The NHL expansion draft won’t be like any normal draft.

To start there will not be any big official draft night.

Simply stated, Las Vegas will select one player from each of the other 30 franchises. At least 20 of those players must be under contract for the 2017-18 season.  The chance fans will lose some favorite players is real.

So how can your favorite team protect players?

There are two different options.

Option 1: seven forwards, three defensman, and one goalie,  OR

Option 2: eight skaters (forwards/defenseman and one goalie

The first option protects 11 players, including one goalie. The second protects only 9 players, but allows a team to protect more than three defenders if they choose. Players with “no movement clauses” at the time of the expansion draft must be protected.

Youngsters get a hall pass so to speak. First and second year players are exempt from the expansion draft and won’t count against the protection quota.

Las Vegas will need 14 forwards, 9 defensemen and 3 goalies- from available players. So who is required to be exposed?  Here is the official wording from the NHL:

i) One defenseman who is a) under contract in 2017-18 and b) played in 40 or more NHL games the prior season OR played in 70 or more NHL games in the prior two seasons.

ii) Two forwards who are a) under contract in 2017-18 and b) played in 40 or more NHL games the prior season OR played in 70 or more NHL games in the prior two seasons.

iii) One goaltender who is under contract in 2017-18 or will be a restricted free agent at the expiration of his current contract immediately prior to 2017-18. If the club elects to make a restricted free agent goaltender available in order to meet this requirement, that goaltender must have received his qualifying offer prior to the submission of the club's protected list.

* Players with potential career-ending injuries who have missed more than the previous 60 consecutive games (or who otherwise have been confirmed to have a career-threatening injury) may not be used to satisfy a club's player exposure requirements, unless approval is received from the NHL. Such players also may be deemed exempt from selection by the League.

Essentially the goal is to create parity for Las Vegas in their inaugural season.

The three important dates are:

June 17, 2017: all 30 NHL franchises are required to submit their list of protected players

June 20, 2017: Las Vegas will submit their selected player list

June 21, 2017: The NHL will announce those selections

For a list of the full rules click here