EXPANSION DRAFT RULES
Regulations for Vegas Golden Knights
• By 9 a.m. Wednesday, the Knights must submit the list of players they have selected. The NHL will announce those selections that night at the awards show at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (7 p.m., NBCSN).
• Must select one player from each presently existing club for a total of 30 players
• Must select the following number of players at each position: 14 forwards, nine defensemen and three goaltenders.
• Must select a minimum of 20 players who are under contract for the 2017-18 season.
• Must select players with an aggregate expansion draft value that is between 60 percent and 100 percent of the 2016-17 season's upper limit for the salary cap.
• May not buy out any of the players selected in the expansion draft earlier than the summer following their first season.
• Beginning at 9 a.m. Sunday, Vegas can talk to pending exposed unrestricted and restricted free agents.
• If Vegas signs a UFA/RFA by 9 a.m. Wednesday, that player will count as the other team's expansion draft selection.
Protected lists
• Protected and exposed lists will be distributed at 9 a.m. Sunday.
• Clubs will have two options for players they wish to protect in the expansion draft:
a) Seven forwards, three defensemen and one goaltender.
b) Eight skaters (forwards/defensemen) and one goaltender.
• All players who have currently effective and continuing "no movement" clauses at the time of the expansion draft (and who to decline to waive such clauses) must be protected (and will be counted toward their club's applicable protection limits).
• All first- and second-year professionals, as well as all unsigned draft choices, will be exempt from selection (and will not be counted toward their club's applicable protection limits).
