News

Actions

TK's Take: NHL expansion plan bad for Lightning

Posted at 8:50 AM, Mar 20, 2016
and last updated 2016-03-20 08:50:06-04

First of all, I am surprised the NHL is serious about expansion, especially when it involved two smaller cities in Las Vegas and Quebec City..  Their population together doesn't equal Tampa-St. Pete-Clearwater.

Putting that aside, I'm a little miffed right now.

Now, I obviously have no skin in the game when it comes to ownership of any NHL franchise, including the Lightning.

But, who the hell thought up this latest idea of supplementing players to either one or two expansion teams, if an expansion comes to pass?

The idea: Each NHL team can protect either three defenseman, seven forwards and one goalie, or eight players and one goalie.

Right off the bat, teams with deeper talent such as the Lightning are automatically penalized because they will have to put a player out there unprotected that is far better than what half the league can PROTECT.

If I'm Owner Jeff Vinik and GM Steve Yzerman, I'm just a little against this to put it nicely.  Wouldn't you be?

Fortunately, the NHL hasn't set this expansion fiasco in stone, yet.

This draft will completely change Yzerman's strategy going forward.

Someone's feelings is going to get hurt in this thing, I can see it coming. 

A player who wants and deserves to stays with the Bolts will be scooped up by one of these expansion cities.

Here's the deal, if the NHL is going to expand, get it done at once.  Go with two teams, alternating their picks.

However, I would do this.  Each player unprotected should be given a ranking.  Depending on that ranking, the expansion franchise will give up a future draft pick for that player, or if he's a low ranked player, nothing.

No way in hell am I going to give you, say, Andre Vasilveskiy without an compensation.

Franchises work hard enough to develop one exceptional goaltender.  To have a backup of Vassy's quality deserves compensation.

What? Penalize the Bolts for having two quality tenders?  Give me a frick'in break.

Lightning fans, I don't know what you all think.  I for one think the Bolts are getting screwed with this format.

Anyone with me, or am I wrong?