmonton Oilers

Benoit Pouliot - F

Other Notable Options
Matt Hendricks
Andrew Ference
Kris Russel

Florida Panthers

Reilly Smith - F

Other Notable Options
Jaromir Jagr
Jussi Jokinen
Thomas Vanek

Los Angeles Kings

Dustin Brown - F

Other Notable Options
Marian Gaborik
Jarome Iginla
Rob Scuderi

Minnesota Wild

Matt Dumba - D

Other Notable Options
Martin Hanzal
Marco Scandella
Eric Staal

Montreal Canadiens

Alex Radulov - F

Other Notable Options
Tomas Plekanec
Alexei Emelin
Andre Markov

Nashville Predators

James Neal - F

Other Notable Options
Mike Fisher
PA Paranteau
Colin Wilson

New Jersey Devils

Mike Cammalleri - F

Other Notable Options
Beau Bennett
Ben Lovejoy
Stefan Noesen

New York Islanders

Dennis Seidenberg - D

Other Notable Options
Cal Clutterbuck
Nikolay Kulemin
Jaroslav Halak

New York Rangers

Michael Grabner - F

Other Notable Options
Tanner Glass
Matt Puempel
Kevin Klein

Ottawa Senators

Bobby Ryan - F

Other Notable Options
Clarke McCarthur
Chris Neil
Marc Methot

Philadelphia Flyers

Matt Read - F

Other Notable Options
Dale Weise
Steve Mason
Michael Del Zotto

Pittsburgh Penguins

Marc-Andre Fleury - G

Other Notable Options

Nick Bonino

Carl Hagelin

Bryan Rust

San Jose Sharks

Paul Martin - D

Other Notable Options
Mikkel Boedker
Patrik Marleau
Joe Thornton

St. Louis Blues

Nail Yakupov - F

Other Notable Options
David Perron
Carl Gunnarson
Robert Bortuzzo

Tampa Bay Lightning

Jason Garrison - D

Other Notable Options
Cory Conacher
Cedric Paquette
Andrej Sustr

Toronto Maple Leafs

Brian Boyle - F

Other Notable Options
Eric Fehr
Joffrey Lupul
Milan Michalek

Vancouver Canucks

Ryan Miller - G

Other Notable Options
Derek Dorsett
Jack Skille
Luca Sbisa

Washington Capitals

TJ Oshie - F

Other Notable Options
Kevin Shattenkirk
Justin Williams
Karl Alzner

Winnipeg Jets

Toby Enstrom

Other Notable Options
Shawn Matthias
Ondrej Pavelec
Mark Stuart

So here it is, the full breakdown of what could be the Las Vegas Golden Knights roster. A very impressive gathering of talent, especially for a first year franchise. Lots of skill and depth throughout the team, including great goaltending options. 

I really like what this team has to offer. There are no bonafide superstars, but James Neal, Bobby Ryan and TJ Oshie are all in that second tier of star players. I would pay to watch this team. I think what I like most about this team is how well-balanced it is. 

First, they are equally strong on offense and defense. There is not an obvious weak spot. Second, they have a variety of youth and veteran players. They are good enough to compete for a playoff spot right now in the weak Western Conference. Also, they have young players like Vatanen, Smith and Subban that could grow into very good players for the future. 

Most likely this is not the same team the Golden Knights will go with. They have other plans and trades in the works. They also still have the draft and free agency before this season begins. No matter what, they will be a very competitive team in their first NHL season.