Duck Tales: Who to expose for the 2021 expansion draft?

The NHL will be adding a 32nd franchise for the 2021-22 season when Seattle makes its debut.

We saw how quickly the Las Vegas Golden Knights became a force in the league, qualifying for the Stanley Cup Final in their very first season.

Commissioner Gary Bettman will stick with the same format for Seattle, giving current NHL teams the option to protect seven forwards three defenseman, and a goalie; or eight skaters —regardless of position— and a goaltender. Teams will have to expose at least two forwards, and one blue liner who either played 40 games the previous seasons, or 70 combined over the last seasons. Players with no-movement clauses are exempt.

The Anaheim Ducks will be in a good position to keep their budding young core together, because players who are in their first-or-second-year, plus unsigned rookies are ineligible. The Athletic’s Eric Stephens came up with his list of players that Ducks should expose. Here are his choices:

Danton Heinen, Sonny Milano, Christian Djoos, Isac Lundestrom, Jacob Larsson, Brendan Guhle, Josh Mahura, Erik Gudbranson, Carter Rowney, Nicolas Deslauriers, Anthony Stolarz, and David Backes.

Stephens went with the 7-3-1 format for his selections. I can see the Seattle franchise taking a flyer on Milano, who will be 25 years old at the start of the 2021-22 season. He has shown some offensive pop, and should be on a relatively cheap deal with him an RFA after next season.

Which players on Stephen’s list do you think have the highest chance to be picked by Seattle in the expansion draft?