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Devils Protection List is out with no surprise, who do we lose?

July 18, 2021, 11:12 AM ET [111 Comments]
Roger Mussa
New Jersey Devils Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
As anticipated, and with little surprise, the Devils protection list is out for the Kraken.

No surprise on the list and it answers a few questions, mainly the last spot up front and the D.

Here we go, the protected list is;
Bratt, Hischier, Kuokkanen, McLeod, Sharangovich, Wood, Zacha, Graves, Severson, Siegenthaler and Blackwood.

From my last post, the last spot was tough between Johnsson and McLeod. The Devils feel they could risk Johnsson as a casualty. Hard to disagree with his one.

On D, that acquisition of Graves means a new protected assets. Siegenthaler taking the last D spot.

Again, no surprise.

So, who is unprotected and who do the Devils realistically lose to the Kraken?

If I were the Kraken, my pick from the Devils could be influenced by other picks when building out this team.

Notable players left unprotected are Subban, Bastian, Johnsson, Merkley, Butcher. Then there is the rest with names like Studenic, Jacobs, White, Cormier, Gignac and Grier.

I do not believe names such as Seen, Carrick, Sissons, Tennyson, Dell and Wedgewood are on the Kraken radar so lets nix these names.

Burning Question... Who would you pick if you were the Kraken?

At the top, I would put Subban, Johnsson, Bastian and Butcher as the main targets for the Kraken.

Again, not knowing the Kraken's thinking or team build when the select from the Jersey players I would suggest the following;

Subban - No better marketing ambassador for a new franchise will be found in the expansion draft. He is the perfect "asset" to go on road shows till the season starts. Can you imagine Subban strolling into the first game wearing a Kraken blue suit? Ultimately, I think the Kraken have many marketable names available and skip taking Subban.

Butcher - Certainly a disappointing season, virtually invisible from a minutes and impact standpoint. What Butcher brings is experience at a nice age, but given available D players (Haydn Fleury, Shattenkirk, Lauzon, Zboril, Borgen, Giordano, Hamilton, Zadorov to name a few) Butcher may be a reach.

Johnsson - Another disappointment who showed tiny streaks after arriving from Toronto. Many say Johnsson is due for a bounce back, and I sure hope so to the point he was my last protected forward on my list. Again, do the Kraken burn their pick on a guy with hope especially when they will have plenty of impactful forward to pick from?

Bastian - A young 23 year old who was one of the brightest positive for the Devils this season. A player who has been int he Devils system for quite some time and was finally given a shot. And did he deliver.
Hard nose hockey, playing tough minutes including PK work I see Bastian as a future Assistant Captain. Hell do what he is asked with little fanfare or glitz.
In my opinion, this is a player you can count on for a few years and for this reason, I believe the Kraken will gain a new age 3rd/4th liner that could do a little bit of everything and has just begun to develop.

From the Devils, the Kraken select...

Who would you pick?

Truly yours,
The Devils Advocate
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